With the recent installation of a new flexo label press and rewinding system that will markedly increase throughput on the shop floor, Brisbane-based Impact Labels is set to expand its penetration of the medium- to long-run label market.
In 2005, Byron Hudghton harnessed his then 15 years' experience in label printing to his entrepreneurial spirit and founded Impact Labels. Fast forward 11 years and the company has built a strong reputation for supplying high quality labels and tags to the food, beverage and chemicals industries, both locally and in several export markets.
Impact Labels specialises in medium- to long-run label printing, MD Byron Hudghton tells PKN, and has been successful, he believes, because of its owner-operator business model.
“As a label printer by trade, I know how to get optimum throughput from the presses,” Hudghton says.
And getting more throughput was largely what motivated the purchase of the company's new OMET XFlex X6 label press, which was supplied by Currie Group and installed in March.
“This is the first time we've done business with Currie Group, and I have to say we've been impressed with their service. In fact, one of the main reasons we chose to go with this press is because Currie Group has a network of support engineers on the ground in each state,” he says.
“Another purchasing driver was our customers' requirement to run cheaper and ever faster – both of which the OMET XFlex X6 delivers. It's a step up in throughput and in quality,” Hudghton adds.
The press is up and running and has already printed two million metres of film for wraparound labels, a label category experiencing growth in demand as beverage companies especially are making the switch from self adhesive labels to wraparound film.
“These can be printed at half the cost, the 38-micron PP material is thinner than self-adhesive label material, so more fits on a roll (meaning less downtime for the manufacturer) and it processes faster on the labelling machines, enabling higher production speeds. A win all round,” he says.
The company has also bought an ABG (AB Graphic Int) rewinder from Currie Group, and has plans to purchase another in the near future.
Top of the class
For printers like Impact Labels, aiming to be competitive on an extended product portfolio, the OMET XFlex X6 is the ideal press, delivering consistent results at speed.
According to Mark Daws, GM Labels & Packaging Division at Currie Group the press is “top class”.
“It's a payback investment for any company looking for high productivity, efficiency and astonishing printing results,” Daws says.
The XFlex X6 is capable of producing complex and creative label designs on a variety of substrates and offering a whole range of additional units for special applications and high end finishing.
Features and benefits include a short web path, perfect registration at high speed, and quick start-ups thanks to the machine's general ease of use and ergonomic design.
Speeds of up to 200/min can be achieved on print widths of 330mm, 420mm and 530mm.
