Xeikon and Schaffner sign distribution agreement

Cornelia Caffari, CEO, Schaffner, said, “We were only going to get into digital print if we were completely convinced by the product, which is absolutely the case now with Xeikon. We believe that the concept of high-quality, innovative digital printing systems is a perfect fit for the discerning Swiss market; and we are confident that partnering with Xeikon will be a recipe for success. Due to its very specific ordering structure, a lot of short runs are produced in multiple languages in Switzerland. In addition, print customers and end-users have very high expectations in terms of quality.”

Products from Flint Group, Xeikon’s parent company, are already part of the company’s product portfolio. And according to the agreement, Schaffner will also look after the Xeikon product line that includes dry toner and inkjet solutions.

Monika Olbricht, global sales director at Xeikon, explained that the company was looking for versatile, end-to-end digital print solutions with inline finishing. She said “In Switzerland in particular, demand for niche products which allow print providers to diversify their markets will be on the rise in the coming years. In terms of efficiency and quality, this demand can best be met with digital print."

Caffari added, “As a full-service provider, Xeikon offers comprehensive finishing and food safety for niche products, thanks to its certified toners, which is a tremendous benefit. A further deciding factor was the excellent value for money offered by Xeikon systems. The owner-managed family business was founded more than 60 years ago and made a name for itself as a full-service provider in the graphics industry, specifically in the fields of consumables and inks.

As part of the agreement, Schaffner will have access to the Xeikon hotline and the service team based in southern Germany in order to safeguard security and additional benefits for any potential Xeikon customers at the start of its sales activities. In addition, the team will have access to Xeikon’s demo centre in Belgium to produce print samples on customer request.

Furthermore, there will be targeted customer invitations to Drupa 2020 as well as visits to the demo centre in Belgium for specific projects. Schaffner is planning to expand its co-operation with Xeikon in terms of service and logistics in the near future.