STI Group is upgrading its German display plant in Grebenhain, Hessen, with an Inca Onset X2 from Fujicolor, creating a local competency centre for digital printing. The large format arrival can print up to 900 sqm of corrugated： board per hour. "Speeds like this mean we no longer need to limit this new technology to small batches. It makes digital printing very attractive even for mediumsized production runs," says STI Group Managing Director Aleksandar Stojanovic. "The market served by our customers – manufacturers of branded goods from all over Europe – has changed. Being able to drive sales by rapidly translating new ideas into creative promotional campaigns is critical to their success. While online campaigns can be created and changed up until the last minute, traditionally it has taken several weeks for the POS industry to implement a physical campaign. Until now, that is. Our evolving workflows and highly efficient finishing mean that our latest investment in digital will enable us to give our customers a real competitive advantage."
Representing an investment of over €1 million, the new digital machine will be put into service this month. STI Group Managing Director Michael Apel points out that this is being accompanied by further investment in finishing. "A highperformance gluing machine that can glue individual display components quickly and efficiently was also put into service in our Grebenhain plant at the end of 2015. Both of these investments underscore our aim to be the market leader for displays in Europe", explains Stojanovic. "Customers will not only benefit from the quicker delivery and response times and the flexibility to produce smaller or customised runs that digital printing offers, they will also reap rewards from our increased competitiveness in larger production runs using the latest gluing technology."
This combination is especially appealing for brand manufacturers with international operations, for whom harmonised retail concepts have been implemented on a massive scale over the last few months. "Being able to produce over 10,000 displays, with customized stockholding and artwork, for up to 15 different countries, requires a high level of expertise and investment in equipment. Our company is perfectly positioned to design and produce modular components in large quantities, ready for fast, on-demand customisation using digital print."
STI Group plans to invest around 100 million euros in its facilities by 2020. "This investment will not just be in new machines and technologies, but also in more efficient processes,” adds Mr Apel. “We want to create ‘intelligent’ factories with versatility, resource efficiency and seamless integration of customers and business partners in our value-added processes. This will be critical for driving long-term success."
Source from Brunton Publications