Stora Enso and Xerox jointly introduced at Interpack 2008 a pioneering solution for digital printing and die cutting of packages. The Stora Enso Gallop production line works inline and on demand, shortening lead times, enabling quick changeovers and providing the possibility to print individual, variable data on each package cost-effectively.
The Stora Enso Gallop integrated solution, powered by the Xerox iGen3® Digital Production Press, includes inline systems for varnishing, stacking, conveying and die cutting. Pharmaceuticals packaging is one of the areas in which the Stora Enso Gallop production line offers significant benefits, such as on demand production and unique marking of packages, which enables traceability and anti-counterfeiting measures.
The pharmaceutical industry, for example, requires small batch sizes due to specific language requirements in Europe. With Stora Enso Gallop, the production can be planned on demand and packaging materials can be delivered within one to two days instead of one to two weeks. The solution improves supply chain logistics, steering ability and stock turnover. Such a short lead time is a major benefit for pharmaceutical companies, as they want to minimise the time to market for their new products after the drawn-out regulatory approval process.
Unique versatility and variable print
Stora Enso Gallop combines the latest, state-of-the-art technologies of the world’s leading manufacturers. The line consists of a Xerox iGen3 press, an Epic CTi-635 varnishing unit, a new KAMA die cutter with 580 x 400 mm sheet size, and a completely new buffering stacker line that handles the material flow from the varnishing unit to the die cutter.
“The integrated solution offers clear advantages for brand owners and any packaging supplier equipped with this technology. The new die cutter enables the quick changeover required for manufacturing various packages in short runs. The Xerox iGen3 press with the new varnishing unit from Epic is the world’s first integrated solution for digital printing and aqueous coating, which is required for product safety reasons in pharmaceuticals and food packaging. That’s why this is a major breakthrough for digital printing of packages,” says Pekka Tommola, Managing Director of Stora Enso Digital Solutions N.V.
Stora Enso Gallop is jointly marketed by Stora Enso Digital Solutions N.V. and Xerox. The line can be completed with folding, gluing and filling machinery currently available in the market, providing a possibility to have the entire printing and packaging process under one roof.
