Xeikon, an innovator in digital color printing technology,
is pleased to announce the first installation of its breakthrough Xeikon
Cheetah digital label press, just months after the dedicated label printing
solution was announced. UK-based Mercian Labels is the world’s first pilot site
of the Xeikon Cheetah and has chosen this innovative, high-speed press to help
it continue its double-digit growth path. Xeikon Cheetah, the most productive
five-color digital label press in its class, will be installed early February
at Mercian Labels’ new factory in Staffordshire, and run alongside their
existing Xeikon 3000 Series digital press; as well as hotfoiling, flexo and
inkjet technologies for an exceptionally robust label manufacturing platform.
Dr. Adrian Steele, Managing Director of Mercian Labels,
comments: “We have chosen to adopt the latest generation of Xeikon digital
label printing technology on the back of above-average growth in the digital
part of our business, where we have run out of production capacity. Adding the
Xeikon Cheetah will better position us for expected growth and we are confident
the capacity to be quickly filled.”
Prior to the investment, Mercian Labels thoroughly evaluated
other potential options available on the market. “We looked at competitive
technologies from liquid toner to UV inkjet as well as the latest offers from
Xeikon dry toner,” says Steele. “Every investment has to have a ROI. We like to
sweat our assets, regardless of whether they are software or hardware. We are
in the business of making money – not just labels. Everything has to earn its
keep, and we are convinced that the Xeikon Cheetah will definitely do just
that.”
Time and cost
measurements
“The advantages of the new press will be measurable in terms
of speed and reduced running costs,” continues Steele. “As a result, we expect
to take more market share from what is traditionally flexo territory as digital
becomes more competitive on longer runs. What is compelling is that it will
open up a larger share of the market for us. We will look closely at how
digital can grasp even more jobs that used to be printed in flexo, thanks to
the faster running speed and lower consumables cost. With increased capacity,
the cost point also goes down. And with a genuinely different cost base to our
competitors, we can improve competitiveness.”
Mercian Labels is proud of its independence when it comes to
software and the benchmark the company has set in the UK for three-day lead
times. “Our mantra is speed and service,” says Steele. “This means we must be
very informed about and accurate with our pricing, so we can offer the benefits
of the best of both digital and UV flexo technologies to our customers. As a
full service label printer we see both areas growing at a similar pace for
different reasons; thus our strategy is to offer the best technology for every
specific demand. Customers increasingly want to deal with one supplier for
their custom packaging requirements, and not be forced to use multiple
suppliers who only serve a narrow profile of work because they refuse to adopt
the best of both digital and analogue worlds, and in different product areas
such as cartons as well as labels. That is why we have already taken a small
but significant step into digitally printed cartons, adding to our label
business. This move has really connected with our customer base.”
Confidence drives
early adoption
Also important to the investment was the strong relationship
Mercian Labels has with Xeikon: "This is not the first time we have
entered into an R&D agreement to be an early adopter,” Steele explains.
“Our long-standing and successful relationship with Xeikon is key to us as a
user. We understand the technology and strategy, and how it will benefit us in
the future. We wouldn’t have embarked on being the first global Xeikon Cheetah
user unless I had a high degree of confidence in the platform and the
relationship to get any issues sorted out quickly. You have to have faith and
confidence in the strategy of the company. We think we will get to full
production capacity very early based on customer demand, our talented staff and
our very productive relationship with the digital printing experts at Xeikon.”
Supporting future
growth
The investment fully supports Mercian Labels’ expansion
following growing demand for its digital and security labelling products.
Previously based in a 6.000sq ft. site in Cannock, the company’s new 24.000sq
ft. factory in Staffordshire represents a significant increase in capacity. Now
spread over two sites, with 50 staff and 31.000sq ft. of label and carton
manufacturing capacity, the £3.4m turnover firm has a customer base of
approximately 9.000 and is acquiring around 40 new customers a month. “We have experienced
seven consecutive years of double-digit growth and see our future growth coming
from various combinations of product innovation, market share and acquisitions.
We formally completed our merger of AC Labels in Derby into the core Mercian
Labels business at the end of last year and remain acquisitive,” states Steele.
“The Xeikon Cheetah will solve a number of headaches for us and it can count on
a very warm welcome to the Mercian family by both our production and sales
teams.”
Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s Director Segment Marketing Labels
& Packaging, concludes: “The Xeikon Cheetah represents the most important
advancement in the digital label market in 15 years, and we are delighted that
innovative operations like Mercian Labels are adopting its cutting-edge
technology. Its unrivalled speed can deliver a previously unattainable mix of
speed, quality and efficiency that will enable our customers to stand out from
their competition.”
To showcase the new Xeikon Cheetah, Mercian Labels and
Xeikon will be holding an exclusive preview event at the Mercian Labels
premises in Burntwood, Staffordshire. This two-day event will take place in the
afternoon of February 24th, one day before the Packaging Innovation show at
Birmingham NEC; and in the afternoon of February 25th, the first day of the
Easyfairs show.
Mercian Labels is an award winning manufacturer of custom
printed self-adhesive labels, cartons and security seals. Originally started in
1969 from a small shop in Penkridge, Staffordshire, England, the business, now
in its 46th year, has grown organically and by acquisition to become a brand
and market leader in its niche markets. It operates from two manufacturing
sites in the UK with 50 employees and benefits from over 9.000 business customers,
exporting to over 20 countries across 6 continents. Its technical specialties
are in digital label & carton printing and high volume variable data &
barcode labels.
