Nottingham-based folding carton and label packaging print business Midland Regional Printers (MRP) is attributing the growth of its label business and broadened product portfolio to its Mark Andy Digital Pro 3 toner-based press.
Michael Tew, MRP technical director, said the company looked at digital technology, to add to its two 10in legacy flexo presses. Looking for a single-pass solution that offered a degree of inline finishing and converting – aiming to keep in-house production at 95% – the Mark Andy Digital Pro 3 machine proved to be the option for the company, he explained.
Combining 1200dpi CMYK with flexo white, the DPro 3 also offers varnishing, laminating, cold foiling, die cutting, stripping and slitting in one pass on a 330mm web width at speeds up to 23m/min. It can handle stocks from pressure sensitive to BOPP, PET, PP, unsupported paper, tags, PVC and vinyl and requires no coating or priming.
Mr Tew added, ‘We really like the smooth, almost litho-like print quality that makes it easy to match with the cartons coming off our sheet fed press, and the fact that it has a small footprint, has no clean-room requirement, and is energy-efficient – it all chimes well with our facility here, where space is at a premium and stacked-down work in progress is costly.’
Kate and Michael receive their Award from Mark Butcher, former England and Surrey cricketer
Kate Tew, MRP sales and marketing director, described the machine as versatile and flexible, allowing the company to bring outwork back in-house, switching between offset and digital because of the high-quality colour match. The press has also given the company the ability to do ‘peel and reveal’ labels, said Ms Tew. Additionally, the Digital Pro 3 has been useful in sampling for customers who are keen to trial new techniques and finishes before committing to full-scale commercial production, as it can run a variety of varnishes for high gloss, matt, or tactile finishes on a wide selection of substrates quickly and cost-effectively, she added.
Working with independent consultancy Eight Versa, MRP has calculated its overall carbon footprint – greenhouse gas, electricity, investments, upstream and downstream responsibilities, waste, and end-of-life considerations – allowing the company to work on identifying areas of high impact and taking action to reduce it. These efforts were acknowledged and rewarded earlier this year when MRP won the ‘Environmentally Sustainable Company – Business Award’ at the Digital Labels & Packaging Awards, held at The Oval cricket ground in London.
