11.10.14
John Penhallow, L&NW's European correspondent, and author of the Narrow Web Europe column, recently caught up with Gallus CEO Klaus Bachstein as well as Stefan Heiniger, COO of Gallus' Label Division. The conversation took place in St. Gallen, Switzerland, the press manufacturer's headquarters, following the launch of the new digital inkjet press, the Gallus DCS 340, at "Gallus Innovation Days." Here's what they had to say:
L&NW: One of your major competitors recently went on record as saying “With the advancements in the flexo process…digital printing has even less of an argument." What makes Gallus disagree with this?
Klaus Bachstein: Gallus aims to be a full range provider for our customers, i.e. offering all relevant printing and processing methods. That means in addition to working on further optimization of conventional print technologies and conventional label presses, we offer now an effective response to shorter run lengths. We believe that digital inkjet technology has now reached a high quality level, and that the heads that Heidelberg is making using Fujifilm technology are the very best.
L&NW: Heidelberg, which now owns 100% of Gallus, seems to me to have had several “false starts” in continuous digital printing. What makes you think that you have now got a winner?
KB: The Gallus DCS 340 offers an inline solution with diecutting and finishing using all the expertise Gallus has built up over the years. The press demonstrated this week can provide seven-color printing at 1200 x 1200 native dpi and at a speed of 50 m/minute – and we’re confident we will get even higher speeds with the same print quality before the launch next year.
L&NW: Why have you opted for conventional diecutting when many competitors are offering laser?
Stefan Heiniger: Laser diecutting has the advantage of zero downtime when there is a job change, but there is more to go wrong with laser technology, and you can’t use it on all substrates. Using a conventional diecutting unit also means our customers will be able to use existing dies – a significant cost-saving factor. The whole production process of the Gallus DCS 340, including prepress and finishing, is designed to maximize what we call “job change efficiency."
L&NW: Your prototype digital press uses UV curing. Are you also looking at LED curing as an alternative?
SH: This option is already possible on our Gallus ECS machines. However I think more work needs to be done on the inks before LED can really challenge conventional UV.
L&NW: Recently, your competitor Mark Andy used Labelexpo Americas to launch a hybrid inkjet/flexo press that seems, superficially at least, to be similar in concept to the Gallus DCS 340. Gallus and Heidelberg were not present at the show. Can you comment on this?
KB: I am not going to denigrate any competitors’ presses, but we believe we have the best technology and the best product. The market will decide to what extent we are right. As to Labelexpo Americas, we decided to concentrate our effort and our budget on these “Gallus Innovation Days 2014” here at our Swiss headquarters – and we have had over 700 professional visitors, including some from across the Atlantic!
L&NW: Where does North America figure in your priorities?
SH: It’s a very important market for Gallus, where we do around 20% of our business. Our US sales and support office was set up back in 1981. As concerns the Gallus DCS 340 we will be introducing it to North American converters very soon. You should note that we are determined not to sell this new press until it has been thoroughly beta-tested. That’s why it won’t be made generally available until mid 2015.
L&NW: Just one last question: can you sell a premium-priced machine like this one in a crowded world market?
KB: The short answer is yes. Our customers trust us, and when they want digital label printing they will come to us first. And as part of Heidelberg we have access to all the technical and marketing resources of the printing world’s number one equipment manufacturer. We’re confident.
L&NW: One of your major competitors recently went on record as saying “With the advancements in the flexo process…digital printing has even less of an argument." What makes Gallus disagree with this?
Klaus Bachstein: Gallus aims to be a full range provider for our customers, i.e. offering all relevant printing and processing methods. That means in addition to working on further optimization of conventional print technologies and conventional label presses, we offer now an effective response to shorter run lengths. We believe that digital inkjet technology has now reached a high quality level, and that the heads that Heidelberg is making using Fujifilm technology are the very best.
L&NW: Heidelberg, which now owns 100% of Gallus, seems to me to have had several “false starts” in continuous digital printing. What makes you think that you have now got a winner?
KB: The Gallus DCS 340 offers an inline solution with diecutting and finishing using all the expertise Gallus has built up over the years. The press demonstrated this week can provide seven-color printing at 1200 x 1200 native dpi and at a speed of 50 m/minute – and we’re confident we will get even higher speeds with the same print quality before the launch next year.
L&NW: Why have you opted for conventional diecutting when many competitors are offering laser?
Stefan Heiniger: Laser diecutting has the advantage of zero downtime when there is a job change, but there is more to go wrong with laser technology, and you can’t use it on all substrates. Using a conventional diecutting unit also means our customers will be able to use existing dies – a significant cost-saving factor. The whole production process of the Gallus DCS 340, including prepress and finishing, is designed to maximize what we call “job change efficiency."
L&NW: Your prototype digital press uses UV curing. Are you also looking at LED curing as an alternative?
SH: This option is already possible on our Gallus ECS machines. However I think more work needs to be done on the inks before LED can really challenge conventional UV.
L&NW: Recently, your competitor Mark Andy used Labelexpo Americas to launch a hybrid inkjet/flexo press that seems, superficially at least, to be similar in concept to the Gallus DCS 340. Gallus and Heidelberg were not present at the show. Can you comment on this?
KB: I am not going to denigrate any competitors’ presses, but we believe we have the best technology and the best product. The market will decide to what extent we are right. As to Labelexpo Americas, we decided to concentrate our effort and our budget on these “Gallus Innovation Days 2014” here at our Swiss headquarters – and we have had over 700 professional visitors, including some from across the Atlantic!
L&NW: Where does North America figure in your priorities?
SH: It’s a very important market for Gallus, where we do around 20% of our business. Our US sales and support office was set up back in 1981. As concerns the Gallus DCS 340 we will be introducing it to North American converters very soon. You should note that we are determined not to sell this new press until it has been thoroughly beta-tested. That’s why it won’t be made generally available until mid 2015.
L&NW: Just one last question: can you sell a premium-priced machine like this one in a crowded world market?
KB: The short answer is yes. Our customers trust us, and when they want digital label printing they will come to us first. And as part of Heidelberg we have access to all the technical and marketing resources of the printing world’s number one equipment manufacturer. We’re confident.