What Epson's next generation of SurePress has in store

PrintWeek (PW): What are the new features in this press compared to earlier editions of SurePress?

Eisuke Morishita (EM): The previous machine, the first generation of our press, is called the 6034. With the new press, we have significantly improved productivity. The original machine operated at a speed of 50.5-m/min, while this new machine runs at 50-m/min. This is one of the biggest improvements we have made.

With this new machine, we have achieved higher speed. Additionally, based on our field experience with the previous model, we have implemented numerous quality stabilisation measures. These improvements aim to ensure high uptime and consistent performance in physical operations.

PW: It implies that there is a demand for shorter labels for faster conversion.

EM: Yes, the print speed of 15-m needed to be increased. We faced a lot of pressure from our customers who wanted us to achieve speeds of 30, 45, or even 50 metres. This is one of our objectives: to increase our speed. Many customers are eager to manage their runs, but they need faster speeds to do so. Therefore, a speed of 50 linear metres should be acceptable.

PW: What about the colour gamut? Is it similar to CMYK?

EM: Essentially, we have a CMYK setup plus white ink, which allows us to achieve a maximum of 88% Pantone coverage. If we add orange ink to the mix, we can reach a maximum of 92% Pantone coverage.

PW: My understanding is that there are very few SurePress printers in India — perhaps fewer than ten. So, why has SurePress not gained popularity?

LK Vasudevan (LKV): In India, there is a unique mindset when it comes to printing. Printers consistently strive to achieve the best print quality at affordable prices, a distinctive combination. Additionally, many Indian converters are highly knowledgeable and can maximise the potential of their existing analogue presses. This capability enables them to produce various products using analogue printing, even for medium run lengths.

When dealing with large customers, converters often do not want to turn down any business, even if it involves lower-volume jobs that may not be profitable. They continue to manage these smaller jobs with their analogue presses.

This presents an opportunity for education regarding current market trends. Traditionally, many jobs had long or medium run lengths, which suited analogue presses. However, we need to identify how many smaller jobs are coming in. While these smaller jobs may not be profitable, printers continue to take them on due to the existing relationships with regular customers.

Once we understand the volume of short-run jobs, we can emphasise the benefits of digital printing. It is worth noting that the market for digital press sales in India, specifically for labels, is growing at around 20% per year. This trend is very promising, and India is considered one of the most promising markets worldwide for digital label press sales.

We are at an advantageous point with the right product, as it offers converters good speed and significant brand value. Therefore, they need to consider this press seriously.

PW: What is unique about your press? 

EM: Most UV presses on the market only work with UV-coated substrates. However, our press can print on non-coated substrates as well. While some substrates might not perform well without a UV coating, a primer can improve adhesion. Many customers, especially in Europe, China, and Japan, do not specifically use UV-coated substrates. This versatility is a significant advantage for our customers. If a substrate doesn’t work well, we can explore options for primer coatings to enhance adhesion.

PW: Do I need any special treatment before printing?

LKV: If the substrate works well on its own, there’s no need for a special primer coating. This is one reason we established a demo centre in Okhla, Delhi. Our experienced team is available to test various substrates. We encourage all customers to bring their substrates for extensive trials before making a purchase. We prefer not to rush into confirming that our press can print on everything. Instead, we invite customers to test their coated and non-coated substrates to determine compatibility.

PW: What is the structure of the demo site? Is it already established, or are you in the process of establishing it?

LKV: A new office is currently under construction. By mid-December, it will be ready, and the same press will be there.

PW: What innovations are you introducing to expand the range of substrates compatible with digital printing?

EM: We primarily use a UV curing process. In theory, we can print on a wide variety of substrates, but the most suitable ones are plastic and synthetic materials, particularly polypropylene (PP). However, we can also print on paper, glossy paper, and synthetic paper.

How many Epson SurePress users are there in India?

LKV: There are six SurePress users and two UV users in India.

PW: How are you helping printers seamlessly integrate digital and conventional printing workflows? In India, there are rarely more than one or two, and at most five, label printing facilities that use only digital solutions.

LKV: We recognise that flexographic printing is dominant in India. Print providers are familiar with making money from flexo machines but struggle with shorter production runs. This issue is not unique to India; it affects printers everywhere. Our digital solutions are designed to complement flexo systems rather than replace them. Ideally, if a customer has five flexo machines, they could benefit from adding one digital machine, like the SurePress, as a viable option.

PW: Is there any plan to produce a hybrid press in collaboration with narrow-web printing press manufacturers?

EM: This is indeed becoming a significant trend. We have received numerous requests from our customers for hybrid presses. While it may take some time, we are actively considering developing this type of solution.

