VARIJET CUSTOMER CENTRE OPENS
Koenig & Bauer Durst has opened a dedicated hall at its lead German press manufacturing facility for its VariJet 106, its new hybrid digital and offset press for folding cartons.
Customers and visitors can now bring their own print files and substrates to see for themselves what Koenig & Bauer Durst says is the “flexibility, sustainability and cost-competitive opportunities” afforded by Koenig & Bauer Durst’s VariJet 106 modular, single-pass press, which had its public debut at drupa.
The 700sqm hall is part of the global Customer Experience Center at Koenig & Bauer’s Sheetfed division headquarters, near Dresden, which is now part of the Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems (P&P) segment.
“The new dedicated hall for the VariJET 106 digital, hybrid press for folding carton markets represents another important step in our evolution,” said Daniel Velema, managing director, Koenig & Bauer Durst. “The opening means the Customer Experience Center is the one and only place where you can see and test digital, offset and post-print production at a single site. This is where prospects from all over the world can test the VariJET 106 for themselves using their own files and substrates.
“This ability to advise across print and finishing technologies is driven by our ambition to first and foremost understand & support your business needs & opportunities, and talk about technology second.
“We showed at drupa what is possible with full digital – digital printing, embellishment and finishing. Now we would like to show guests the next steps in the digital revolution for folding carton markets. Reach out to your local representatives, we would love to welcome you to Radebeul. For those who haven’t been there yet, the Koenig & Bauer Customer Experience Center – for press and machine demonstrations, application testing, the development of new technologies and for training purposes – focuses on specialised areas of packaging like folding carton, commercial and label production.”
Daniel added: “Ever since the VariJet 106 Customer Experience Center opened, Koenig & Bauer Durst has been running back-to-back print tests with customers and brands from all key geographies being represented: North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. We are particularly pleased by the interest of Asian customers who don’t shy away from making the trip to Germany.
“Successfully tested applications include cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and food. We work closely together and explore hands-on what Koenig & Bauer Durst can improve to better meet market demands.”
The VariJet 106, which runs 5,500 B1 sheets per hour, combines digital inkjet and classic offset printing. It uses water-based inkjet inks (CMYK plus orange, green and violet), as well as primers and coatings, to provide what the joint venture says is the “highest print quality at a most competitive cost level”. It supports current and upcoming food safety and sustainability regulation.
The VariJet 106 leverages on Koenig & Bauer’s Rapida 106 platform and Durst printhead electronics, inkjet expertise and Durst workflow and rip technology. This includes Durst Analytics, Smartshop and Workflow.
Koenig & Bauer and Durst first announced they had joined forces and set up an independent joint venture company five years ago. The VariJet 106 is the first product jointly designed and developed by the two companies. Already in production and part of the Koenig & Bauer Durst portfolio are the Delta SPC 130 Series and the CorruJET 170 Series – aimed at corrugated packaging.