Nord Technique Etiquetage (NTE) – a family-owned company based near Lille, with 35 years of experience in label manufacturing – has become the first company in France to install a Bobst digital label press, the Mouvent LB702-UV. It is the second investment in a Bobst machine for the company, after they purchased a Bobst M4 inline flexo press in 2016. The investment in digital printing is in response to an increased demand for shorter to medium length runs.

Now, according to Thibault Duponchel, the General Manager at NTE, the company is “perfectly placed” to take on whatever combination of jobs come their way. “Since owning the Mouvent LB702-UV, I’m proud to say I now have a fully optimized production floor, by being able to offer the very best technology for all print jobs,” he says. “We’re using flexo for the very long runs and the Mouvent digital press for the rest. It’s clear that with an ultra-quick and productive machine like this, digital is not only for short runs anymore. It’s the perfect tool for short to medium runs, and I am now shifting all jobs of several thousand linear meters to digital.”

The Mouvent LB702-UV addresses 90% of all label jobs cost effectively up to 8,000 linear meters (26,000 linear feet) run length, delivering an output of up to 200,000 sqm (2.1 million sqf) per month, with printing speeds of up to 100 m/min (330 fpm). Vitally, quality is not compromised. The Mouvent LB702-UV delivers 1200 x 1200 dpi native resolution for finest lines, smoothest gradients, sharpest images and most vibrant colors.

The digital inkjet Mouvent Technology self-developed by BOBST allows fast and easy industrial label production for printing on a wide range of substrates such as paper, self-adhesive labels and flexible materials, at a better total cost of ownership (TCO) than even the most cost-effective traditional processes. The machine came with four colors, delivering a wide color gamut. But it was the high productivity of the press, compared to other digital presses, that stood out for Mr Duponchel and his team.

“The need to produce labels fast and cost effectively is driving the label sector,” he says. “To meet these challenges, we actually purchased our first digital printing press back in 2017. However, it wasn’t adequate for us to respond quickly and effectively to our customers’ demands. We needed a digital label press that would not only meet the demands of now, but the future too. Having a strong relationship with Bobst already, we turned to them for the answer, and that’s when we were introduced to the Mouvent LB702-UV. Being able to offer high printing speeds and the full colour gamut with lower costs is exactly what we need.”

Duponchel says his company is experiencing speeds 8 times faster than with their previous digital machine, with a decrease in TCO. What is more, NTE has also managed to reduce its waste. “These benefits ultimately enable us to offer a better service and product to our customers,” says Duponchel.

The team at Nord Technique Etiquetage were also impressed with the quick set up times and ease of operation. The overall customer experience from initial contact to site preparation, delivery and training was very positive. Within ten days, the machine was installed, and all the relevant training was complete, meaning NTE could start printing as soon as possible. Mr Duponchel moved a flexo operator over to the new digital machine. “He learnt how to use it very quickly because it’s so convenient and easy to use,” he says.

The success of this investment marks the latest chapter in the “great relationship” between Bobst and NTE, which has benefitted from the high level of service, support, and maintenance that Bobst provides. Now, Duponchel feels his company is very well prepared for the future and is a strong advocate of the benefits of digital printing for labels.

“Digital printing will have an ever-increasing role to play in label printing, and as the industry continues to evolve, digital printing will enable us to change with it,” he says. “We have found that partnering with Bobst has set NTE on course for a bright future in label production. We feel like a bigger company because of it.”

Being the first company in France to install a Bobst digital label press is indicative of the drive and desire of Duponchel and his company and their willingness to innovate to stay one step ahead of the competition. “We may be small,” he says, “but we have big ambitions.”