Castle Hill, New South Wales-based printer Avonlea Labels has rated the image quality from its Rapid X2 narrow web press, with D2 finisher as the best of all of its many presses.

“Our operators are finding that color from the Rapid X2 surpasses that of other digital processes and even some flexo jobs,” says owner Mike Ellis. “Some jobs have returned to the Rapid X2 after being printed on other machines, mainly due to ‘flat’ color. The Memjet-powered X2 just seems to make the color pop. We are also noticing lower running costs on the X2, since it requires much shorter make-ready and the ink cartridges last quite a while.”

Avonlea Labels was established 45 years ago and has been owned by Ellis for the past eight years. The company specializes in all industrial applications of self-adhesive labels for both trade and end user customers. Its main flexo press is an Edale Alpha with shorter runs printed digitally on either the Rapid X2, QLS Vivo or a recently installed HP Indigo.

Rapid X General Manager Nick Mansell says: “Avonlea has been a Rapid customer for many years with our unwinders and rewinders. Its D2 digital die-cutter/laminator is equipped with a Rapid RPU250 unwinder and R2 rewinder while another 250 mm rewinder is available. Avonlea was one of our earliest Australian X2 customers and we are delighted at the performance and quality Mike and his team are achieving.”

Nick Mansell and Mike Ellis of Avonlea Labels