Precision Press will be the world’s first company to install Goss International's Sunday Vpak 500 web offset printing system after working with the machinery developer over the past year in its configuration.
The flexible packaging press will start up later this year and is expected to run polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and a full range of paper up to board.
New solutions
Lee Timmerman, president at Precision Press, told FoodProductionDaily.com the aim was to create exciting new solutions for brand owners and packagers.
“We expect to offer state of the art graphics provided by offset on material sets historically not allowing such in web formats.”
The printing press will be equipped for ultra violet (UV) and electron beam (EB) curing and contains an in-line flexo and coating unit.
Timmerman said: "There are exciting fields in barrier technology that can only be addressed through web technology. The light weighting of packaging promotes web printing over sheet fed.
“Both inline and offline converting options create products at pricing that is unavailable to sheet fed printers.”
The press prints at up to 1,200 feet per minute and is available in web widths of up to 75 inches with a closed-loop colour, registration and inspection system.
Printing diversity
Timmerman added: “The variety of substrates for printing on substrates and packaging creates a huge diversity of capital equipment which leads to additional expense and complexity in producing product within FDA compliance.
“Due to the nature of imaging chemistries, migration is a constant challenge. The Goss allows us to image on a wide variety of substrates historically reserved for flexography, gravure and sheet fed.
“Image investment in plates and cylinders has made it cost prohibitive to change graphics seasonally or for promotions which limits marketing impact for brand owners. Offset changes that dynamic completely.”
The machine for folding cartons, flexible packaging, pre-print and labels, includes quick-change sleeve adapter technology, advanced offset inking, tension management and control systems, said Goss.
When asked about Landa Corporation’s claim of a new way of digital printing, which they will be unveiling at trade show DRUPA, Timmerman said: “We are hoping to look at Landa Print at DRUPA and are excited about the development, if it’s real. As of today, there is no digital solution that provides a cost effective way to address the run lengths prominent in the USA.”