ASQ Labels has expanded into new markets with the wide color gamut and high resolution printing capabilities of Domino’s N610i, UV digital inkjet label press. Based in Belgium, the company specializes in label printing for a variety of sectors, including food and beverage brands, as well as providing flow-pack printing, wrappers and single-layer packaging.

ASQ Labels was founded in 1988 in Lummen, during a time when the Belgian government was incentivising new businesses in the area. By 1998 the labeling company had 45 employees and had relocated to a 2000 square meter property.

“We were a heavily sales-driven organization that, until 2008, was successful in the automotive, transport, logistics and warehousing sectors,” recounts Raf Joos, CEO of ASQ Labels. “That’s when we realized that high end food and beverage products would be a key area of interest, as there will always be a demand for a high-quality label with eye-catching graphics to go with the product. Today, we are heavily involved in the Belgian beer and chocolate sectors.”

Joos began looking into a UV inkjet solution in 2010 but initially was not convinced by the technology as it was still in its infancy. The system the company needed had to address three key requirements. First and foremost, the digital solution had to be able to print directly onto the standard substrate materials used by ASQ without the need for pre-coating. Secondly, the system had to be able to print the high-resolution, bright images that ASQ’s customers expect to see on their product labels. Thirdly, there was the requirement to print transparent labels.

It was not until witnessing Domino’s N610i digital press at Labelexpo Europe 2013 that ASQ took notice of UV inkjet’s capabilities. “When Domino invited us to their headquarters in the UK, we were given the opportunity to print a series of different label samples on a range of our standard flexo substrates,” adds Joos. “Not only were we impressed with the end result, we also realized that the press’ inclusion of opaque white would prove extremely useful for printing onto transparent materials. It is a very opaque white- it looks like it’s been screen printed. That was the moment we were won over by the Domino N610i.”

The N610i operates at speeds of up to 246 fpm (75 mpm) with a 600dpi native resolution and is available in 4, 5, 6 and 7 colors. The highly opaque white ink, which delivers a silkscreen-like finish, is suitable for printing solids through to fine detail onto metallic and clear label materials.

“After just five weeks, we were producing labels for our customers,” explains Elke Buckinx, operations manager at ASQ Labels. “We have a mixture of new customers and definitely new jobs are more colorful. We have moved a number of jobs over that we previously printed on flexo, such as short runs, and we now print several versions in one run, without the need to change the plates.”

“It’s very easy to use,” says Wim Wouters, the N610i’s operator. “There is little wasted paper, and when you reprint a job, the file is already there, and you always get the same color, exactly like the first time you printed it.”

“Belgium is well known worldwide for its beer. We took advantage of the N610i’s personalization option to print our own personalized beer label,” adds Joos. “The brewery sector was impressed with the possibilities this presents. We are now in a position to enter new markets that I am 100% convinced we would not have been able to approach if we had not invested in UV inkjet and specifically the N610i.”