The kit was installed at the family-run company’s Dudley, West Midlands premises earlier this month, joining a Proflex and two Reflexes, also from Focus.
It represents The Label Centre’s biggest investment to date. The company carried out extensive research into the options for expanding its digital printing capabilities, before choosing the D-Flex.
The D-Flex combines inkjet technology and a flexo print station to allow labels to be printed, coated, and converted inline efficiently, with production speeds of up to 50m/min. It is particularly suitable for small volume orders and variable data and images, according to the manufacturer.
The Label Centre opted for a 250mm-width, with inkjet white as well as CMYK. Like Focus’s press itself, the digital inkjet system is British-manufactured, produced by Cambridge-based Industrial Inkjet.
Managing director of The Label Centre, Derry Bryan, said: “This investment opens up a wide range of opportunities for us.
“It became clear the market was changing. Not only were runs getting shorter, we were being asked to produce more complex artwork. There is a base of work we can migrate over from not only our flexo press but also the wide-format. The majority of the jobs, however, will be new work.”
The Label Centre, which is known for its short-run work in the industrial labels industry, was established in 1999.