PW: We are currently observing a demand for hybrid presses to transition to all-in-one presses. Why is this happening?

EM: We have the capability to implement an inline finishing unit for these presses. This means they can print, perform finishing, and then produce the final output in a streamlined workflow. Traditionally, finishing has been done offline, but with this setup, it can also be done inline.

Regarding the brands we collaborate with, we sometimes work with GM. Their equipment allows customers to utilise non-standard substrates and load up to almost 1,000 metres. Additionally, there are options to load up to 10,000 metres for larger jobs. This level of control is advantageous.

We also offer an optional kit that can integrate with GM devices. However, it's important to note that these kits may be costly compared to the demand in India. So far, we have not received inquiries from Indian customers about integrating such solutions, primarily because GM's offerings are priced for European and Japanese markets, making them less accessible for many Indian converters.

Nevertheless, customers are certainly looking for comprehensive solutions. Currently, we have not explored any integrations of finishing equipment that specifically cater to the Indian market. Once we establish our demo centre, our goal is to expand our network with various vendors, including those providing substrates, finishing solutions, and chemicals.

We want to avoid working independently; instead, we aim to collaborate as a team to provide total solutions to our customers. While Epson offers a complete solution, our approach is to integrate offerings from all relevant vendors, including reputable Indian suppliers that have finishing solutions. We will explore the potential for integration to deliver the most cost-effective solutions available in India.

PW: What facilities will be available at the demo centre? Can you produce my job or artwork if I come with it?

LKV: The demo centre will feature this machine, and we are also considering investing in finishing equipment. Additionally, we are considering incorporating a primer coating for customers interested in understanding the differences between quality without coating and quality with coating. This will give customers the choice to design according to what works best for them.

We will have software solutions from Epson to drive this machine and software options for label production. Furthermore, we are considering including Esko software so that customers who are already using an Esko workflow do not have to change their existing setup. We don't want to say no to them; instead, we want to demonstrate that our press can integrate seamlessly with Esko workflows as well. Similarly, we are open to collaborating with other software vendors. Ultimately, we aim to provide customers with options that suit their specific applications and environments rather than dictating how they should work.

PW: Who is your dealer in India?

LKV: We sell directly to customers. Epson is involved in all product categories, not just for label presses. Even with smaller printers, we focus on creating an ecosystem for mutual growth. We believe in growing together rather than independently. We need to collaborate within the industry. So, why not grow together? The ecosystem approach fosters this kind of collaborative growth.

PW: I'd like to ask about volume growth and competition challenges. Considering many Chinese and Western companies now offer digital solutions primarily focused on specialised short runs for variable data printing (VDP), when do you think digital printing will finally become a mass market, especially in the packaging sector?

EM: If we look at the history of digital printers, we see that press and ink pricing are becoming increasingly attractive. This trend suggests that digital printing is poised to capture a larger market share than analogue printing because it is becoming more affordable.

Imagine a scenario where digital printing can meet the threshold of 1,000 linear metres; this is when we might witness a significant transition toward digital printing. Most jobs in the market fit well within this range, as many projects require less than 1,000 metres of printing. Once the cost efficiency of digital presses is competitive within this 1,000-m threshold, we will see a major shift toward digital solutions. Currently, digital printing is cheaper than analogue for jobs of this length.

We anticipate that the next five to six years will represent a golden era for digital printing, during which significant transformations will occur. Many converters will consider adopting digital presses seriously. Offering digital printing solutions will become essential for converters because they need to provide comprehensive services to their customers. They cannot simply limit themselves to larger runs — they must be open-minded and willing to accommodate more value-added and short-run labels.

For example, some digital presses come with unique features like inline varnish, simultaneously combining cloth matte and spot finishes. This capability enables the production of high-value products while incorporating security printing features to help brands differentiate themselves and protect against counterfeiting. Due to the rise of counterfeit goods in the market, brands are increasingly interested in creating unique and attractive products for their customers while also addressing issues of security.

With digital technology, these solutions can be more easily achieved in a single step, unlike analogue printing, which often requires multiple layers and processes. As a result, brands are looking seriously at digital printing as a way to enhance their product offerings and ensure authenticity.

PW: This is a long-standing debate, but since we are meeting after some time and considering your presence here, I have a question: How do your digital printing machines compare to flexographic machines in terms of cost efficiency for short-run jobs?

EM: That's a very good question. As I mentioned, we are not looking to compete with flexo but aim to supplement it.

PW: So, it’s like a co-existing ecosystem that complements both technologies, correct?

