Beau Label, a third generation family-owned print service provider located in Hillside, NJ, USA, has installed its third Illumina LED Retrofit System along with 300 Series UV LED inks by Fujifilm. The moves have allowed the company to experience further increased margins and reduced costs.

The Illumina LED UV cure features an instant on/off process, lowering the energy usage and stress on lamp bulbs experienced in conventional “always-on” UV mercury lamp curing. Illumina converts any traditional UV or water-based flexo press to LED-UV curing in one day or less.

“The power savings are enormous,” says VJ Melapioni, president, Beau Label. “It’s amazing. These units definitely use less power than our air dryers. We literally went from 120 amps to power the old lamps to 10 amps powering Illumina.”

The effective ink curing dosage of Illumina at 20% power setting is the same as the 100% power setting of other LED UV curing systems. Patented LED technology “delivers up to 44% more energy toward the substrate, and five times longer dwell time, resulting in faster curing,” according to Melapioni. Illumina’s design produces less heat than competitive LED technologies, the company says, and heat dissipation is also more effective.

“It feels good to use less power,” adds Melapioni. “We have a much lower electricity bill, which is always good, and you feel like you can leave a softer footprint on the world; we are a little bit greener.”

Melapioni is currently working with his local power company to see what types of additional programs and incentives are offered to help add to the company’s sustainability efforts and creating the right carbon footprint while boosting its bottom line with Fujifilm. Illumina and the 300 Series UV-LED hybrid inks continue to help Beau Label build its client portfolio, including a soap detergent client.

“We are experiencing phenomenal results, nice gradations; crisp, clean images,” adds Melapioni. “This client represents a nice, pretty line of detergents. A lot of our success has to do with the improved register on the film liner due to the reduction of heat made possible by Illumina – it was sharp. Fujifilm’s 300 Series UV LED flexo inks provide brighter, clearer, crisper and cleaner results.”

Company beginnings can be traced back to VJ’s grandfather, who owned and operated an offset printing business. He sold the business to VJ’s father, Vincent, who along with two partners started a new company in 1967, which they named Beau Label. VJ began working for the company in high school and throughout college, becoming a quick study in all areas of the business. VJ and his father ended up taking sole ownership of the company. In 1985, VJ took over as president, steering the company through a series of partnerships and acquisition. Those responsibilities include the continued addition of new equipment and processes.

“Fujifilm has delivered an impressive solution that enables us to increase our value to our clients, a key element we have focused on since my father started Beau Label more than 50 years ago,” concludes Melapioni.