Label production specialist FlexOn has become the first company in Poland to install a Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 190 full-digital toner press.
Established in the 1990s as a local service provider, FlexOn added flexography in 1997 and expanded its customer base geographically. Owner Michal Pabiasz said: ‘Over the years, we have specialized in the label production, improving them and adapting them to the needs of our customers. This enables us to be successful in this market not only in Poland, but also abroad.
‘Some time ago we realized that about 90 percent of the inquiries we were receiving were for shorter label runs. We didn’t want to give up these orders but we also could not afford the then-available roll digital machines. That is when we looked at Konica Minolta’s solutions. Since then we have established a very good relationship and are very satisfied with its sales, after-sales and service services. Konica Minolta is not only a salesman, but an advisor, who supports us.’
‘It has been a transition for our business, as increasingly often our customers pick reel-fed labels, even for smaller volumes. This is because the application is simpler, definitely faster and cheaper.
‘The companies that outsource production to us mainly want reduced print runs, short lead times and the need for personalization or on-demand printing. They don't care how we print the label in principle – they just want high quality that doesn’t differ from the quality of the label printed in the traditional flexo printing technique.
‘It has relieved the strain on our flexo machines. We can now deliver greater peace of mind and offer more choice to our customers. We always strive to win with quality. So, when we meet the competition on price and our quality wins, we are very happy about it. Our customers now receive roll labels from us in any run length. What's more, with the AccurioLabel 190, we can now produce labels resistant to difficult conditions, including external, extreme temperatures and very specialized industrial applications, effortlessly and faster than advertising companies. The press is also perfect for printing on invoiced materials to attract the consumer's attention. It gives us much greater flexibility and does not restrict production.’
Currently FlexOn's exports about 40 percent of production to customers mainly in Scandinavia, Germany, Ireland, Belgium and Switzerland but that reach is growing.
Marcin Zaporowski, Konica Minolta Industrial Printing key account manager, said: ‘FlexOn's successes are built on a wealth of knowledge and experience. Its cooperation with Konica Minolta is not just limited to the commissioning of printing services. We propose solutions based on the needs of our customers, including what products are being labeled and the conditions they are being stored and transported in. FlexOn keeps a close eye on the label market and the most significant developments in recent times that have driven its evolution have been declining volumes and a greater variety of orders.’
The AccurioLabel 190 is an all-in-one digital toner press with integrated web guiding system, quality control area with viewing lights and in-line finishing option. It was designed to target small to mid-size label converters by offering affordable entry to digital printing. It was developed to manage and deliver an increasing number of small to medium print jobs in ever-shorter processing times.