The machine with CMYK and white for short-run labels is being installed in a new 420sqm base three miles from its old headquarters in Burton-on-Trent. The investment comes a year after Colorscan took the UK’s first Jetrion 4900 UV-curable digital label press with in-line finishing.
The 25-staff business supplies labels and POS materials for breweries and pubs in a town famous for its beer, said managing director Keith Forster. He bought both Jetrions from Grafitec Label Presses and said the modular design of the newest one enabled him to add laser cutting and finishing.
“Almost 200 microbreweries have set up in the last few years and there are more now than at any time this century. Our ideal print run is 1,000 to 7,500 labels, but the Jetrion can do 500 as good as, if not better than, the guy knocking them out by the million.
“The Jetrion has the full range of metallics – golds, silvers, reds and blues, and we are able to cut them to any shape without having to invest in vast amounts of die kit. It’s all inline so there is no waste. Britain used to have a proud brewing heritage and it is fantastic to see it back on from.”
Forster said the latest Jetrion was an additional piece of kit at the digital house, which also runs a Xerox iGen3. The Jetrion also means his team could produce labels in a roll.
EFI’s ink business vice president Stephen Emery said: “Colorscan Imaging Products is a great example of a label convertor that keeps growing their digital printing business. They take advantage of the lean manufacturing this digital label printer provides.
“They capitalise on the increased demand for short runs and versioning. To remain competitive, print companies in this market sector need a reliable platform that gives them true flexibility and high quality, enabling them to profit from shorter runs and greater versatility.”