UK-based Bristol Labels, a specialist in producing labels primarily for breweries, ice cream brands, chemical products and cosmetic manufacturers, is adding a new Epson 7-color SurePress L-4033AW. The machine, which will be installed on June 17, uses the Epson AQ aqueous ink-set, including opaque white, orange and green, to produce high-quality, wide color-gamut labels on a wide range of materials, including clear and metallic substrates.

Paul Stokes, Bristol’s managing director, says the company chose the SurePress after evaluating most of the digital presses on the market. “Speed wasn’t an issue,” he says. “I wanted the best quality; water-based inks and the ability to use the same standard substrates that I use on the Nilpeter press and the SurePress was the best solution.”

The new press joins an existing 8-color Nilpeter FA 200 analog press and will open up new opportunities for Bristol Labels.  “The business of label printing is changing and this investment ensures we keep ahead of the game,” adds Stokes. “While 10-20,000 label orders used to be the norm, now 3-5,000 label volumes, ordered more frequently is pretty standard. We can get jobs onto the inkjet SurePress in less than half the time it takes to prepare jobs for the analogue press so it gives us considerable flexibility, in addition to the ability to produce customised label batches and individually personalised labels very easily.  Immediately we can bring in-house the short-run jobs we have previously contracted out, and that alone will have a direct impact on our bottom line.”

Two new sales people have just joined the company to drive the next stage of the company’s growth and a new design service will help customers with product branding, packaging and label design, or a complete product launch campaign encompassing labels, packaging and marketing materials.