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Delga fills gap with step into labels printing

Date: Tue 19th May 2020

Delga Press prints commercial work; it prints packaging and now it is printing labels thanks to investment in an HP Indigo web press.

The Meliora Group is launching Delga Labels, its first diversification into label printing, based around investment in an HP Indigo 6900 label press.

This is the sixth Indigo in the group and, says managing director Ian Conetta, makes the Kent printer the only UK company with Indigos in three different business areas: entertainment packaging, commercial print and now labels.

The new press is installed in the Rochester plant hooked up to a Series 2 Digicon and SR3300 rewind unit, all supplied by AB Graphics. This gives the business the capacity to print for existing, as well as new, clients. “The group has had a need for label manufacturing for some time,” says Conetta.

“We explored the route of acquisition for 18 months but didn’t find the right deal. There was a business case to set up our own label division just to bring external work in house, but with such a significant press we will be looking to grow new revenue streams.”

The company has recruited an operations manager and quality manager, both with experience in labels. The company has also recruited a business manager who, says Conetta, will focus on developing demand for labels. “An operator from our Indigo 12000HD has retrained on the 6900 and finishing staff have received training on the ABG machines,” he adds.

It has made the diversification into foil fed label printing relatively straightforward. “It was clear needed expertise, and bringing in an operations manager with substantial knowledge in this field has meant the transition has been relatively easy,” Conetta explains.

The relationship with HP made the choice of production platform relatively straightforward. The Digicon enables the company to laminate, die cut, spot and flood varnish, apply cold foil and print with two flexo units and strip out before slitting and rewinding. At the front end, the label printing will be driven through the existing Fuji XMF workflow into the Indigo’s DFE.

Meliora Group comprises Delga Press in Rochester which is the country’s largest manufacturer of entertainment packaging, for luxury goods and vaping products, CSP which counts NHS Trusts among its customers and commercial print through Scarbutts and T&T Litho, its most recent acquisition. Delga Labels will meet a need for labels from across these operations where the company has previously bought in labels as needed.

Says Conetta: “Delga Labels will offer new and existing customers the ability to be creative with their label manufacturing, utilising our personalisation and variable data capabilities, whilst also remaining proactive, responsive and flexible to their needs. This is a very exciting addition to the Meliora Group."

You can find the full article on the Print Business website, at https://printbusiness.co.uk/news/Delga-fills-gap-with-step-into-labels-printing/124422

Print Business Article May 2020


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