French label converter Stic Image has installed its first Mark Andy press at its production facility in Lyon, adding a Digital Series HD flexo/inkjet hybrid to its existing production equipment.

After-sales support for the press is being provided by Mach Global, Mark Andy’s authorised distributor in France.

Established in 1994, Stic Image produces labels for a range of industries and has been led by president and managing director Cyrille Roze since he acquired the company in 2015.

Mr Roze said Stic Image is targeting opportunities between large-scale converters and smaller operations, which he believes are increasingly being squeezed by market pressures.

He describes the company as a multi-specialist supplier serving different areas of the label market, with technology selected to meet individual customer requirements.

The new Digital Series HD combines an UV/inkjet engine with a flexo platform. Stic Image’s configuration includes five digital colours (CMYK+W), alongside five flexo stations positioned around the digital engine. The setup allows the press to incorporate spot colours, varnish, cold foil and lamination.

With a 430mm web width and production speeds of up to 73m/min, the press is more than twice as fast as Stic Image’s toner-based equipment. Turn bars, a Gizmo web translator and die-cutting unit enable finished labels to be produced in a single pass.

Mr Roze said the press has increased digital production and finishing capacity, while allowing work with shorter flexo run lengths to be transferred to the hybrid. He noted that around 60% of the company’s workforce is involved in offline finishing.

The DSHD can also operate as a digital-only or flexo-only press. More than half of Stic Image’s output is currently produced digitally, with the new Mark Andy press accounting for around 20% of total production on a single-shift basis.

Around 85% of the company’s work is for the agri-food, pharmaceutical and beverage sectors. Stic Image has also adopted low-migration inks and holds PEFC/FSC Label Certification, while completing a carbon footprint assessment in 2023.

Turnover is expected to approach €7m (£6m) this year, with most business coming from French customers. The company is also targeting further work from wine producers in the region.