Made from board

Heidelberg goes from 1 to 2

Just two years after introducing its B1 DuoPress, Heidelberg has added a B2 version to meet demand for shorter runs and value added packaging print. It differs from its B1 counterpart in being supplied with both perfecting and straight printing options.

The DuoPress features pre-coating, drying, inking units and end-of-line coating (normally a double coater) in a single machine. Typically, the first coating unit will apply opaque white onto plastics substrates, or high quality gold or silver inks that can be overprinted in-line with offset inks to achieve brilliant metallic effects. Then a combination of water based and UV coatings or varnishes will dry and lift the quality finish of the print. Printers will be able to combine conventional inks, water based coatings, UV inks and UV coatings at will.

Steve Cavey, marketing manager for B1 and B2 products, says: "With more than 120 CD102s with double coaters installed worldwide, we recognize that there is a real need for the small format Duo which can output short run, high quality work at speed onto paper, metallic stocks and plastics. Packaging companies will welcome this news. We believe many printers will want to discuss a B2 Duo option, because the CD 74 could cost effectively compete in the more demanding markets where pre and post-coating services add value to the finished result."

He concludes: "Heidelberg has never been as well equipped to serve the carton printing market. We have two new presses and we are witnessing a growing demand for dedicated UV presses across the range. Allied with the die cutter and folder gluer converting ranges we acquired with Jagenberg, our offering is more comprehensive and our support and service backup better in tune with the needs of customers in this area."

Sweet success

This year's Pro Carton/ECMA Carton of the Year award, for the best carton on the market in Europe, went to the Terry's Imagine chocolates pack produced in Switzerland by Model PrimePac. The judges awarded the top prize to this 'fun table pack' - in cartonboard manufactured by Iggesund Paperboard - for its unusual shape which stands out on the shelf, its eye-catching construction and bright colours. Six colour printing is used with iriodin varnish, in combination with dispersion and UV spot varnish. The embossing and the iriodin varnish give the pack a 'leather' feel to match the 'handbag' shape.

For the second year running, Field Packaging – Bradford took the Best Confectionery Carton award. The winner this time is the Elizabeth Shaw Collection Gift Box, printed on a six colour Komori on cartonboard supplied by M-real/Henry Leigh Slater. The judges were impressed by the surprise achieved when the box is opened - two layers containing the chocolates slide out in opposite directions. They thought this "greatly enhances the presentation and sharing appeal of the pack, as well as supporting the premium quality of the product itself". The pack is printed in three colours with a flexo applied pearlized varnish and foil blocking.

Bobst boosts Benson's business

Benson Box has invested in a Bobst Sprintera 106-PER – claimed to be the fastest, most productive B1 die cutter on the market. Running at 12,000sheets/hour, the new machine gives the company the additional volume and productivity it requires. It also offers compatibility with its four other Bobst die cutters. To maximize the benefits of the new machine, a team at Benson carried out a complete audit of all the company's die cutting tools to ensure that maximum speed would be achieved on those jobs put onto the Sprintera.

An additional benefit is the machine's ability to automatically register die cutting to print. The Power Register optical recognition system identifies the location of the actual print on the sheet and moves the board to be in perfect register with the die cutting tools. This ensures consistently high die cutting quality and reduces the number of stops due to out-of-position sheets.

Managing director Mark Kerridge says Benson first intended to buy two machines rated at 8,000sheets/hour rather than the faster Sprintera, but soon realized the benefits of the single machine concept. "It not only means that we run off each job more quickly, it also means we need only one additional crew for each shift. This halves our labour on cost for the machine."

Healthy increase

Manufacturing capacity at MY Healthcare's Portsmouth, UK, facility is being increased by 50 per cent. In addition to extra print and die cutting equipment, a high speed Diana Pro 114 folder gluer will be installed in the enlarged manufacturing area. It will be dedicated to producing narrow side wall blister packs at the rate of over 2M/day.

To handle work at maximum speed (650m/min) MY specified the Jagfeed prefeed and the new Japack Pro case packer. A code reader and ejection system ensure product security, and a two-gun gluing option allows overhead pen gluing, a requirement with some of the company's small format blister pack pharmaceutical work.

Heidelberg has introduced a touchscreen graphical user interface on the Diana Pro 114, which marries up with its other products. There is also a radio controlled, cable-free operating unit that allows the user to control the main functions of the machine from any location.

BRIEFS

To increase productivity and reduce costs at its Redditch, UK, site, Arron Print has ordered its first Komori press. "The Lithrone L528 offered by far the smallest footprint of any 28in sheet-fed model," says managing director Aston Colley. "Space is at a premium and the output capacity of this press, compared with the amount of floor area it takes, is exceptional. It will enable us to provide a much faster service to our customers."

Crosland VK has introduced a high speed automatic die cutter – the New Young Shin 1040s Revotec. Features include a quickset stripping frame, micrometer adjustment for the cutting plate, side-lay sensors and a top speed of 7,500 sheets/hour. The machine can also be supplied with either pre-loader or pallet loading.