With much of its business centred on high-quality display graphics applications, McGowans already has a demand for corrugated display work, and current and potential clients who it believes will also use the company for corrugated packaging as a way to migrate away from litho lamination processes that are not economical for short- to medium-run work.
The Nozomi “takes us to much longer runs and new markets that we cannot reach today with our existing digital printers,” said McGowan.
The 1.8m-wide press can print up to 75 linear metres per minute, producing up to 7,224m2/hr. It can print on materials from 14-point card stock to triple-wall board.
The new EFI Fiery digital front end (DFE) McGowans is installing with the printer will provide a scalable, ultra-high-volume workflow for high-quality, ultra-high-speed inkjet versioned, multi-SKU or personalised production applications. McGowans also uses EFI software to drive its Web-to-print operations.
EFI announced the McGowans Nozomi order at FESPA 2017, where it also debuted an industrial scale textile printer called the EFI Reggiani ReNoir Flexy, showing the new 3.2m-wide EFI Vutek 3r and 5m-wide 5r roll-to-roll LED printers, and introducing the EFI Pro 16h wide-format hybrid LED printer.
Version 5 of EFI’s Midmarket Print Suite – promising efficiencies for display, signage and graphics customers – was also shown.
The Reggiani ReNoir Flexy can handle a variety of fabrics - from knitted to woven as well as low- and high-stretchable and stretchable materials - using new ‘Dynaplast’ technology. The 1.8m-wide printer is available with eight printheads and has a production speed of more than 400m2/hr, with a resolution of up to 2,400 dpi.
The Fiery driven EFI Pro 16h roll/flatbed LED printer includes white ink, and is said to faster speeds than other EFI entry-level hybrid production platforms, with some print modes offering up to a 30% higher throughput.
The EFI Vutek 3r uses UltraDrop Technology 7-picolitre printheads and can run at up to 345m2/hr. The bigger EFI Vutek 5r - the first of which is going to Beflex in Hungary - has throughput speeds up to 455m2/hr. Options include an inline finishing system - x-cutting, slitting and collecting - and additional white and light colours.
The latest version of Midmarket Print Suite includes improvements such as a Superwide Format component database for easier estimating, planning and management in dedicated signage and graphics production printing environments, as well as a new workbench tool and deeper integration with imposition and fulfillment components.
Miss any of the action from FESPA 2017? Catch up here with full show coverage.
