EFI Jetrion, a manufacturer of UV inkjet digital label presses, has joined forces with materials supplier FLEXcon to launch UL-certified substrates for use with the EFI Jetrion press. FLEXcon’s UL-recognized COMPUcal Excel and THERMLfilm Select films offer high ink receptivity, and Jetrion inks do not require overlamination to prevent damage from abrasion and UV light.

The initiative, EFI and FLEXcon officials say, is designed to streamline the UL recognition process and lower costs for durable label converters who use Jetrion 4000 and 4830 digital label presses for short runs, and specifying the FLEXcon films.

John Bennett, vice president of FLEXcon’s Product Identification Business Team, says that the initiative is indicative of a move by converters and other print service providers to become a one-stop shop by offering a selection of pressure sensitive films along with traditional and digital technologies under one roof.

“Jetrion press owners, who are increasing shorter run production of durable labels such as bar codes and product warning and instructional labels, now have the advantage of single-source economies for products carrying a UL recognition that is at a level above and beyond anything else in the industry. Specifically, the presses, inks and substrates jointly carry PGJ12 UL recognition, a classification shared by very few thermal transfer ribbon products,” says Bennett.

According to Kenneth Stack, Jetrion’s senior vice president and general manager, EFI’s Jetrion 4000 Series UV inkjet presses have become increasingly popular in the durable labels market due to their durable UV inks, high-quality print capability, smaller footprint and lower price tag, compared with alternative label printing technologies.

“The demand among print service providers and OEMs for UL-recognized products continues to rise,” Stack says. “By working together, FLEXcon and Jetrion have significantly simplified the UL recognition process for converters, as well as provided a package of presses and substrates designed to work in tandem to produce higher-quality, durable graphics in less time, with less waste and on a smaller budget.”

EFI is based in Foster City, CA, USA; the Jetrion operation is in Ypsilanti, MI, USA. FLEXcon’s headquarters is in Spencer, MA, USA.