FlexoPrint A/S in Randers, a part of Optimum Group, recently became the first Danish printer to install the new Nilpeter FA-26. FlexoPrint chose the FA-26 after months of comprehensive research, production job tests, and calculations.

“We identified a lot of customer products that could be run better and more efficiently on the FA-26,” Lars Ole Nauta, CEO of FlexoPrint, says, adding, “In addition to that, we see a gap in the market between the big foil printers and the narrow-web business. The foil printers usually have very long lead times, where we in the label business are used to very, very short lead times. So if we can combine our label world into the foil world, perhaps there’s a market there,” he continues. That was one of the reasons why we decided to make this investment and take this chance of investing in the Nilpeter FA-26.”

Optimum Group is a versatile group of specialized printing companies that collectively offer a total package of self-adhesive labels and flexible packaging solutions. Optimum Group’s 12 member companies from Holland, Belgium, Denmark, and Germany specialise in UV-Flexo rotary printing and digital printed matter for customers in the Food, Retail, Cosmetics, Pharma, Home & Personal Care, Logistics, and the Chemical industry.

With the Optimum Green Portfolio, the group serves as a model in the field of sustainability, developing sustainable packaging and labelling solutions through a structured and environmentally friendly approach. Optimum Group’s combined expertise in design and development, the supply chain, management, and efficient processing in the production environment, ensures optimum service for their customers.

“We have followed the development of the FA-26 over the last few years, and it’s just like we want it. It’s very lean. It’s very simple,” says Nauta. “Efficiency in pricing and competitiveness is very important for FlexoPrint, and also for the Optimum Group, when we purchase machines. It’s not something we take lightly. Actually, I’ve always said buying hardware is one of the most difficult jobs as a CEO. It will follow you for many years. So we did a thorough investigation, months and months of calculating, and thinking about which way to go. At the end of the day, we thought that the FA-26 was the right choice for us.”

The FA-26 is the latest and widest flexo press Nilpeter has ever developed. Designed for value-added short run flexible packaging and labels, all inline, and fully sleeve-based, both for anilox and plate rollers.

The FA-26 robust unit construction, compact footprint, and landscape design ensure optimum register and consistent high printing quality at all speeds. Designed to print with water-based and solvent inks, with UV, LED, and E-beam processes – in any combination, the FA-26 is a game-changer in short and long run flexible packaging printing. From pouches and sachets, to wrap-arounds, shrink sleeves, labels, and more.

“Of course, I know Nilpeter as a Danish company. But I have to say that we have three competitor machines, and at that time we didn’t think the FA was ready. If we had seen the press now, looking back, we would definitely have chosen Nilpeter. So we think Nilpeter will be a part of us in the future. Also regarding narrower flexo presses,” Nauta adds.

“It is a bit early to look at ROI, but we can see that the speed is basically what we have calculated with. We still have to work a bit on the changeover times, get comfortable, and speed things up. But when we get that right, and we can put our old flexo spirit into our new presses, it will definitely be a good investment,” Lars Ole Nauta concludes.

“We are proud to install the first FA-26 in Denmark. FlexoPrint has the right mindset to get the most out of this new printing technology. The company has a strong focus on creating bottom line value through high printing quality and production efficiency, and before deciding to purchase the press, FlexoPrint actually ran their own production jobs on the press in order to calculate ROI and justify the new investment,” says Jesper Jørgensen, Global Sales Manager, Nilpeter A/S