Labelexpo 2018: S Kumar gets India’s first Screen Truepress Jet L350UV
When a supplier of conventional flexo and intermittent presses invests in a digital printing press, it’s a signal of the digital print’s growing clout in the packaging segment. The example of this is Ahmedabad-based S Kumar which is investing in India’s first Screen Truepress Jet L350UV.
24 Nov 2018 | By Noel D'Cunha
Manish Hansoti and his Aarjav with the Insight Print Communications team
“Our investment in the Screen Truepress Jet L350UV digital press is driven by the need for running short-run jobs. We were looking at options to grow, as the competition for long-run jobs is becoming more intense,” said Manish Hansoti, managing director at S Kumar.
Besides representing Zonten presses, S Kumar specialises in labels, with Hansoti claiming that 85% of India Post’s requirement of the barcode is supplied by his company. “Besides, we also do label works for Indian Oil, HP, BPCL and Tirupati, Vadilal, among others,” said Hansoti.
The company prints around 5-lakh sq/m labels per month and are an Avery partner.
The digital investment plan, however, has been spearheaded by his son, Aarjav, who said, he along with his father travelled to many places in Europe, to learn more about the trends, and what kind of presses would be suitable. “The trend is clearly moving towards smaller runs, but with increased SKUs. We also find a similar trend coming to India,” he said.
Hansoti explained the need for digital printing in labels. “I’ve been in the label industry for the last 30 years, and I can tell you with some authority that the minimum time for a job change is 45 minutes. In today’s date and time, one cannot afford to lose that kind of time when you have to run 30-odd jobs of smaller quantities. Digital is the only option.”
A six-colour press, white plus CMYK plus orange, the Truepress Jet L350UV can print on films as well as paper and paperboard. The roll-to-roll single pass Piezo-based printhead can print at 600x600dpi at a maximum speed of 60m/min. The 50.8mm to 322mm wide press can handle media thickness of 0.09mm to 0.35mm. It can print on filmic substrates, paper, paperboard, as well as Tyvac.
The Truepress L350UV press with media versatility does not need a primer coating for about 85% of label jobs. A corona unit is an add-on, and it happens online, said Ajay Agarwal, managing director and CEO of Insight Print Communications, which represents Screen Truepress Jet presses in India.
“The press rates at seven for all the colours on the Bluewool scale. The highest is eight,” said Agarwal.
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