Mondi Coatings and Xeikon develop innovative transfer paper solution for patented digital decorating system.A new benchmark for cost-efficient and fast decoration of buckets and containers has been set with the recent development of “Mondi Transferpaper”. Mondi Coatings and Xeikon, a division of Punch Graphix, teamed up to create this new transfer paper solution for Xeikon´s“Digital Decorating System”, providing highest flexibility in terms of production runs and graphic designs when combined with the high-quality Mondi Transferpaper.
“Working together with such a pioneer in digital printing has definitely been a great experience and a very fruitful collaboration“, states Carsten Lange, Managing Director Mondi Release Liner Europe. “Our Mondi Transferpaper ensures that the photorealistic prints by Xeikon digital printing presses are applied fast and in premium quality to the plastic container”, he continues. “The joint development with experienced engineers from Mondi has lead to a revolutionary new system on the market, which we are very proud of and which fits perfectly to our product strategy”, Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s Business development manager Labels & Packaging, adds.
The highly flexible process for decoration of pails and containers, allowing a broad range of shapes and styles consists of two steps. First, a Xeikon web press prints the exact number of transfers required for the decorating effort. Then the roll with printed Mondi Transferpaper is fed into the Digital Decorating System to apply transfers to pails or containers in a heat transfer process. No additional pre-treatment or glue coating is required and the result is an exceptional high-quality digitally printed image with extremely high durability. “Opacity and image quality are superior to what direct offset printing is capable of producing”, Filip Weymans explains and continues, “if applications require even more durability, an in-line varnishing unit can be incorporated into the transfer machine”.
The new digital printing process using Mondi´s Transferpaper eliminates the need to prepare screens or plates and dramatically reduces machine set-up times. The innovative decorating system makes short runs affordable and offers an alternative to traditional labelling or in-mould labelling. The printed can be produced in large quantities on stock or as fast just-in-time runs, giving the customer utmost flexibility for his production processes.Thanks to the environmentally friendly dry toner electro photography imaging process and the use of transfer papers the system contributes to sustaining the environment.
The digital decorating system was initially designed for decorating buckets and containers but is also aimed to have broader applications within the label industry. The fields of use ranges from containers for paint and varnish, to food or pet food.
