Me & My... Xeikon 3030

David Webster, managing director of Label Makers, tells Julie Yau why he wants the new addition to his company to remain his best-kept secret

Describe your business
We’re a self-adhesive label manufacturer. We print with a variety of methods such as litho, flexo, screen, hot and cold foiling and now digital.

Why did you choose this particular model?
I investigated digital inkjet and the HP systems and I felt that the Xeikon fitted us best because of its new QA-I toner, which produces a very good white on clear plastic.

Why did you purchase the machine?
Xeikon just produces the reel-to-reel unit, so you need to add all the embellishments to make it a self-adhesive label production system. So, now we’ve got the largest digital finishing machine in the UK. It allows us to do flatbed, screen, hot and cold foiling and embossing, which are all ideal for high-quality toiletries and drinks labels.

Did you look at any other similar machines?
We looked at machines from EFI and the HP.

What features do you particularly like about the machine?
The new QA-I toner, which was the reason we purchased the Xeikon 3030. It delivers a print quality of 1,200dpi and the high-density white it can put down gives a fantastic result.

Is there anything that you dislike?
I haven’t found anything yet.

Is there anything you wish it had that it doesn’t have?
No. Nothing so far.

How fast is it?
It runs at 9.6m per minute.

How reliable is it?
So far it’s very good. There have been no problems.

Would you say that it has saved you any time or money?
Yes. There have been dramatic savings  on short runs. Running from a litho machine to a digital machine with all the embellishments has probably cut our costs by 25%, which means we are able to be 25% cheaper on those particular products.

Would you say it offers value for money?
Yes, I would.

Did the installation run to plan?
Yes, we were up and running in a week and we have had two weeks training.

How was the pre- and after-sale service?
We found it to be very good, we have no complaints.

Who do you think the machine is right for?
The Xeikon 3030 is meant for high-quality short-run labels, so it’s suited to high-end consumer products, such as wine and whisky.

Based on your experience of using it would you recommend it to somebody else?
Yes I would, but we don’t want everybody to have one because it would be too much competition.

Under what circumstances would you buy another?
I don’t think I need another one for a while because the Digicon converter can keep up with the Xeikon engine, but once we’ve reached capacity, we’ll put another one in.