Chatelard, president and CEO of the Flint-owned business, said: “What we see so far year to date, is that capex in the markets where we operate is the same as last year.
“2021 was for everyone a catch-up and in particular for us. We didn’t go backwards so that’s great news. It probably should have been better without all the problems that we know about around the world – like paper, war and inflation.”
Xeikon’s business is split 60% labels and 40% graphic arts.
Chatelard said the business believed it had seen the end of the structural decline in its graphic arts activities, “and we hope to grow from now on”.
iLabel printers in general were badly impacted by the long-running strike at UPM and a lack of label papers.
“They just couldn’t print at all and they had to delay,” he added, but said that recent customer conversations indicated that the market would come back.
At the upcoming Labelexpo show in Chicago, Xeikon will show a new hybrid digital line that combines its X-800 fronted with a Cheetah toner or Panther UV inkjet digital press and the Xeikon Label Converting Unit which uses conventional units such as flexo varnish and die-cutting.
It described the Hybrid line as “a powerful production system enabling label converters to step up their productivity whilst remaining fully flexible for all their customers' needs.”
Vice president of marketing Filip Weymans said: “We are integrating conventional with digital, with one workflow that drives the solution.”
It also plans to showcase new PantherCure LED inks with a number of benefits including reduced energy requirements for curing, a broader colour gamut, and the potential to reduce ink consumption by an average of 30%.
The inks are also suitable for use on heat-sensitive materials due to the LED curing process.
Also being shown for the first time at a live show will be gold and silver toner embellishment for the Cheetah.
Xeikon will also show samples produced using its new Titon toner formulation, which is in development and being beta tested ahead of commercialisation early next year.
“Titon technology is unique – you don’t need primer, laminate or varnish for a food-safe solution,” explained Weymans.
Labelexpo Americas will take place from 13-15 September in Chicago.
Organiser Tarsus was forced to postpone the Labelexpo Europe event planned for earlier this year, in part due to the materials supply crisis at the time.
