The Alexir Partnership goes into digital cartons

Print Solutions Packaging Solutions

Folding carton supplier the Alexir Partnership is now offering cost effective packaging solutions for the booming artisanal food market and providing a host of high value services, after installing a digital sheetfed printing, coating and finishing workflow. The workflow features a Xerox iGen 4 digital printer with a Tresu Pinta coater integrated in line and, near line, a Kama ProFold 74 folder/gluer and Kongsberg plotter.

With its high speed, minimal set up times, automated features and variable data capability, the single pass printing-coating line enables Alexir to enter short run printing markets and offer solutions including samples on-demand and personalised packaging.

The iGen includes an in line spectrophotometer that automates colour adjustments and calibration, automatic density control, and high definition linearisation that eliminates the need for greyscale calibration.

The post print coating operation, provided by Tresu's Pinta in line flexo coater, provides a layer of protection and enhances aesthetic appeal. A wide range of UV or water based finishes are possible that offer identical results to that of analogue print. These include matte, gloss, full surface, spot or fine line effects.

The Alexir Partnership identified the need to add a digital workflow to its existing litho operation when it faced demand from emerging small food businesses, including farms, that aim to sell into specialist niches or local markets.

Claire Summersby, marketing manager, commented: ‘Before we invested in digital capabilities, we would get enquires for runs of perhaps 500 cartons, but our litho printing operation was simply too costly for their needs. With the Xerox and Tresu production line and its minimised set up times, we can give these producers the fast supplies of appealing, high impact packaging that result in retail listings and sales beyond the farmer’s market.’

Some of Alexir’s clients are luxury brands. One example is Life Shot 200, a natural, highly concentrated coconut kefir health drink containing 200 billion bacteria, sold in glass bottles that are packed in a carton.

Most jobs on the Xerox-Tresu printing/coating line are below 5000 units, though variable data run lengths can be up to 100,000 units. Being viable for very short runs, digital print is a cheaper, faster and more realistic method of producing samples than using mock ups.

Scott Beadell, digital production manager at the Alexir Partnership, added: ‘With the seamless integration of the coater in line with the printer, we achieve the look and feel of the final printed result without extra logistics, material waste and setup times. You can see immediately what the final product will look like.’