Bluetree has completed a round of investment in its labels and packaging venture with the addition of digital cutting and embellishment at its expanding Manvers site near Rotherham.
The latest additions are a DigiLase Duo and a Dual Bar DigiJet. Both come from ABG and follow installation of a Digicon Lite as part of an earlier phase of investment in the set up. This has also included installation of an HP Indigo 6K to join a Konica Minolta 230 which had been its first step into labels and stickers.
The company’s Cobalt inkjet printer, which produces branded paper bags for the hospitality sector, will also become part of the growing unit.
The latest additions mark a significant advance in terms of what the business can produce. It had previously been limited to shapes and formats that it has dies for. With the DigiLase Duo it gains two 400W lasers operating independently which can cut shapes from a digital file without the time and expense of creating a bespoke die.
This works particularly well for shorter production runs of labels and decal style products.
This twins with the DualBar DigiJet works in combination with thermal lamination to be able to offer spot varnish, tactile and foil effects in a single pass. Again the inkjet heads are controlled directly from the digital file and avoid the need to create specialist dies for foiling or plates for spot varnishing.
Head of Route 1 Print Jack Parks says: “Stickers and labels have become a major area of growth for Route 1 Print, and this investment gives our customers even more opportunity to go after more premium label work across sectors such as food and drink, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and more.
“For resellers, it means they can offer their clients short run, high quality labels with fast turnarounds and competitive trade pricing, giving them the chance to build in a strong margin.”
Laser cutting for labels has in the past been associated with a knock on impact of productivity as the line needed to be slowed to allow the label to be effective and also limited the range of materials that might be used.
ABG technical director Mark Norman, however, says this has changed. “The DigiLase Duo is the result of pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with digital laser cutting and in-house software development.
“By introducing dual independent lasers, we’ve been able to deliver exceptional gains in speed, flexibility and reliability, while also helping to minimise waste. It’s a significant step forward in digital finishing technology.”
