HP's Pack Ready Lamination system has moved from proof-of-concept to commercial reality and was unveiled at Interpack this month, enabling high-quality, high-performance finishes for HP Indigo digitally printed flexible packaging without the use of adhesives.
HP Indigo Pack Ready Lamination is designed for HP Indigo flexible packaging digital printing on the HP Indigo 20000, 8000 and WS6800 digital presses. It provides strong laminate bond strength with zero curing time for immediate pouch converting, opening new opportunities for digitally printed flexible packaging.
Developed and patented by HP, Pack Ready Lamination was first previewed last year at drupa 2016 as a proof-of-concept design, and fast-tracked into a fully developed commercial solution based on positive partner feedback and demand. The solution includes the HP Indigo Pack Ready Laminator and Pack Ready Film.
“Pack Ready is the next step in the HP digital disruption of printing for flexible packaging, the fastest-growing packaging sector,” said HP general manager Alon Bar-Shany. “We are proud to make this solution available to HP Indigo customers to help them maximise the value of HP digital print, drive brand engagement, shorten time to market, and cut waste and costs.”
The Israeli digital technology developer also announced the commercial model of the Pack Ready Laminator, optimised for the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press. Now commercially designed, it will be manufactured and supplied by Karlville. While customer beta testing of the system is scheduled for this summer with full commercialisation and shipments on track for the end of the year, Bar-Shany revealed that the Japanese converter Toppan is to be the world's first adopter worldwide. First units are to ship by the end of the year.
The Pack Ready Laminator was being demonstrated on the HP stand for the production of digitally printed, laminated, on-demand pouches, operating in conjunction with an HP Indigo 20000 press and a Bosch form fill and seal (FFS) machine.
HP’s patented Pack Ready film contains a heat active polymer layer that mechanically interlocks with HP’s Indigo ElectroInk once sufficient heat and pressure are applied, allowing immediate use. HP Indigo Pack Ready film can comply with key global food packaging safety regulations, under well-defined conditions of use, and Pack Ready food contact-grade films are now available from leading global film suppliers inclusing Polyplex and Polifilm.
HP Indigo Pack Ready Coating was also demonstrated at the show, and is being used by a number of HP customers in Europe, inclusing Swiss flexible packaging converter O. Kleiner AG which has recently installed a second Indigo 20000 digital press. Released last November, the solution has now been further extended to support microwavable clear retort pouches.
In other news, Alon Bar-Shany also confirmed that one of the industry's highest profile converters, Amcor has just installed its first HP Indigo 20000 digital press at a facility in Belgium; further evidence of how digital is steadily establishing itself as a mainstream printing process within the flexible packaging sector.
