Nilpeter has announced the launch of the new FA-26, which will assist converters in the flexible packaging market. The latest and widest flexo press the company has ever developed, the 670mm wide FA-26 presents a shift in product strategy. Nilpeter is entering new markets, with all the well-known Nilpeter features, in an attempt to provide new standards for flexibility, sustainability, fast job changeovers and automation. 

Nilpeter has seen increased market interest for quite some time now, both from its existing label print customers and from flexible packaging printers, geared toward inline printing of pouches, flow packs, form-fill-seal, as well as converting of shrink sleeves, in shorter runs and smaller batches.

“With the new FA-26, we are able to offer the same, outstanding features and benefits from our well-known label printing press program – high quality flexo printing, UV, solvent or water based, combined with many inline converting processes – on a wide variety of new substrates, recyclable and biodegradable plastic substrates included,” the company states. “This is made possible thanks to the very comprehensive and advanced automation system from our line of label printing presses, transferred to wider web printing to provide a very sustainable and lean performance.”

Recyclable and biodegradable plastic substrates are a big part of this new development, with a focus on more environmentally friendly materials. The flexibility of the new FA-26 allows converting of newly developed substrates, as well as traditional, combined with different laminating technologies – enabling different lamination systems to create recyclable packaging applications.

Nilpeter has taken a sustainable route that combines advanced technical features with sound economics and sustainable production, to avoid one of these elements becoming an obstacle for the other two. Printing and converting inline, thus limiting waste, opens new opportunities for label printers and flexible packaging converters, enabling them to offer short run value-added flexible packaging products.

The new press gives printers the ability to print and create a fully functional laminate inline by utilizing solvent dry lamination or E-Beam. The E-Beam enables PET/PET instant cured lamination – a recyclable construction for flexible packaging – made possible by the high level of accuracy in manufacturing, and the accurate and automatic save and recall of process parameters.

Nilpeter sees the new FA-26 as a cornerstone in its wide array of product offerings, providing a much needed alternative to traditional flexible packaging printers, as well as label printers. The press enjoyed a soft launch at Labelexpo Europe 2019, where Nilpeter displayed a single FA-26 printing unit that createdinterest and initiated a host of project conversations.

“Since then, we have done numerous trials with several printing companies, and the results have quite literally exceeded our expectations, but more importantly, the expectations of our existing and potential customers from a perspective of quick job changes and very little running waste. The FA-26’s low TCO is impressive, and the first orders are already confirmed for deliveries in 2020,” the company concludes.