Liberty Marking Systems, an Ohio-based pressure sensitive label and tag manufacturer, has installed the first 2800 Series Mini Laser Pro, Colordyne’s newest in-line printing and finishing system. This is the first production level digital press acquisition for the Cincinnati-based company, expanding the applications that can be produced in-house while meeting shorter turnaround times.

Liberty Marking has served its customers for 30 years with two- and four-color flexo press production. The company’s book of business was built on pressure sensitive labels for industrial markets, such as automotive and electronic components. With the addition of an eight-color flexo press, Liberty Marking expanded into the prime and retail label markets. Prior to installing the 2800 Series Mini Laser Pro, the company used a digital benchtop printer for demo purposes and turned to outsourcing short run jobs requiring digital print capabilities.

“Our customer service, industry experience and fast turnarounds are why we have the customers we do today,” says Brian Beam, President of Liberty Marking. “While other print providers typically have three- to five-week turnaround times, we aim to get labels in our customers’ hands in three to five days. Our outside digital print partners are fast, but having digital capabilities in-house is a game changer for us. We are able to better serve our customers with smaller order quantities or very short turnaround times.”

The 2800 Series Mini Laser Pro is a complete full color label press with in-line digital inkjet printing, laminating and laser die cutting capabilities. The digital print module uses water-based ink to produce high-quality images and text with print resolution up to 1600 by 1600 dpi. The system offers print speeds up to 60 feet per minute and typically runs between 20 feet and 40 feet per minute when laser die cutting. The 2800 Series Mini Laser Pro has a compact footprint and low noise volume making it suitable for smaller spaces or an office environment.

“We knew we needed to purchase a digital press to stay up with the demands of the world today,” says Beam. “We chose to go with the 2800 Series Mini Laser Pro because of the price point, Colordyne’s success with other digital platforms and the in-line laser die cutting capabilities. It was the right time for us to bring digital printing in-house and this solution was the right fit at the right price for our business.”

With the addition of digital capabilities, Liberty Marking is looking to further expand into the food and retail prime label markets. Previously, it could not affordably meet the large number of color and plate requirements necessary for many of these labels. With digital print capabilities, Liberty Marking can print full color labels in a fraction of the time with no additional plate costs. The company is also able to more affordably provide high-quality prototypes to customers who are choosing between sizes and variations prior to printing on a flexo press.

“We were most surprised by the quality and ease of use of the system,” says Beam. “We’ve received jobs run on other digital equipment and the quality of the 2800 Series Mini Laser Pro is better. We didn’t expect that and have truly been blown away.”