The 300m/min 550iSR is aimed at printers looking to expand into wider label web widths, and will offer a more economical alternative to the firm’s premium servo-driven 550m/min, 550mm-wide Multiflex multiple substrate slitter rewinder.
BGM sales manager Daniel Carr told Printweek he was looking forward to introducing it to the market.
“It has been purposefully designed as a cost-effective solution for label finishing, set against industry [prices],” he said.
“You can’t get a 22’’ machine for that value unless you buy from China.”
Designed and built in-house at BGM’s Bradford facility, the 550iSR was developed to help printers make the jump to wider, more productive label presses by giving them a stepping stone into wider finishing widths.
“We did our due diligence and went out into the market, and I think printers are going to receive [the 550iSR] with open arms,” Carr said.
“A lot of people won’t think twice spending two and a half million pounds on a 22’’ press – but unless you can finish it [at that width], and get your labels out, what’s the point?”
Many of the existing 550mm-wide label finishing machines in the market, including BGM’s own Multiflex model, are servo-driven to accommodate flexible substrates.
The 550iSR is not, however, and while BGM is keeping tight-lipped about the exact design, its build makes it suitable for standard self-adhesive stocks, while cutting the cost significantly.
The machine is fitted as standard with a one-metre diameter unwind with integral roll-lifting, and BGM’s gear positioning system that allows operators to load the master roll into the braking system position, where it will self-align with no operator intervention. Other features include variable tension control and a constant air pressure on the unwind mandrel.
Optional extras include dual rewind, automatic inspection system, inkjet module, and razor unit with venturi extraction.
"It's designed really ergonomically, with operators in mind," Carr added.
"Besides our admin staff and accounts, we're all engineers at Bar. And when we come up with an idea, we communicate with print industry leaders to find out what their operators want: we work on feedback, and this machine has been designed to make running it easy."
