UK-based PeterLynn Ltd, Corby, has announced details of an upgrade to its 2012 Xeikon digital color press purchase in order to cope with the increased volume of label production being demanded by its customers. The field upgrade has enhanced the Xeikon 3030 machine to the productivity levels of the top end Xeikon 3300 model.

Commenting on the need for the upgrade, James Lindsay, general manager of PeterLynn, says, “The Xeikon has performed exceptionally well for us in the 18 months since it has been in production. Our own sales efforts have managed to fill the capacity offered by the original configuration to the point where we needed to evaluate our best move forwards. The ability to field upgrade the Xeikon was part of our initial decision-making process when we selected the 3030 label press, and it seemed the logical move for us to make in order to increase our production capacity.”

The Xeikon 3300 digital label press hardware offers variable web width ranging from 200 mm (7.9 inches) up to 330 mm (13 inches). The machine now offers PeterLynn a top speed of 19.2 m/min (63 ft/min) and it can handle production volumes of up to 380 square meters/hour (589 MSI/hour).

Vicky Waine, sales and marketing manager for PeterLynn, is delighted with the addition of the new digital capacity. She says, “The original purchase of the Xeikon machine meant that we were able to offer our customers high quality, short-run four-colour labels without incurring expensive plate and set-up costs. This makes it ideal for the shorter run requirements that are becoming more typical of the market, with many customers seeking to reduce their inventory. Our discussions with customers since the installation of the Xeikon machine have been very successful and the quantity of digital labels being ordered by our customer base has been increasing swiftly over the time that the machine has been running here.

“We have strong relationships with a number of companies involved in the brewery sector – companies that we have worked with since their very early days – and as their businesses have grown the quantity of labels they require has, of course, grown with it. Our work within the food sector has grown significantly in the time that we have been able to offer food-safe digitally printed labels.”

Typical applications that are perfect for digital production include labels for pharmaceutical, asset, food, cosmetics, and beauty products, as well as many others. Because of the ability to laminate or varnish as part of the process, digital produced products are ideal for chemical resistant labelling.

Established in 1985, PeterLynn Ltd manufactures custom roll labels, plain paper labels, laser labels, tickets and tags. It provides a range of products for specific applications, including synthetic materials, write and seal labels, mobile printer labels, high temperature and cryogenic label products.

Commenting on behalf of Xeikon, Filip Weymans, director segment marketing and business development Labels and Packaging, says,  “The Xeikon 3000 Series offers the unique opportunity to upgrade entry level presses, such as the Xeikon 3030, in speed or substrate width in the field. It allows businesses moving into digital for the first time to enter at a lower price point and then expand their production capabilities as the amount of work being produced grows.”