With his ‘all-in’, fearless approach to setting the technological tone that others observe and follow, it’s no wonder that REN-FLEX is a leading provider of in-mould label (IML), flexible packaging and shrink sleeve label solutions to the packaging industry.
The Ophirton, Johannesburg plant now housing the 25k, focuses on flexible packaging, catering for the growing demand for food-safe solutions as customers look to reduce costs while increasing the recyclability of their packaging.
And the upgrade given to his HP Indigo 20000 – which was also the first of its kind in South Africa when it was bought – means the model is now on a par with the new arrival, offering greater throughput and a more reliable colour management system – a truly powerful pair to capitalise on the prevailing potential for pouches.
Tommy expressed great admiration for his new arsenal when he spoke to PPM recently. ‘This opens huge opportunities for us,’ he enthused. ‘It adds impetus to our move away from paper printing into the flexible packaging business. It will boost our capability to handle short-run work at high speeds and within tight turnaround times, which is what the market wants. We’ve noted that several food manufacturers are switching from cans to pouches because of cost and recyclability, so the new equipment is right on the mark.’
The 25k is a seven-colour press offering true offset printing quality with no compromise on register or quality, just a perfect image every time, Carl Zerle, head of Kemtek’s digital division, stressed. ‘This is achieved through a laser head that writes an image onto a photo imaging plate,’ he elaborated. ‘It’s an electronic image that changes with every revolution, which means there can be something on the fly that’s changing all the time as opposed to a normal fixed imaging plate. It’s a seven-colour press, but it’s not limited to CMYK, with ink options like OVG, 97% of the Pantone can be reached. In addition, a standard and premium white as well as spot colours, fade resistant yellow and magenta and security colours.’
The ability to meet exacting brand colour and quality needs is a function of HP Indigo’s liquid electrophotography technology, through which a blanket transfers ink to media. The blanket is heated, melting and blending the Electroink particles into a smooth film to produce an image that is completely defined on the blanket and transferred to the substrate by direct contact. Electroinks contain very small particles of between one and two microns dispersed in carrier liquid. Electrical fields control the particles’ placement to the imaging plate, resulting in high-resolution images. Pigment dispersion and particle charging are virtually non-pigment dependent.
Perfect performer
Tommy supports Carl’s claim of superior quality. His 25k has been performing excellently since commissioning in August, he told us, demonstrating the benefits of quick switches between jobs with minimal turnaround times and advanced colour management control based on artificial intelligence and algorithms that recognise and alert the operator of discrepancies during a run. This Spot Master technology not only achieves precise matches to Pantone references within three minutes, making it the industry’s fastest time-to-colour solution, but holds them constant, allowing converters to deliver high colour consistency and uniformity across the print frame, ensuring every package is identical in appearance no matter when or where it is printed. This feature boosts production by as much as 25% by providing more automation and it generates significantly less waste.
An inline priming unit prepares the medium for better ink adhesion, Tommy continued. The substrate thickness range is anything from 10 to 450 microns and, although the press is primarily for flexible packaging, it is equally adept at products such as IML and wraparound labels. Greater flexibility is achieved through two white ink stations, while productivity is heightened with a frame expansion of 746 x 1 120mm.
The 25k is billed as having a more attractive total cost of ownership than other presses. The wide range of media – including capability to print on biodegradable and recycled material – and applications enable printers to achieve high margins from jobs not typically profitable with conventional production. The click costs include inks, blankets and all other consumables, Tommy pointed out, so that whether coverage is 1% or 100%, it’s easy to work out your costs. The machine is also easily integrated with print embellishment and cutting devices to create a full-service printshop.
‘The investment is already showing its potential by helping us penetrate the IML market,’ he explained. ‘Previously, this sector was served predominantly by overseas suppliers because local companies have had limited success with the concept. For us, too, it has been a learning curve, but our customers are loving the product we’re now able to supply and early growth is very encouraging.’
The press has also bolstered REN-FLEX’s sustainability credentials, with HP Indigo digital print reducing environmental impact by between 40% and 60% compared to flexo and 60% to 80% against gravure. Waste reduction in daily routines is up to 95%. The two white ink options – which can be switched between seamlessly – save time and reduce waste.
One-man band
Despite its advanced technology, Tommy said, the 25K can be easily operated by one person thanks to the unwinder that removes the need for heavy lifting, and the intuitive Windows-based operating system. ‘The system has multiple screens for different applications,’ he noted. ‘All aspects of the press, including errors and warnings, come up on the screen. And the on-press inspection unit facilitates checking of both surface and reverse prints. The operator is now also alerted to possible technical failures through predictive press care software technology. The intention is prevention rather than cure, and better uptime, which equals better productivity.’
Getting up to speed on the system’s offerings is also straightforward, Carl added. Kemtek did the installation itself in two weeks, start to finish,’ he stated. ‘This was followed by the digital front-end training of the operators. Once they’ve worked on the press for six months, they’ll undergo a second phase of training to achieve higher proficiency. All our presses are sold with an uptime kit for autonomous maintenance and automated parts ordering. This enables operators to fix certain problems without having to call a technician. And if they need a part, they scan it and it will immediately be reordered for them.’
For REN-FLEX, the latest investment is the culmination of a five-year plan, Tommy confirmed. ‘We have now acquired two HP Indigos in those five years and I’m already envisioning converting some of my older equipment to flexible packaging. There’s a great deal to think about and I’m keeping all options open, but the next five years are going to be very interesting and exciting, particularly as the printing industry continues to transition away from paper, and the food sector increasingly moves away from rigid packaging to flexible, sustainable packaging options. Another big advantage is that the HP Indichrome inks also meet FDA, EU and Swiss packaging regulations and comply with Nestlé requirements.
With another du Sart – Tommy’s son Dwayne – having risen through the ranks from machine minder to MD and managing the day-to-day responsibilities of the business, their name and that of brand REN-FLEX will continue to be heard loudly in printing circles for decades to come. And the future will undoubtedly contain many more five-year technology plans as opportunities come to light to reinforce the du Sart pioneering spirit through HP Indigo flexible flair.
