Apex International has boosted its global embossing offering with an investment in laser engraving technology at its recently expanded Hapert facility in the Netherlands. Announced at drupa 2024, the acquisition of the new Schepers Digilas5000 expands Apex’s capabilities to supply its customers with embossing rollers that deliver the very highest quality standards across a wide range of end products.

“The business for embossing is growing exponentially,” explains Ruud Van Cuijk, CEO of Apex. “With this investment in the latest laser technology, we are able to drive our penetration in those new markets and meet the evolving needs of our customers around the world.”

With a maximum roller diameter of 600mm, the new machine is capable of engraving rollers that emboss material up to 3.4m in length. Apex also continues to utilize its larger laser systems, capable of engraving up to 7 meters, ensuring comprehensive coverage for all customer needs.

“Importantly it can also engrave material from copper to steel, ensuring we can meet any customer’s particular needs,” adds Van Cuijk. “Embossing delivers a totally uniform pattern and with the incredible throughput speed afforded by such a large diameter roller it delivers huge efficiency gains to our customers.”

Apex recently invested in expanding its Hapert facility specifically to accommodate the new Schepers Digilas5000. This expansion also supports the growing demands in embossing and rotary screen production, reflecting our commitment to maintaining the highest standards and capabilities in both sectors. “This investment is part of an ongoing planned program of growth,” says Van Cuijk.

He continues, “Following recent acquisitions, embossing has the most synergy for our business. When choosing a partner for this venture we found Schepers to be a company that, like Apex, distinguishes itself with its high-quality products. While it’s often difficult to find the optimum balance between speed, quality and cost, it was heartening to find eye-level partners like Schepers who share our values and believe in delivering a high-quality product with integrity and authenticity.”

Speaking at drupa, Schepers CEO Carlo Schepers said he was thrilled to be working with Apex on the project. “The deal we have agreed here is a partnership,” he states. “We have the same goals and the same approach to business as Apex, and we see our future in anilox so this is a perfect example of how we can all benefit from working together.

“Both Apex and its customers will continue to benefit in terms of our strong knowledge and as we implement updates to the technology,” he adds. “This acquisition is not just about the technology, it’s about the application of that technology, and how it can be maximized. We don’t just drop off a machine and leave a customer to get on with it – we work together to build up the knowledge and ensure they are getting the most from their investment.”

The embossing market continues to grow, with the demand for tactile textured materials spreading across all sectors from household and automotive to packaging and display. Apex is the global leader in anilox rollers, metering, and print maintenance solutions and is a new global leader in the embossing industry. Through multiple acquisitions of companies that have invested heavily to keep up with cutting-edge embossing roller technologies for more than 150 years, Apex is now offering top-of-the-line embossing products on a global scale.

“This latest investment in bespoke technology illustrates our commitment to embossing,” concludes Ruud Van Cuijk. “Following the success of the Hapert installation we will look to roll this offering out to our other manufacturing plants across the globe.”