This 17-inch Lombardi press is a 10-colour machine. It is equipped with India's first Bravo flatbed screen printing unit. Plus two die-cutting stations, a booklet unit, two foiling stations, and roll-to-sheet delivery. It can handle a wide range of substrates from a 12-micron film to 450gsm paperboard.

This press, according to Total Print Solutions’ Sandeep Zaveri, will enable the company to foray into folding cartons and execute "high-value" label printing jobs with several degrees of enhancements.

Speaking to PrintWeek India during the open house, Zaveri, said “We were looking for a new press that would enable us to produce cartons. Plus it had to be an easy-to-operate press that provides flexibility in terms of the combination of processes that can be used. We found an answer in Lombardi Synchroline.” 

Bravo flatbed screen printing unit

Zaveri further explained, “The configuration that we have chosen allows for a lot of permutations and combinations of processes and hence it unleashes immense value addition potential. Besides cartons, we are also looking at shrink sleeve and in-mould label segment.”

During the open house, the visitors witnessed, printing of a two-layer label using Lombardi’s booklet unit. This machine can produce up to five layers of the label, informed Zaveri.

The star attraction of the new press is India’s first Bravo flatbed screen printing unit, which runs at 50 metres per minute. “With Bravo, we are excited to explore coatings and varnishes and leverage the benefits of heavy relief deposition. Also, because it is a flatbed screen unit, screen-making is easy and we have a basic set up to make screens in-house. Plus it is cost-effective. And it brings along all the advantages of conventional screen printing. Moreover, this being a completely auto-register press, we can re-run the web with precise registration,” added Zaveri.

Zaveri hopes to tap the export market in Africa and Europe with the new press. Zaveri said, “We have started exporting to African countries, Gulf countries, and we are going to begin exploring the European market as well. Right now, our export share is less than 10%, the plan is to increase exports to 40% in the next 12 months.”

Highly-configured Lombardi Synchroline flexo press

Besides the new Lombardi Synchroline, Total Print Solutions’ shopfloor houses one six-colour Etirama CI flexo press, a seven-colour Edale, and an eight-colour Multitech press. It has also invested in Vinsak Usar slitter-rewinder machine.

In order to plug in the new machine into the operations, Zaveri restructured the plant workflow and expanded from 8,000 sqft to 20,000 sqft area.

As he signed off, Zaveri said his focus now is on utilising the Lombardi to its maximum capacity and capability, and then invest in a hybrid press in the next two years and maybe then extend footprint to another location.

Usar slitter-rewinder machine

Suppliers’ Speak | Ranesh Bajaj, Vinsak
The machine was commissioned and installed by Lombardi’s Indian representative, Vinsak. Ranesh Bajaj, managing director, Vinsak, said, “This is not just a label press, it’s a packaging press. Today, value addition is extremely necessary if you have to influence bottomlines and that’s why the press configurations of the new machines are multi-faceted. Lombardi presses allow for this flexibility. The Lombardi installation count in India has reached 27. However, the point to be noted is that last year, four of our customers placed a repeat order within a window of 12 to 18 months of installing their first Lombardi press. This goes to show the value that can be created using the flexibility of this press.”

Also, read Sandeep Zaveri in conversation: The label specialist lifts the lid on his new Lombardi buy