Fujifilm’s Illumina, an LED-UV retrofit system for
converting any traditional UV or waterbase flexo press to LED-UV curing, allows
for increased productivity and cost savings at Beau Label LLC, a third
generation family-owned New Jersey-based print services provider celebrating
their 51st anniversary in 2018.
Illumina represents the most powerful new or
retrofit LED-UV curing system on the market. The UV energy emitted at
Illumina’s 20% power setting is the same as the 100% power setting of other
LED-UV curing systems. Patented LED technology delivers up to 44% more energy
toward the substrate, resulting in faster curing.
“We recently converted our nine-color conventional
UV, and our eight-color water based ink press (now full LED-UV) to Fujifilm’s
Illumina LED-UV retrofit system. Our install took only about a half day,” said
Vincent ‘VJ’ Melapioni, president, Beau Label. “It was a very pleasant
experience. We were up and running again very quickly.”
“We made the switch primarily due to the cost
savings in electricity,” said Melapioni. “Prior to our conversion, we were
running 110 or 120 amps of 480 volt service to a press to run the UV’s, and
with Illumina, we are now running 10 amps of 480 volt service. That’s a
significant savings.”
The Illumina LED-UV cure is an instant on/off
process, dramatically lowering the energy usage and stress on lamp bulbs
experienced in conventional “always-on” UV mercury lamp curing. LED-UV also
eliminates the costs generated by cooling air blowers, ozone extraction and
heat makeup systems. Illumina employs additional patented and patent-pending
technology to achieve even greater savings, resulting in financial savings per
retrofitted press per year. The patented design produces less heat than
competitive LED technologies and heat-dissipation is also much more effective.
“With our previous system, we had a noise factor
due to the powerful blower extracting the heat, which was also taking out the
(HVAC) heating and air conditioning,” adds Melapioni. “Illumina has made a
better working environment, which our operators appreciate. It’s quieter and
more efficient to keep the temperature stable within our 30,000 square foot
facility.”
Beau Label is also experiencing increased press
speeds with Fujifilm’s Illumina system.
“Since installing the Illumina system we are seeing
increased press running speeds upwards of 15 percent compared to conventional
UV, and I know it’s capable of more,” adds Melapioni.
Beau Label is adapting to new output options since
the Illumina install, catering to clients in the food, beverage, wine and
spirits industry, as well as private label health and beauty segments, pet
supplies, household, industrial and promotional products.
“Illumina will enable us to run shrink films
without chilled drum rollers,” says Melapioni. “We are only a few months in,
and that’s a possibility we are already entertaining.”
Beau Label converted to Fujifilm’s 300 Series inks
when it converted existing UV presses to LED-UV. The more efficient design of
Illumina is optimized with Fujifilm 300 Series flexo inks, and the inks are
uniquely designed to perform equally well under LED-UV or conventional UV-arc
curing.
“Fujifilm manufactures the (300 Series) ink, so in
the unlikely event we have an ink issue, I’m not going to be told ‘it’s the
lamps not the ink,’ and I know Fujifilm stands behind their high quality inks,”
says Melapioni. “With the Illumina system, we’ve had no issues with curing or
adhesion on any substrate, and the ink colors are more vibrant.”
Beau Label opened its doors in 1967, started by
Melapioni’s father, who previously worked for his father’s offset business.
Over the years, Beau Label has grown its business, making investments in
capital, acquisitions, real estate, and people.
“My father and two of his partners started in the
label business many years ago,” says Melapioni. “My father will soon be 78
years old, and he still comes in to work every day. I have a phenomenal team of
over 30 full-time employees, with many of them being long-term, and dedicated
to Beau Label, several with 30-plus years of service,” said Melapioni.
With continuous investment and expansion of his
business, Melapioni looks forward to adding Illumina to his others presses in
the near future. “Beau Label is always looking for more business. If you’re not
growing, you’re shrinking, you’re going backwards,” concludes Melapioni.
