Nilpeter has helped Insignis increase its capacity with its second offset press, the MO-4. This addition is designed to offer the reliability customers demand in the narrow web offset printing space.

“We wanted a machine that could at least do the same as our existing press, but to a higher quality,” says Ferdinand Hager, managing partner of Insignis Etiketten Erzeugung und Vertrieb GmbH. Up to that point, Insignis had been successfully operating in the market for seven years with a 6-color Nilpeter MO-3 web press. Ferdinand Hager and Erwin Pudek, the company’s director, decided on a Nilpeter MO-4 in anticipation of growth with a 7-color version of this model.

During its search for a new press, Insignis had a clear idea of the configuration and technical equipment it wanted. As Pudek explains, the middle section had to have six offset printing units – four for process colors and two spot and special colours, which are being requested increasingly frequently. Next, it wanted another two flexographic printing units before and another two after the middle section for various finishing options, such as opaque white or metallic colors, as well as varnishes and cold foil stamping. Insignis wanted to be able to switch between flexographic and screen printing in the first two printing stations as required if, for example, it needed to print special colors or effects.

According to Insignis, nothing was set in stone when it came to choosing the equipment supplier, but a number of providers were already eliminated based on predetermined configurations. For example, if a supplier’s range had no sleeve technology, it was automatically ruled out. “The manufacturers went to great lengths to provide us with attractive offers, including on the price,” recalls Hager, but, after the first evaluation phase, Insignis’ list was down to just two European manufacturers.

According to Pudek, the fact that the Nilpeter MO-4 won in the end turned out to be an excellent decision for Insignis. The new press has helped the company create the conditions needed to achieve all the objectives set for the new investment, making a higher purchase price worthwhile.

“Installation of a second offset press was an absolute market requirement,” says Hager. “For one thing, we could see that the existing MO-3, with its six printing units, was reaching its limits on an increasing number of orders because of the growing demand for additional finishing effects. A second issue, about delivery reliability was also being raised by customers, especially for long runs.”

Since the commissioning of the Nilpeter MO-4 in October 2014, the Austrian company has had the advantage of a backup press if needed. To maximize the effectiveness for independent operation, and each has its own power supply.

Installation of the second machine soon bore fruit. Turnover increased by 30%, partly because Insignis was able to turn companies that had demanded production capacity to be guaranteed before committing themselves into customers. This also explains why two-shift utilization of the MO-4 was achieved after only a few months, even though the wider web width (420 mm compared to 330 mm with the existing MO-3) had more than doubled the available production volume.

Fitting a UR Precision series winding system from Kocher+Beck produced a further increase in productivity. In addition to the 440 U automatic transfer unwinder and the 440 R automatic transfer rewinder, the Nilpeter web press is equipped with a 440 M automatic matrix transfer rewinder from the UR Precision range. Insignis was the first company in Austria to use this Matrix rewinder. Automation like this is consistent with the company’s pursuit of an industrial operation. Hence, the system was not only installed on the MO-4, but also retrofitted to the MO-3.

To extend its production capacity, the Insignis has invested a total of 4.5 million euros over two years in new buildings and printing technology. The new hall is fully air-conditioned with heat recovery units and provides space for a further printing line with all the necessary connections in place. What type of machine will be used is a decision the managers will make once they have performed an in-depth analysis of the market. This approach has already proven successful with the purchase of the new MO-4.

“We monitored the customers’ needs carefully over a prolonged period so we could then align the configuration of the new machine to those needs,” explains Pudek. “As the rapid utilization and the successful acquisition of new orders show, we have met the customers’ needs perfectly.”

The new MO-4 is, for example, only used to print with low-migration inks. For Insignis, this is essential as its customer base includes a lot of companies from the food industry, many of which are located in the immediate vicinity of the printshop. At present, more than half of its turnover can be attributed to the food industry. For these customers, in addition to low-migration production, high print quality and short delivery times are especially important.

The market has seen a trend toward more refined labels in recent years. According to Andreas Höfner, managing director of Nilpeter GmbH, this is reflected primarily in the increasing number of printing units supplied with newly installed machines. Insignis is typical of this trend. For the first print line, the MO-3, six offset printing units were sufficient, while the recently installed MO-4 has 10. Flexographic units upstream and screen printing units downstream for performing the most popular finishing options have now become more or less standard, even with presses for industrial label production where the main focus is on productivity.

With its choice of materials – from classic adhesives to mono films to tickets and tags – Insignis is also part of this trend. The technical capabilities of the MO-4 have opened new possibilities and helped Insignis expand its printing and converting of films in particular, as well as flexible packaging for spices.

Although, generally speaking, technical criteria are central to the purchasing decision, the availability of good and fast service from the supplier was another important aspect for Insignis. “In case of queries or service,” says Hager, “we could always rely on rapid and highly competent support from the Nilpeter branch in Vienna. This was the case with the MO-3 and was reconfirmed when we commissioned the MO-4.”

As a result, the new machine was well received from the start throughout the company, by printing personnel and in the sales and administration departments: “When you look at it like that, deciding on Nilpeter was less risky for us than any of the alternatives for us.”