OMET, an Italian press manufacturer, has formed a partnership with Clemson University’s new Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics. The company has donated a new VaryFlex press, which will be used by students for research and development, for industry activities and for OMET customer demonstrations.

The Sonoco Institute is housed in the new Harris A. Smith building on the campus, located in Clemson, SC, USA. The emphasis of the institute’s work is on printed electronics, and the hope is that with the help of industry suppliers and leaders, Clemson will be able to break new ground in this emerging market.

“Packaging is a $200 billion plus business in the United States, and Clemson has invested in this business knowledge base,” says Chip Tonkin, director of the institute. “In a collaborative effort, Clemson will conduct a holistic approach to packaging sciences, combining many academic disciplines, to learn how to best create packaging, how to print, fill, seal, ship and recycle, responsibly.”

OMET’s narrow web press features seven printing stations that can be configured with rotary screen, flexography or gravure with a variety of solvent based, water based and UV curable ink systems. The press platform can handle polymer substrates as thin as 12 microns, or paperboard materials as heavy as 600 microns, while achieving high end registration through a complete servo controlled system.

“We are pleased to be part of this ground breaking research,” says Marco Calcagni, director of sales for OMET.“Clemson is a worthy partner, and we are extremely pleased that our VaryFlex press can further the knowledge in this emerging field.”

OMET is represented in North America by Matik Inc. of West Hartford, CT, USA.