Label-form Ltd increases digital productivity with Durst Tau 330 HD

Perfect integration with other equipment for diverse printed label requirements

Durst, the industrial inkjet specialist andLabel-form Ltd, based in Maidenhead in the UK, recently decided to install a Durst Tau 330 digital UV Inkjet Label Press to expand the digital production capacity of this leading label printing specialist. The company refers to it as ‘a new level of digital print’.

Always at the forefront of new developments, Label-form wanted to increase its digital production. “Many customers come to us because of the colour density and white we normally offer with screen printing,” Stewart Serls, Sales Director of Label-form, explained. “The colours and white produced by the Durst are absolutely fantastic, one of the main reasons why we opted for the Tau 330.”

Debbie Mellett, Label-form Managing Director, added: “Another very important feature for us is the use of special Tau low migration inks for primary food labels. Obviously this represents a huge opportunity for us, enabling us to expand what we already offer to packaging specialists in the UK.”

Debbie Mellett stressed that choosing Durst as a business partner and the Tau 330 as the preferred new digital ‘workhorse’ was not a decision made overnight. “We looked at quite a few competitive digital inkjet presses. In the end, the Durst machine was the preferred printing system as it has the capabilities of meeting our business needs. We opted for the HD version which gives greater colour quality and with its ability to print on a wide range of materials with speeds of up to 48m per minute, it has the performance needed for small to medium runs of digital labels. Quality, flexibility and extremely fast delivery is critical for our organisation.”

Label-form has an extensive customer base with diverse label specification and print run requirements. Not surprisingly, the ability to print variable data is critical for Label-form.

Stewart Serls: “This was the decision making feature when buying the Durst Tau 330 with the added variable data option. We are currently the only label manufacturer in the UK with this Tau 330 configuration so it gives us a significant competitive edge. There is an increasing demand for small and medium production runs for the highest print quality with added value such as variable information.”

Label-form is able to supply this diversity of solutions because it uses a variety of production equipment. According to Label-form management the new Durst Tau 330 fits extremely well into this high quality printing equipment environment as it is possible to produce very high quality labels with low origination costs. The process is more cost effective during the pre-press stage than other conventional systems and the short file preparation time creates optimum flexibility for fast turnaround short and medium runs.

Steve Oliver, Operations Director, summarized as follows why the management chose the Durst Tau 330: “With optimum training and support from Durst, high quality low migration inks and a wide range of variable data options, the Durst Tau 330 arrived at just the right time as we needed a premium digital label printing machine that would enable us to offer far more flexibility and complementary print options.”

Durst Tau 330

The Tau 330 redefines the standards for digital UV inkjet- and packaging print. It is equipped with Xaar 1001 Single-Pass Printheads and has a maximum print width of 330 mm with a maximum print speed of 48 running meters per minute. This allows an outstanding production capacity of 950 sqm. The standard ink configuration of CMYK can be upgraded on-demand with White and two additional process colors such as Orange and Purple, which are indispensable for label applications with a pantone color space. Even the standard version of the Tau 330 comes with comprehensive RIP software with integrated substrate- and color management options.

With the new high definition print mode, the Tau 330 now achieves a resolution of 720 x 1260 dpi, which significantly improves the print quality and generates highly defined texts and intricate details in all graphics and images. In order to ensure highest productivity with an entirely digital end-to-end workflow, the Tau 330 LFS version now features a new in-line digital laser finishing system by the expert die cutting company Spartanics. The integrated powerful 1000-Watt laser enables fully automatic job changeovers, while continuing production without interruptions.

Another feature of the Tau 330 is its compatibility with SUNJET's new Tau Low Migration Inks for primary food packaging. The substrates of the Tau Low Migration Inks comply with all guidelines of the European Printing Ink Association (EUPIA), the Swiss Ordnance for Materials and the Nestlé Packaging Inks Specifications. This ink expands the production range of the Durst Tau 330 to include self-supported foils, such as blister packaging, yogurt lids and many other applications. Additionally, the integrated inert gas system reduces typical odors of UV inkjet printers to meet the requirements of the food- and pharmaceutical industry for low-odor print production.