Goss presents case for web packaging

Goss International will exhibit at Labelexpo Europe for the first time this month, showcasing its Sunday Vpak web offset press range for label, flexible packaging and folding carton applications.

Goss says the Vpak range will address market demands for shorter runs, high print quality, shorter lead times and lower costs. The two models – the Vpak 3000 and Vpak 500 – together offer six standard web-widths from 521mm to 1,905mm. Matt Sharkady, general manager for Goss Australia, who spoke at last year’s Swug New Zealand conference, says both Vpak models will be available in Australia and New Zealand. He says, “I think in Australia the applications are going to be printing things like beer cartons, on board, and in packaging, applications like the shrink wrap labels you get on soft drink bottles, and chip bags.”

The company, intent on raising the profile of web offset printing for a wider variety of applications, cites web offset’s ability to print the same quality as sheet fed, often at higher output speeds, on less costly substrates and to finish in-line. It claims a reduction for work in progress and cutting lead-times. David Muncaster, director of business development for packaging at Goss, claims web offset has an edge as only a small percentage of run lengths suit digital printing. He says, “Consumer markets are looking for ever-more variety from brands they know and trust, so the requirement to cost-effectively produce more packaging variations in smaller quantities is a trend that will continue to build. The rise of SKUs is one of the key drivers behind the growth of web offset in packaging today.”

The Vpak presses can print unsupported films as fine as nine microns in thickness, making them suitable for printing wraparound and in-mould labels, shrink sleeves and pouches. Sharkady (pictured above) says, “We have one machine up and running in Europe, and a second one has actually been sold in America, so it’s starting to ramp up in sales. They’re large, highly productive machines – there’s speeds on the order of 8, 10, 12 metres per second web speeds. We’ve taken some of our existing technology, the Sunday gapless technology, and we’ve applied that to the packaging industry, which is something new for that industry.”

 

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