Rajendra Arts positions itself for future growth with Thermoflex
Ahmednagar-based flexo pre-press trade shop, Rajendra Arts, is bringing in digital technology at its plant by the second week of September, and by doing so will more than double the speed of its flexo plate making capability.
18 Aug 2015 | 4170 Views | By PrintWeek India
This will follow the installation of Xeikon ThermoFlex 30, customised Chinese-make flowline washer with steel body, Dupont bristles, and exposure with a chiller bed by Mumbai-based representative of Xeikon, Malhotra Graphics. The purchase is also bundled with the latest Packz with 3D module and StudioRIP software and will come at a cost of Rs 1.40-crore.
The Thermoflex 30 is a 25x30inch machine and can image at a maximum resolution of 5080dpi.
Rajendra Arts’ present operation, a conventional 42x60inch Indian make processing unit as well as imaging includes two Avantra 30 imagesetters, which has been aging and needed an upgrade.
Rajendra Joshi, managing director of the firm, speaking to PrintWeek India on the sidelines of LMAI Conference, said, “We have been producing conventional plates for the last 15 years for 100-odd customers in the plastic and corrugation industries. But there are label printers around Ahmednagar in place like Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and I am also looking forward to a big wide-web flexo unit being set up in Ahmednagar in the next 12 months.”
Barring Mumbai, the trade shop has customers across Maharashtra’s Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Jalna, Jalgaon, Akola, Barsi, Latur, Vasind, Amravati and Kolhapur, producing approx 800 sq/mtrs of 2.84mm and 500 sq/mtrs of 4.70mm plates per annum.
Joshi said, “Our existing conventional system is capable of handling 1.5 sq/mtrs plates per hour, whereas with the new Thermoflex we will produce 3.75 sq/meter plates per hour.” He added, “With our existing machinery, I am not able to provide the type of quality that is required by the labels and packaging industry. With this investment we would like to position ourselves for future growth in labels and packaging.”
Joshi did take a look at Esko’s platesetter, but chose the Xeikon kit because of its affordability, the quality of build as well as his faith in the supplier, Malhotra Graphics. “Malhotra are our regular suppliers since our inception. And the company has taken the trouble of customising the flowline washer that would suit our requirement,” said Joshi.
With the new investment in digital technology, Joshi said, he will be looking to move into quality segments like labels as well as safeguard its platemaking business, should the conventional system fail. “The present system, though we have been using it with success, is outdated and the manufacturers have stopped manufacturing such machine long time ago. God forbid, if there’s a problem with some part, which is not available, our entire business will collapse.”
Joshi is also aware that the day of films are coming to an end, and while Dupont is making nylo plates for conventional platemaking, the production has been lowered. “The cost of conventional plates is rising, while that of digital plates is falling. It makes sense for us to look at the future,” he concluded.
The new Xeikon Thermoflex and accessories will be housed in a new 1,000 sq/ft premises which has been built specially for the digital foray.