SMART DESIGN

LABELS&LABELING |43
ILS CREATES INLINE DIGITAL PRODUCTION
US converter is first with integrated priming and finishing on HP Indigo WS6000
US converter Innovative Labeling Solutions has created what it
claims is the world’s first complete inline digital print production
line. The inline configuration is the next step in increasing the
company’s ability to meet the needs of the evolving consumer
packaged goods market.
‘ILS has a reputation for being progressive in regard to
digital print production with the HP Indigo presses, and we
were excited to be a part of the beta test of the In Line Priming
unit (ILP) for the WS6000 to see what it would do to improve
operational and economic efficiencies,’ said Brian Smallwood,
ILS general manager.
In March, the company marked the one-year anniversary of
the Delta Spectrum II finishing system (being installed) inline
with one of the three WS6000’s located in the facility in Ohio. ‘So
February was perfect time for us to begin the beta testing of the
ILP unit in advance of the commercial launch of the hardware in
April,’ added Smallwood.
‘The decision to invest in the Delta Spectrum II, which offers
complete flexibility because of its modular station design, as well
as placing it in tandem with the press was a strategic one, and a
direct result of the value proposition we have been delivering to
the marketplace for the better part of four years now.’
Eric Knop, ILS director of business development, said: ‘As our
clients have begun to grasp the total product life cycle benefit of
a digital solution, we have seen our run lengths get longer and
longer because they are converting complete product lines to
digital.
‘Many of our print runs are far above industry average, or
what is commonly referred to as the “crossover” point of
15,000 feet. In fact, we run jobs from 70,000 ft to more than
450,000 ft. Brands are starting to leverage the full benefit of the
technology, including: the highest quality graphic reproduction
because of the offset like system; market responsiveness
in the form of design and message flexibility because of the
plate-free technology; speed-to-market because of the fast turn
times; sustainability and supply chain efficiencies because of
the reduction of minimum run lengths which positively impact
both inventory carrying charges and obsolescence; as well as
the favorable environmental footprint of the press itself and its
production efficiencies.
‘As a digital label and packaging specialist, ILS runs all
applications including pressure sensitive labels, shrink sleeves,
flexible packaging and folding cartons. The demands of each
of these outputs are unique, and create a need for specialized
knowledge and equipment, as well as complete flexibility within
our operation.’
Jay Dollries, president and CEO of ILS, said: ‘As the first
converter in the world to run a Delta Spectrum II in line with
the WS6000, we knew, based on the immediate impact of this
configuration, that it would not be long before we would be in
the hunt for additional capabilities to further reduce the steps in
the production process. And the ILP unit is the next piece.’
The In Line priming unit from HP is a press hardware option
that enables on-demand treatment of substrates to streamline
manufacturing as well as lower the material treatment costs
associated with digital by virtually eliminating the machine and
labor costs associated with priming. ‘Now with the HP WS6000,
plus the ILP unit, and the Delta Spectrum II fully integrated, we
have the most operationally efficient digital system available in
the market today,’ Dollries said.