The printing unit on the Océ InfiniStream
Joh. Leupold GmbH, based in Schwabach, Germany, is the first packaging printer to take advantage of the Océ InfiniStream digital technology to complement its existing fleet of offset printing presses. With the liquid toner-based InfiniStream, the company will provide digital short to medium production runs for its customers who consist of global brand owners and local German brands.
The German printer company offers a complete range of services for folding cartons, point of sale displays and presentation boxes. Founded in 1890, it has developed into an internationally operating enterprise with a turnover of more than €30 million and a workforce of around 110 employees. It is the first customer in the world to install this technology as part of the Océ’s ‘Proof-of-concept’ customer programme.
Within the framework of this programme, Océ is cooperating with innovative packaging printers worldwide for continuous testing of the InfiniStream platform under real-time conditions in advance of the commercial launch.
The technology combines the advantages of offset printing with the many virtues of digital printing, allowing unrivalled time, cost and value improvements in folding carton production. It provides an answer to fundamental trends in the packaging value chain, such as decreasing run lengths, waste and cost reduction, or reduced turnaround time for faster campaign execution.
InfiniStream is based on an electro-photographic liquid toner technology that matches offset in relation to productivity, print quality and substrate versatility. With its roll fed modular print tower architecture, four to seven colors can be implemented, depending on customer requirements. Its speed of 120 m/min results in an output of up to 14,400 B2-sized (50 x 70 cm) or 7,200 B1-sized (70 x 100 cm) sheets per hour on a 28 inch wide web, with larger formats possible in the printing direction. Standard substrates up to a thickness of 600 microns can be printed using image transfer with a rubber-coated transfer cylinder.
Christian Unterberger, executive vice president for commercial printing, said, ‘Océ Commercial Printing is and has been the world market leader for many years with its dry toner and inkjet continuous feed presses in monochrome and color. With the unique InfiniStream technology, Océ Commercial Printing will extend its market leadership through a new technology for a market, which has not been addressed so far: the booming digitally printed packaging market. We are proud to announce that in a technology partnership, Joh. Leupold GmbH & Co KG is the first up and running installation for InfiniStream Technology.’
Leupold has been involved since the first concepts in the development process and there will be a further strong interaction with Canon’s business unit Océ Commercial Printing to prove and fine tune the technology in the challenging market environment in order to provide an optimum market fit.
Bernd Assmann, managing director, said, ‘During discussions with brand owners it became evident that trends such as declining run lengths and increasing use of versioned products will become major challenges in the packaging value chain. Brand owners are requesting shorter turnaround times and faster campaign execution, as well as waste and cost reduction. We have carefully analysed the market so that we can ideally address these requirements. It was clearly apparent that the InfiniStream technology is the way forward as the answer to major trends on the packaging market. That is why we are taking advantage of a completely new press category in digital folding carton production – the fastest in the industry.’
