Aspect Labelling adds digital with Afinia investment

Specialist label printer Aspect Labelling has bought an Afinia L801 digital label printer and a DLF-1000 digital label finisher to boost its in-house capabilities.

The two devices, which were purchased from Cheshire-based agent Magnum Materials for a total cost of around £30,000, were installed at High Wycombe-based Aspect’s 325sqm premises.

The L801, which is powered by Memjet technology, prints full-colour output at 18.3m/min and with a 1,600 dpi resolution. The industrial web-fed inkjet device is suitable for short to mid-length run inventory and product identification applications.

Aspect Labelling director John Fisher said: “We haven’t had anything digital previously so it’s a new technology for us; we work primarily in hot foil and flexo.

“We’re a bit limited on the flexo with short runs and full colour so digital is something that we’re hoping will grow over the next 12 months or so.

“We’ve done quite a few jobs on it already and we’ve had enquiries for stuff that we wouldn’t normally do or would have farmed out before. We’re now bringing in-house work that we’d have subbed out previously so it’s making us a bit busier.”

The business researched the market for around 12 months before coming to its decision. It also looked at alternatives from manufacturers including Primera before deciding that the Afinia kit was, including the DLF-1000 digital label finisher, best suited to its requirements.

“We needed a cutter to be able to cope with small quantities of labels of any shape, extremely accurately and cost effectively. We have found the inline over-laminating feature a great addition, allowing the production of extremely durable labels in full colour,” said Fisher.

Aspect Labelling, which installed the new kit in April, also operates Focus flexo printing machinery and Newfoil hot foil devices.

Joint directors and owners Fisher and Mark Jenner established the business in 1999. The firm, which has six staff, produces a wide variety of different types of labels for customers in industries including chemicals, electronics, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.