First showing of a sales-ready model at Labelexpo by the Swiss label press manufacturer reinforces its future as a fully-owned Heidelberg company.
Leading the charge of up to ten hybrid digital presses at the largest ever label exhibition in Brussels, new look Gallus unveiled its inkjet/flexo web press powered by Fujifilm Samba heads. The new press will be the first to be sold through the Heidelberg sales channel, with the company claiming that more than ten buyers have already laid their money down.
The press launch is the culmination of the buyout last year whereby Ferd Ruesch, iconic label industry figure and owner of Gallus, sold his remaining equity in the Swiss company to reputedly become the largest single shareholder in Heidelberg. That became the catalyst for the worldwide integration of the Gallus business into Heidelberg. The Australian Gallus company is the first to make the move with managing director, James Rodden, moving into the Heidelberg HQ in Notting Hill before Christmas.
In addition, the manufacture of the majority of Gallus press parts will henceforth be done by Heidelberg at its Wiesloch plant in Germany. According to Klaus Bachstein, CEO Gallus, the integration of the two companies is progressing smoothly with both sides respectful of the others specialised expertise. He maintains the creation of the first digital Gallus press could not have happened without the Heidelberg connection.
With two test models already in the market, the DCS 340, is also the first Gallus machine to use the Heidelberg Prinect digital front end. It is notable for the Gallus converting system too, being one of the few digital engines at this Labelexpo that features production from reel to die-cut labels in a single pass.
Digital label production is the overwhelming theme of this show where the organisers are promoting 230 new product launches. Figures bandied about the press room have it there are 52 digital presses at this 30th anniversary exhibition. Most major press brands such as Mark Andy and Nilpeter are showing hybrid inkjets even though it’s estimated that the combination of digital and conventional printing only addresses 5% of the market.
There are many more standalone inkjet digital label presses on show, including new models from heavyweights such as Epson with its SurePress L-4030, Screen showing the latest model of its Truepress Jet L350UV and EFI with a new Jetrion. HP is a dominating presence at the show with its iconic Indigo 20000 in addition to its market leading WS6800. Xeikon is also notable with a high-profile presence.
They are all riding the crest of a wave that sees digital, mostly inkjet, account for almost half of all label presses sold in Europe last year. At this rate digital is set to become the dominant label technology in four to five years.
Labels and labelling is a market that is growing strongly throughout the globe at four to six per cent per year representing an industry of $80 billion. It is a complex manufacturing printing and converting process that is well on the way to becoming fully automated, especially the digital engines.
The success of this Labelexpo both in terms of the number of exhibitors and in the first day crowds is testimony to the expansive nature of narrow web printing. Among the label press manufacturers there are some packaging narrow webs, such as Soma and the venerable KBA.
No wonder the organisers are promoting Labelexpo as “the labels and packaging show.”