The 9600 replaces the Xeikon 8600 and is priced at €395,000. The Belgium-based manufacturer (8a-B20) said it can run at up to 195ppm speed and 1200dpi resolution with variable dot density. It integrates the Xeikon X-800 front-end’s variable data capabilities and has a fifth colour station for spot colour reproduction and security applications.

Speaking at the Drupa press conference yesterday, vice president marketing Patrick Van Baelen said the company decided to make a baby brother to the 9800, after the latter’s success. According to Xeikon, the machine’s QA-CD dry toner enables print on substrates without specific pre-treatment, offers a wide colour gamut and has no VOC emissions. Van Baelen said the toner enabled lower running costs.

The Xeikon FDU, which stands for flatbed die-cut unit, completes the company’s folding carton suite and costs €240,000.

This 2000sph flatbed system can take sheets from 400x400mm up to 530x1000mm and has a maximum die cut size of 490 x 700mm.

Substrate thickness can range from 160 to 890 micron for paper and carton board and the machine also handles micro flute corrugated board which Xeikon said made it ideal for completing offset as well as digital runs.

“The FDU will cut and crease to the final product and is optimized for short run production,” Van Baelen said.

The FDU is not a digital die-cutter. Xeikon chief executive Wim Maes said that currently digital cutters did not offer what customers want.

Drupa is also the official launch for the 60m/min Trillium liquid toner press, which Maes said was expected to start shipping in Q2 of 2017 with a €2.2m price tag. So far the press remains in beta testing in Xeikon’s production site in Lier, Belgium, with a printer running jobs inside the Xeikon premises. Maes said there were no other beta sites so far.  

On the question of the press going head-to-head against the HP Indigo, Maes said: “Maybe. We did not develop this to say we want to compete head-to-head with HP but we do see the market out there for this type of quality for very high volumes and it’s in the commercial space. Are we afraid about this head-to-head competition? No, because we think we go from the right segment high quality, high volume. That’s the DNA of Xeikon I would say.”

He added: “There’s always place for two.”

Xeikon’s acquisition by Flint Group in November 2015 has also enabled Xeikon to offer finance deals for customers, Maes added.