XEIKON TO SHOW LABELEXPO INNOVATION

Xeikon says a host of breakthrough solutions will be on show when it sets up its stall at the 2023 edition of Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, all focused on helping converters succeed by making label and packaging production easier and highly sustainable.

Xeikon is set introduce Cheetah 3.0, which the company says represents another “significant leap forward” in sustainable production. It says Cheetah 3.0 is poised to play a pivotal role in minimising the industry’s carbon footprint.

This will be achieved in part through the launch of Eco Toner. As the company’s next-generation, food-safe toner, new Xeikon ECO toner is formulated with 60 per cent high-grade recycled PET, Xeikon saying this makes it “the ideal solution for environmentally conscious packaging applications”.

Xeikon says that by harnessing the power of recycled materials, this toner meets the ever-growing demand for sustainability and also ensures compliance with the increasingly stringent regulations governing packaging components and recyclability.

Eco toner will be available for the high-end presses in the Cheetah Series – the Xeikon CX300 and Xeikon CX500. “With its exceptional print quality, high reliability, and eco-friendly composition, Eco toner makes a meaningful contribution in Xeikon’s unwavering commitment to delivering both high-performance and environmentally responsible printing solutions,” commented Filip Weymans, Xeikon vice president of Marketing. “Using Eco toner can reduce the carbon footprint of the printing operation by 10 per cent, and importantly, it will not increase costs, unlike other eco solutions. We are also proud to say that all Xeikon toners remain the market’s most food-safe technology for digital printing.”

To guarantee the highest quality and lower waste hence lower cost, Xeikon has developed the Quality Measurement Module (QMM) which can be fitted on all Cheetah 3.0 CX Series presses as an option. The QMM will be responsible for the quality assurance of the printed output, closely monitoring the density and registration throughout the print run. “By eliminating waste and guaranteeing high quality, the Xeikon QMM will allow printers to deliver perfect labels to their customers more cost effective,” said Weymans. “It is another great innovation from Xeikon that helps to support the advancement of sustainability in digital label production.”

To present the exact eco profile of each solution, Xeikon has devised a new Sustainability Scorecard which offers a more transparent means of proving compliance with various regulations and also help brand owners with their sustainability goals. The Scorecard will analyse (illustrate) the carbon footprint of each Xeikon press, right down to the individual components of the consumables. It will identify food compliance, VOCs emissions, recyclability and energy use to give a complete overview.

When applied to the Xeikon Panther Series of inkjet presses configured with new PantherCure LED inks, the Scorecard will demonstrate why they are the most sustainable digital label presses on the market from carbon footprint perspective. With UV LED ink technology, Xeikon has enhanced the capabilities of the Panther presses, providing extended application reach and a larger colour gamut, increased image quality, improved ink adhesion, reduced downtime, and lower energy use and ink consumption in the process to equip printers with an exceptional tool for optimal performance.

Titon

Xeikon will also use Labelexpo 2023 as the European premiere for its new Titon toner technology, which has been developed to meet market demands for paper-based flexible packaging applications, such as stand-up pouches and sachets.

The first press presented with Titon technology is the Xeikon TX-500 which prints in up to five colors at 30 m/min in a resolution of 1200 dpi. Xeikon says the 520mm-wide press will be instrumental in opening up new market opportunities in paper-based labels and flexible packaging, helping converters to future-proof their businesses and respond to consumers’ concern for the environment. ACM in Italy, as one of the first Beta sites to install the new technology, reports a growing appetite for short runs of paper-based pouches, which the company sells through its online portal.

As a next step in digitalising label production, Xeikon will be showing the Xeikon TX-500 press running live in line with a digital embellishment module from Kurz. Producing full-colour, high-end labels with digital foil, the combined solution will demonstrate how easy it is to supply luxury markets, such as the wine and spirits segment, with high-impact, sustainable labels through an all-digital process.

An active participant in the special feature zones at every Labelexpo, Xeikon will again take part in the Automation Arena 2023, where the benefits of connected workflows with high levels of automation will be presented. Set up to demonstrate fully automated label production, from artwork PDF to final dispatch of label rolls, the Automation Arena will bring together leading suppliers to the industry, who will collaborate to present the possibilities and advantages of a unified workflow. Automation not only addresses the market challenges of staff shortages and unskilled workers, but also reduces waste at every level thereby increasing sustainability.

Xeikon will also feature as part of the new dedicated Sustainability Trail and the Flex Pack Trail further highlighting the benefits of the company’s new solutions including Eco toner, Sustainability Scorecard, and Titon technology.

“At Labelexpo Europe 2023, Xeikon will showcase innovations that contribute to the seamless and sustainable growth of label converters. We will be there to highlight how our latest offerings enable a thriving and agile business environment, while also demonstrating how we are prioritising environmental consciousness with impactful products and solutions,” concluded Weymans.