50 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 keep us busy for a while. It’s exciting to see what will be possible and start pushing the boundaries of such an innovative product.” Baker Labels technical manager Jamie Godson adds: “It was clear to me from a very early stage that the TAU 340 RSC was a well-engineered press. It has impressed at every stage of the investment process from initial sampling, press demos, right through to the install and will no doubt have a huge impact on our productivity and lead times.” Meeting Consumer Demand Aside from hardware, ink plays a major role in the look and feel of labels. Xaar specialises in piezo-based drop-on-demand inkjet technologies, which dictate how the ink is applied to materials. Business development manager, Angel Jimenez Gil, says digital label production will grow and replace traditional analogue print technologies, meeting consumer demand for unique, tailored products. "As part of this step change," Gil continues, "hybrid approaches will increase as label producers look to add digital capabilities to existing presses to provide the personalisation and embellishments on labels that are increasingly required. “For example, textured and high-build print effects, varnishes, foils, and mass personalisation all become available with Xaar’s Versatex Printbar, which can both be integrated with new machine configurations or retrofitted onto existing presses,” he says, adding: “By enabling opacities of 85% at 50m/min, the Versatex achieves brilliant whites and vibrant colours, producing eye-catching, high- quality, digitally printed labels.” Going into further detail about trends and demand, Gil says embellishments, tactile features, and foils are increasingly popular and can be easily added into label manufacture using digital print to add value. “With Xaar’s unique High Creativity mode technology, labels can now feature a wide variety of haptic elements ranging from raised textures and high-build varnishes to matte and spot finishes – all printed at the same time, in a single pass – which is impossible for traditional and screen printing processes,” he explains. “This innovative technology therefore enhances productivity and eliminates the challenges of screen printing, reducing setup time significantly. This ability to integrate tactile features into labels not only differentiates premium products on crowded shelves, but also strengthens brand identity and enhances consumer engagement.” Further still, Gil says Xaar’s Ultra High Viscosity is allowing for higher pigment loading and improved durability, creating long-lasting inkjet print labels that also reduce environmental impact. He explains ink chemists can now select from a much larger cupboard of ingredients, providing options to improve the performance of existing label printing applications as well as opening a world of new possibilities. “Sustainability in label printing can also be enhanced on many levels through inkjet; from UV inks requiring less curing energy to higher pigment loaded fluids needing fewer print passes and therefore lower consumables,” Gil adds, continuing: “Aqueous inks with high pigment loading and a lower water ratio can also significantly reduce drying energy and transport costs.” As the old adage goes: “you need to spend money to make money”. This line of work will require some investment in new hardware, consumables, and materials but doing so will help set your business up for long-term growth in what is a market full of opportunities. Gallus Group developed its first label printing press, the Gallus Junior, in the 1920s Factoid According to Xaar, embellishments, tactile features, and foils are increasingly popular in labels ▼ LABEL PRINTING
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