EM: Absolutely. We firmly believe that digital presses will not replace analogue presses. If someone suggests otherwise, they might not be making an accurate statement. Digital and analogue presses can and should coexist, working hand in hand on the same production floor.

What can be achieved with digital technology isn't always possible with analogue, and vice versa. Converters must have both technologies available so they can accept any type of job from customers. It’s important to recognise that relying solely on digital technology or only on analogue is not the right approach. Both should coexist and complement each other.

PW: And what about the materials? All the materials available in the Indian market can be printed on the press?

EM: We don't want to make a sweeping statement that all materials will work in every situation. The primary purpose of having a demo centre is to conduct trials. Even within the same substrate brand available in India, the properties can differ from those available outside the country. Each region has its unique characteristics that affect performance.

For instance, substrates in Japan may work differently than those in India, and some substrates that perform well in one area may be ineffective in another. It's essential to thoroughly understand each substrate's structure and characteristics.

The demo centre is designed for this purpose — to test and experiment with various materials. We encourage you to explore and try everything rather than simply assume that all substrates will work. Feel free to conduct your own trials.

PW: There is an extensive discussion about quality, particularly when comparing flexo and digital printing. What is the current status? Are converters achieving a comparable quality in digital printing to flexo, or is there still a gap?

LKV: Quality is a broad term, and it's difficult to define. What quality means can vary greatly from one person to another. To me, quality is about whether a product meets the end customer's application requirements and whether we can achieve this in a cost-effective manner. That's my understanding of quality.

At the same time, it's crucial to raise awareness among customers. They should not focus solely on the cost efficiency of a product; rather, they should pay attention to the correct printing methods. Colour science, for instance, is a significant topic in both analogue and digital printing. The challenge is to communicate the same colour language across different stages. For example, a product label represents the final product, but the same brand often uses different colour content for signage and TV commercials. We need to ensure we convey colour language as consistently as possible across various media.

One of the key areas we want to focus on in the industry is colour management solutions. Our goal is to help customers understand how close we can get to matching the colours produced by flexo printing with those produced digitally. While I wouldn't claim they are identical, we strive to make a genuine effort to come as close as possible to the quality of analogue presses. This provides converters with the flexibility to choose. They might find that a digital press can deliver a similar quality if they have a heavy workload on their analogue presses.

Ultimately, cost efficiency in printing and delivering goods on time is crucial. Delivery delays mean lost opportunities with customers. Therefore, we need to complement technology rather than compete against it. Although a job can be done on an analogue press, if we can demonstrate that a digital press, with proper colour management, can produce quality very close to analogue printing, it offers converters the freedom to deliver faster to their customers, especially when their analogue presses are busy.

So, our approach is not just to sell presses to end customers; we want to delve deeper into understanding the real challenges they face daily and find ways to help them address those challenges.

PW: Provide three reasons for our readers why a label converter should choose the Epson press over others. What makes it stand out compared to HP or Xeikon?

LKV: Digital varnish is one of this press's most unique features. Few can offer this capability, and by utilising disruptive varnish technology, we can produce high-value jobs. As you can see in the sample pictures, we can achieve multi-layer printing and digital embossing. This feature allows converters to secure more high-value projects from clients.

The second important aspect I want to highlight is sustainability and reliability. Epson is committed to sustainability, not only for our company but also to supporting our partners. We focus on power consumption, environmental friendliness, and food safety, which provides our customers with peace of mind knowing that this press will contribute to the longevity of their business.

The third key feature of this product is the drum technology, which includes pinning technology for each colour. For end users, this translates to more accurate printing and improved curing. Colour consistency is another unique feature of this product. When I speak about colour consistency, I mean that even if you print a solid colour continuously for 1,000 meters, the delta E value will be less than two. To the best of my knowledge, there is no digital press on the market capable of producing such consistency over that distance. Epson has this capability because our machine is built on advanced technology that ensures uniformity in printing.

PW: Why is this important for the end customer?

LKV: In flexo printing, consistency is a major advantage. Once you create a specific colour paste, that same colour should be visible whether you print 1,000 labels or 100,000 labels. This is one of the greatest strengths of flexo printing. All flexible converters considering digital options prioritise consistent quality. They want assurance that what they print today will match the quality of a job done a month later. Epson can deliver that consistency. While there are tolerances, our delta E value of less than two is considered the highest standard in the industry.

This is a unique feature, as this is the only press offering such a commitment to quality. Furthermore, this machine utilises a fully LED UV curing system. The LED technology generates no heat, which is crucial; traditional UV systems generate heat that can alter colour density. Our LED-based machine ensures that the colour remains consistent throughout the printing process.