The Wednesbury, West Midlands-based firm installed a Foliant Vega 400A laminator with a Multi-functional Inprinting Unit and Sheet Delivery Jogger at its 2,790sqm site around three weeks ago. The kit was supplied by Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS).
Quantum joint managing director Giles Foden said the investment was made to complement a Ricoh Pro C9100 digital colour press, which was installed last year and marked the launch of the firm's digital service.
The business can now cost-effectively offer specialist finishes and effects including foiling and spot varnishing on short run work.
“We were previously outsourcing lamination and special finishes, which have an on-cost, and those on-costs on smaller volumes aren't practical,” said Foden.
“We've got a lot of customers that buy both digital and litho off us and this gives us a further offering on our digital side. It enables customers to get to market with added-value packaging that is nicer, better, brighter and more eye-catching.”
The B3-plus Foliant Vega 400A is a compact industrial laminating machine. Due to its pneumatic high-pressure system, format and performance, the machine is said to be suitable for laminating all kinds of digitally printed sheets and can also be used to laminate B3-plus size litho printed sheets.
The Multi-functional Inprinting Unit, which is available as a retrofit for Foliant's Vega, Mercury and Taurus laminators, runs foil colours including gold, silver, red and green as well as a clear gloss for spot varnish.
Quantum first saw a demonstration of the Foliant equipment at PrintWeekLive! in March and followed that up with further testing at the IFS showroom.
“The nature of our digital work is personalisation on short to medium runs so there was no point in us looking at any faster machines. For the price, this machine suited our purpose and the market areas that we are in,” said Foden, who along with Peter Thomas took over the reins of the company in an MBO in May 2014.
“We found IFS very easy to deal with from initial meetings through testing and the installation. Training was completed very smoothly.”
Established in 2005, Quantum Print & Packaging produces a wide variety of bespoke litho and digitally printed packaging. The firm, which operates Heidelberg B1 litho presses alongside its Ricoh digital machine and a large array of finishing kit, has also recently installed a secondhand Signature gluing line, bought from Care Graphic Machinery.
The £3m-turnover business has 28 staff and its clients range from SMEs to blue chip companies in sectors including sports nutrition, beverage, technology and e-cigarettes.
