Malmesbury Labels, a label printer based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK, has invested in an Allen Datagraph Systems, Inc. (ADSI) iTech CENTRA HS Digital Label System to produce cost-effective four-color labels in smaller quantities for its customers.

Malmesbury Labels manufactures self-adhesive labels for a wide range of applications, from food and beverage to general packaging applications. The new digital system will complement Malmesbury’s existing flexo equipment. “We have a three and four-color flexo press. Our larger clients order longer runs of 40-50,000 labels, while the typical client orders 6-8,000 spot color labels,” says Howard Burr, Malmesbury managing director. “Much of our work has been for retail businesses. These boutique businesses will use carry bags with cord handles to promote their company and products. We create the labels for them. The challenge is that many four-color label jobs come with new artwork, and are likely to be run only once. To create the labels and pay £150 for four plates and for dies to manufacture runs of 1,000 is too expensive. It’s why we decided to invest in a digital printing and finishing system.”

Malmesbury considered the expenditure too high to be viable for larger systems, and Burr found that many of the more economical systems could not print accurately on pre-cut media. Some of the analog cutters had problems with digital printing. Malmesbury wanted a completely digital solution, if possible. About 18 months ago when Burr visited Labelexpo Europe, he had determined that purchasing both print and finishing capabilities would be too expensive. “Then we saw the CENTRA HS,” remembers Burr. “It seemed to be more industrial-based than other affordable systems. A demo at Allen Datagraph’s US headquarters in Derry, NH confirmed that it was more a printer’s press than a brand owner’s machine.”

The iTech CENTRA HS Digital Label System is a complete digital label system that efficiently manufactures label runs of 300-900 linear meters of roll substrate. It produces fully finished labels, in any shape without dies, fitting the needs between tabletop label production and full-scale production.

The system combines the iTech CENTRA HS Digital Label Printer with the iTech CENTRA HS Digital Label Finisher. The iTech CENTRA HS Digital Label Printer is an LED toner printer that images consumer-quality labels with brilliant, durable, consistent color at 1200 dpi X 600 dpi, at speeds up to 9.1 meters per minute. The iTech CENTRA HS Digital Label Finisher is a high-speed roll-to-roll digital finishing system that lets users laminate, die-less cut, strip the waste matrix and slit custom labels in one production pass. Requiring no dies, make-ready, or running waste, the iTech CENTRA HS Digital Finishing System offers the professional converter “on demand” converting capabilities.

“Technology is shifting so rapidly. In the CENTRA HS we saw something we needed now – a digital capability. We can produce a four-color label within a day or so,” says Burr. “The CENTRA HS has an attractive ROI, and offered us easy entry into the market. It is fulfilling our requirements. We have been running the CENTRA HS for three months. It turns around multicolor work very quickly, and can cut any shape or size,” he adds. “A lot of the jobs we produce on the CENTRA HS are much more viable than our only other option: flexo. Normally we would have to take artwork and send it to the platemaker. Now, we get the artwork, add dielines, and we’re good to go.”