Uteco and Kodak install a further Sapphire EVO press and announce technologically superior digital printing solution for flexible packaging with lamination. With some very innovative developments in the field of laminating inks and adhesives.
A further Uteco Sapphire EVO press was recently installed at an internationally renowned packaging producer in Italy. The Company uses the new Sapphire EVO Press for high quality flexible packaging printing in small to medium volume production runs to offer quicker turn-around time and more variety of SKU’s to brand owners.
The Sapphire EVO press was developed by the Uteco Group in partnership with Kodak and utilizes Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology as well as environmentally friendly water-based pigment inks from Kodak. The Sapphire EVO press lets flexible packaging printers migrate jobs from traditional printing processes to digital and achieve high quality results along with enormous time, makeready and cost savings.
Digital production simultaneously provides simple and elegant ways to integrate personalization or serialization into the printing process.
The new high adhesive strength inks
Uteco and Kodak, the pioneers in digital high-speed flexible packaging printing, are now launching two cutting-edge innovations in the market that will open new opportunities and a wider range of applications for digital printing with flexible packaging. The first innovation is a new water-based ink set for the Sapphire EVO called Kodak Prosper QD Packaging Ink, which offers market leading bond strength with solventless, water-based, and solvent-based lamination. The new QD Packaging ink set, based on Kodak’s innovative nano-particulate pigment ink, offers improved bond strength across all colors and lamination adhesives that allows packaging producers who reverse print with lamination to use the Sapphire EVO at speeds in excess of 150 mpm with environmentally friendly, economical, and indirect food contact safe water-based inks. Manufacturers of food, confectionery, cosmetics and other consumer goods packaging can now benefit from a particularly efficient, versatile and sustainable digital solution.
More performing and sustainable lamination
The second innovation is an advanced, eco-friendly laminating solution that performs as well as solvent-based adhesive technology, while being VOC free. This solution is planned to be showcased during the fourth quarter 2020 at the Uteco’s plants in Verona, Italy.
«Now we can bring the promise of digital, shorter runs, and quick-turnaround jobs to an even wider swath of the flexible packaging market», said Randy Vandagriff, President, Digital Print Group, Eastman Kodak Company.
Aldo Peretti, President and CEO of the Uteco Group, commented: «The combination of our Sapphire EVO presses range and the high performance laminator provides packaging converters with a first-class, highly eco-sustainable solution for producing digital flexible packaging with excellent qualitative and protective properties. They’re a winning team that help users meet the growing requirements of packaging customers and brand owners even more efficiently».
