Aniflex, a label converter based in Poland, is one of the fastest developing companies in the self-adhesive labels and packaging sector in the country. The company’s growth strategy is based on consistently investing in modern printing technologies, allowing it to gain a competitive advantage and diversify its offering. Achieving these goals were the determining factors behind the decision to install a 5-color Xeikon Panther PX3300 inkjet digital press.

Maciej Wojtaszek, co-owner of the printing company, comments, “The investment in the new Xeikon press has significantly increased the technological capacity of our plant and allowed us to exploit the sales potential for low- and medium-volume orders, as well as helped us cut delivery time – all of which enable us to stay competitive.”

Established in 2003, the company has invested significantly in organizational, production and technological advances over the years, and today, offers shrink sleeves and flexible packaging, in addition to self-adhesive labels. Great emphasis is also placed on expanding the product offering with innovative solutions that meet current trends and market needs, as the company strives to maintain its leading position. These include self-adhesive labels printed on new eco materials and packaging with augmented reality technology.

The Panther PX3300 has replaced an older inkjet machine which had been in use at the Tomaszów plant for many years. In fact, Aniflex was one of the first companies in the industry to invest in UV inkjet printing for labels. The Xeikon press was chosen to modernize production and allow the company to increase print quality, among many other benefits.

Wojtaszek explains that when choosing a new press, it is extremely important to ensure that the high print quality can be repeated automatically without having to re-enter the job parameters each time, and that you have the ability to produce multiple SKUs very quickly. The Xeikon PX3300 meets both these requirements and more. The five-color (CMYK + white) press prints on substrates up to 350 mm wide at a maximum speed of 50 m/min (approx. 990 m2/h). The PantherCure inks allows Aniflex to deliver durable and abrasion-resistant labels with high gloss, and thanks to the ability to apply two layers of white ink, to produce attractive tactile and haptic effects inline.

“The Xeikon PX3300 supports a wide variety of substrates: PP, PE, PET, self-adhesive paper, vinyl, metallized and clear-on-clear transparent materials, and is extremely useful in the production of labels for industrial, chemical and household use, as well as for cosmetics and health care, and alcohol, beer and other beverage labels,” says Michał Kuczkowski, sales manager, labels and packaging, Xeikon. “There is no need to create printing plates for digital printing, which reduces costs and shortens lead times. By using a sensor, Xeikon presses can also print additional elements for personalization, or markers in a specific place, or add digital print on pre-printed substrates.

“By using the Xeikon X-800 software, the user can increase the automation of the label production process and the control of individual production stages, as well as create security measures to protect the end user, such as EAN barcodes, QR codes, DataMatrix or other track & trace solutions.”

The introduction of the Xeikon PX3300 combined with the earlier experience of the Aniflex team in inkjet printing has allowed the printing company to reach the next level of production quality, Wojtaszek says, adding that customers have also been very enthusiastic about the new opportunities that the investment will bring.

Kuczkowski concludes, “We are very proud to support a modern company like Aniflex. As a market leader, it is developing dynamically, as validated by being ranked 13 times as a Business Gazelle by the Coface Group. The team also conducts many additional activities and share interesting ideas, such as webinars about the creation and production of labels and packaging. They educate their clients by showing unconventional projects, new raw materials, various refinements, and environmentally friendly solutions. It is a very experienced and demanding team that often sets high standards for their suppliers, including us!”