PCT Ebeam and Integration has joined the HP Graphic Solutions Partner Program, in an effort to, ‘help companies facilitate their sustainability goals.’

The HP Graphics Solutions Partner Program is designed to foster growth and profitability amongst the digital printing specialist’s graphic arts customers. The programme covers a number of technologies and products for numerous printing applications. This includes electron beam (EB) curing.

As an EB specialist, PCT has engineered its Core 100 EB system to complement the HP Indigo 20000 digital press. This press has been designed with digital printing of flexible packaging in mind, with numerous successful installations and applications around the world. Baker Labels in the UK became one of the most recent when it installed an HP Indigo 20000, while Martin Peroutka from the Czech Republic has introduced the first ‘HP Indigo Digital Pouch Factory’ in Europe.

PCT’s Core 100 allows electron beam curing of overprint varnishes (OPVs) for flexible packaging production without lamination. The process provides fast, solvent-free, instantly cured, digitally printed packaging. It is noted as suitable for demanding applications including hot-fill, pasteurisation, form fill and seal, and lidding. It is designed to accommodate almost any flexible packaging construction with specific benefits for pouches and wrappers. Gloss, matt and soft touch OPV finishes are available to design striking effects for standout packaging.

PCT president Karl Swanson commented, ‘The collaboration with HP expands our connections with customers seeking a sustainable finishing solution and has already proven to be successful with several HP Indigo users around the world.’

Mr Swanson continued, ‘With the increasing demand for reducing material usage, the need for mono-layer, surface printed flexible packaging applications is growing. Our collaboration will allow for simpler recycling processes and help companies facilitate their sustainability goals.’

Alon Bar-Shany, HP Indigo general manager, added, ‘The HP Indigo flexible packaging ecosystem offers a breadth of solutions enabling our press owners to produce innovative applications that deliver value to their customers. The EB solution will help meet growing demand for on-demand, digitally printed flexible packaging.’

Speaking as a converter, Maui Chai, president of Kala Packaging, a US packaging provider and owner of two HP Indigo 20000 digital presses, said, ‘Flexible packaging is our fastest-growing segment. The HP Indigo press in combination with EB finishing allows us to offer a food-safe option to our customers with a zero cure time for the fastest time to market, making it the ideal solution for sustainable flexible packaging applications.’