WA print business Footprint has produced a quarter of a million labels in the first 10 weeks of its new label operation, printed on its new Epson SurePress L-4533AW, supplied by Fujifilm.
Located in the wine region of Mandurah, the Oldfield family-owned company ordered the Epson digital label press at PacPrint, when it decided to diversify into new areas, labels being the sector of choice.
In the first 10 weeks since the Epson SurePress L-4533AW was installed, it had already produced 250,000 labels.
James Oldfield says, “We can see that the press will be a profitable venture – I’m really happy that we’ve been able to turn out 48,000 wine labels in just five days, for example, and the press didn’t need anyone to hover over it. And working with Fujifilm Business Innovation Australia gives us the confidence that our move into label printing is technically well-supported.”
The company’s winery clients can now order as needed without holding large label stocks.
Footprint WA sees the label business as a growing part of its print capability for the future, because almost every business needs labels of some type, so being able to offer a local label printing service opens the way to a whole new segment of customers.
So far, Footprint has only used word of mouth and a few mentions on social media to market its new service. Pricing and capability enquiries from interested local businesses are nevertheless coming in regularly, as word spreads about the convenience of local service, and the flexible design possibilities.
Oldfield has started a ‘wall of fame’ with examples of the work to showcase the label capabilities as it builds up. And as the only regional printing house with label production to the quality and quantity the Epson SurePress L-4533AW can achieve, it offers a solid alternative to the bigger companies in Perth, interstate or overseas.
The installation, bedding down and commissioning process took two weeks. In the second week, the press started to produce a few small-run jobs while Oldfield learned the ropes. He commented that the interface was intuitive and straightforward. He was able to ‘get it’ after just one try. He’s enjoyed experimenting with what’s possible. Oldfield says, “The press gives us flexibility to be creative and deliver a consistent product that delights the customers.”
According to Oldfield, the Epson SurePress L-4533AW was chosen for its proven capacity for high quality output, reliability, repeatability, and its ‘hands-off’ operation.
The choice of the Epson SurePress L-4533AW made it easy for the business to incorporate the new facility in its printing fleet without the need for additional operators or specialists. It was virtually a turnkey installation that delivered sellable product within a week of being installed. Footprint is reaping the benefits of the print technology, and the wider gamut of colours (including orange, green and white).
Epson’s printheads feature micro-fine nozzles that the company says deliver “perfectly accurate” dot shapes and placement for each colour, which it says “in superior colour quality and sharp detail for barcodes and small text”.
The Oldfield family has made it a core policy over the past 30 years to stay at the leading edge of print production techniques and technologies.
Over time and with ongoing diversification front of mind, Footprint has made the transition to digitisation blended with existing expertise in traditional print methodologies. The transition into labels with the Epson SurePress is the latest stage in its successful journey.
This article was first published in the January-February 2023 print issue of PKN Packaging News, p34.
