Anjou Etiquettes has chosen the Xeikon CX3, the
five-colour digital label press with the highest speed in its class, to better
position itself in the market for very high quality short label printing runs
and cost-efficient production of multiple label versions.
Because the Xeikon CX3 is designed to efficiently
produce short runs with tight delivery times while meeting complex design and
layout demands, it perfectly complements the existing printing equipment at
Anjou Etiquettes, including offset and letterpress presses. “By having an
alternative to offset and letterpress, we will be able to respond quickly and
at very competitive prices to requests for short label printing runs and
multiple versions. These are key markets which we were no longer servicing due
to constraints in our production platform, and now they will be important
elements of our offering,” explains Maurice Darré, Chairman of Anjou
Etiquettes.
Since it was founded in 1978, Anjou Etiquettes has
built up unique expertise in the label manufacturing supply chain; from graphic
design to printing, and from processing to logistics. The company produces
labels on rolls, sheets or non-stick labels for a wide variety of industries,
ranging from agribusiness to phytosanitary, cosmetics, wine, and more. The
vertical integration of all production functions allows it to control
production quality and timelines at every stage of the process.
When the business decided to invest in digital
printing, its primary concern was print quality. “We asked four suppliers to
print out some files we provided so we could compare their print quality. The
Xeikon CX3 digital label press performed best, as its printing registration is
unequalled. It was also the best choice from a financial perspective,” Darré
says.
Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, the
reputation of Anjou Etiquettes largely rests on its ability to manufacture high
quality labels for the wine industry. The Xeikon CX3 dry toner technology is
ideally suited for meeting the demands of customers who use structured paper
labels printed with hot- or cold-stamped gold foil and raised text.
Since adding digital printing to its
Montreuil-Bellay site, Anjou Etiquettes has cut its production times
significantly. “For us, customer satisfaction is of primary importance; and
that means ensuring fast response times. Our customers constantly tell us how
much they appreciate our capabilities, especially when we manage to carry out
an urgent order within 24 hours.” Darré says. “That’s the kind of service level
our new Xeikon CX3 enables us to provide.”
Against the background of a growing national label
market, which is driven by an increase in the number and types of products
along with more stringent regulatory requirements, Anjou Etiquettes is aiming
to increase its turnover through this investment, in particular by attracting
new customers it was unable to serve before.
“We estimate that digital printing will soon
account for between 15% and 20% of our global business,” Darré concludes. “We
have already received a number of orders for short printing runs in the
cosmetics and confectionery industries. We are now also able to service the
market for unique labels used for traceability and in the fight against
counterfeiting. These capabilities add significantly to our competitive
advantage, and we have our Xeikon CX3 to thank!”
