One of South Korea’s leading label converters, Tomatec Co Ltd, has celebrated the installation of two Mark Andy Performance series presses with an Open House at its facility in Seoul.  Welcoming more than 30 label converters to the event, which was co-sponsored by Mark Andy and its Korean distributor Phil-Tech, Jeon Seak-Yong, who founded Tomatec in 2001, explained that the two P5 flexo presses were chosen for their outstanding ability to handle short run work with quick and easy changeovers.

This was demonstrated by Mark Andy and Tomatec operators, who ran three different jobs to show the speed with which the press can be made ready, and then invited the visitors to try for themselves. This proved a resounding success. The second print demonstration saw the Mark Andy P5 run a sophisticated prime label with Cast & Cure and multi-layer techniques to show converters how to add value for their customers, and differentiate themselves from other label converters.

According to Jeon, there were three features of the P5 demonstrations that really caught the eye of visiting converters: the production speed of 180m/min, even when running the cold foil unit; the low level of waste – just 13 meters on a six-color job change (carried out in three minutes); and the tight register maintained during press slow down and ramp up to full speed. These advantages move label productivity into a new realm of efficiency. 

The two new Mark Andy presses are differently specified. The seven-color P5 is fitted with a Meech web cleaner, Vetaphone corona unit, turn bars, cold foil, delam/relam, constant tension laminator, web translator, GEW UV, and BST inspection, and will be used to target high-end added-value markets.  The five-color P5, though far from basic, will be used to produce pressure sensitive labels for the general and industrial sectors.

Both P5s, which have a 250mm (10”) web width, replace three older European-manufactured flexo lines, and initially the intention was to replace like with like. However, Tomatec was persuaded to switch suppliers after seeing Performance Series technology in action at the 2015 Labelexpo in Brussels. Keen to install technology that would allow Tomatec to grow with its customers, Seak-Yong was mindful that his employees also deserve a good working environment and the satisfaction of knowing they have leading edge technology.

According to C B Park of Phil-Tech and Shaun Pullen, Mark Andy’s Sales Director for Asia Pacific, Tomatec was skeptical of the need for servo technology and conducted numerous tests before entering into negotiations for the two P5s. However, since being installed early in 2016, the Mark Andy presses have more than proved their worth, according to Tomatec, with running speeds of 100m/min on short run jobs, with 20% more promised when the operators are fully familiar with the technology.

Another bonus of the P5 is its ability to handle a variety of substrates, including PS paper, PP, and PET, with equal ease. This will allow Tomatec to extend its business into the prime label and in-mold markets, which yield higher margins. Currently maintaining a steady growth of 20% per year, the company now employs 35 staff across two sites totaling 800 square meters and according to Seak-Yong, the Mark Andy presses will not be the last of his investments as he seeks to grow the company even faster.