Xeikon has been owned by Flint Group since the tail end of 2015. President Robert Welford, who took over the top job at Flint’s digital division last year, said that over the past 12 months the Xeikon business has been “re-engineered” to provide better customer support and service.

“We’ve done that by focusing on taking the isolated islands of sales, marketing and the service departments and integrating them into three commercial groups [covering key geographies],”

“This new, lean organisation enables us to be more adaptive to particular market requirements and be more reactive and customer-centric.”

On its 600sqm booth in Hall 11 Xeikon will showcase its product range in four different zones, one of which is under wraps until the show.

However, for the first time at a Drupa, there will not be a physical press in Xeikon’s commercial print and graphic arts area.

Instead promotion of its commercial print offerings will be via an information wall and samples, while Xeikon focuses on its newer products for other markets.

“When we decided to go to Drupa we decided only to take our latest developments and our latest technology,” said Dimitri Van Gaever, director of business development.

The new label press, the PX3300HD, joins its Panther line-up.

It prints in five colours at 1,200dpi – double the resolution of existing models – and also uses a new ink, PX-Cure LED HD.

Width is 330m and the print speed is up to 70m/min. The PX3300HD has a compact footprint, and can also be configured in a hybrid setup with Xeikon’s Label Converting Units.

Xeikon’s 500mm-wide TX500 using Titon toner technology will be shown for the first time with an inline digital metallisation and embellishment setup co-developed with Kurz.

For embellishment the TX500 applies a special Transfer Toner to the required areas, and the web then continues to the Kurz module.

Xeikon said the process can be used for solids and also for intricate details thanks to the press’s 1,200dpi resolution. The firm is excited about the potential for high-end embellishment.

Of the TX500, Van Gaever noted: “We initially developed this technology for the paper-based flexible packaging market because of the growing demand for plastic-free packaging.

“But we soon realised that it also has other capabilities and that’s why we’ve already successfully implemented this technology in cups printing for printing paper cups, also in durable labels in a food-related context, and also in wallpaper printing so it’s a very, very promising technology.”

Xeikon’s LX3000 five-colour label press will be shown in the ‘Lion’ zone. It is Xeikon’s fastest dry toner press, running at 42m/min, and uses Xeikon’s new Eco Toner.

“It’s sustainable, consisting of more than 60% recycled PET, PPA-free, PFAS-free and fluorine-free, food approved, deinkable and it’s even 100% vegan – it’s really dry toner development pushed to the limit,” said Van Gaever, who noted that Xeikon’s exhibit would encompass a number of key Drupa topics including sustainability, AI via its smart tools in its workflow, and automation.

Idera, the single-pass water-based inkjet platform for the post-print corrugated market, will also be showcased with an information wall.

Xeikon would not reveal pricing for the press, first announced in 2021, but said it was less than competing devices.

It has two Idera installations: one at development partner Tristate Container Corporation in Pennsylvania, and another at Packaging.digital near Cologne in Germany, which is “being ramped up as we speak”.

Regarding the costs associated with exhibiting at Drupa, which have increased substantially since the last show in 2016, marketing manager Danny Mertens said: “We had a long debate. It’s not a given anymore that 'it’s Drupa' so we will be there.

“We made a calculation and we do see a lot of opportunity [in being at the show]. It’s expensive but we expect a lot of value in return.”

He quipped: “We also calculated that from the opening bell to the closing we will spend about €5 per second of the show.”

Vice president of sales Monika Olbricht commented: “What we expect of course is that it is a big success for the business just as it was eight years ago.

“Despite the fact that the world has changed and a lot has become virtual, I still do think that experiencing live innovations and technology and having the chance of discussions with professionals and experts at the show are really key still today and appreciated by customers – and a prerequisite for generating new business.”