SMALL PRODUCTION VOLUMES OF LABEL ROLLS

18months after the installation of the Primera CX/FX Digital Combo Label System,
Eta Beta Adv Srl reflects on the machines and its conquest of the growing market called "small quantities of printed label rolls"

Eta Beta Adv Srl (Eta Beta), located in the province of Brescia and founded in 2003 by its current owner and CEO Mr. Fabio Lorini, started as a graphic design studio. Its focus was mainly on supporting printing companies, retailers but also professional end users. Until a couple of years ago, the company had only marginally dealt with color label printing. Then Eta Beta experienced an increasing demand for that by its customers and after studying this industry intensively, Mr. Lorini was convinced that there indeed was a growing market segment, where the demand is still unsatisfied: the market of short runs of full-colour label rolls. In order to meet the demands Mr. Lorini decides in 2011 to invest in a digital system that can produce small quantities of color labels on rolls. Following a thorough market analysis he identified Primera's CX-FX1200e Combo Label System as the perfect solution. In July 2011, both the four-color digital laser printer CX1200e and the FX1200e Digital Finishing System (offering all finishing steps in one machine including cutting, laminating, slitting, waste removal and rewinding) were installed at the headquarters of Eta Beta.

Now a couple of months later the director said during our interview: "I chose to purchase the complete Primera system even before I was certain to get customer orders for the machine, because I was convinced of its potential. In fact, in a very short time this system has allowed us to enter into a new market with only minor competition and we are now able to provide a full service from design to printing labels."

When asking him why he chose the CX-FX1200e system, Mr. Lorini answered: "The choice fell on Primera rather than on the competition for the completeness of the offered solution. To my knowledge It's still the only system available on the market, that offers an integrated workflow for digital printing and die cutting by using a single software, is easy to use and saves a lot of time." The CX1200e printer is the only one that allows you to print on rolls in high resolution, up to 4800 dpi to be precise. With the FX1200e Digital Finisher you can create labels in any shape and size without the cost of mechanical dies or plates. By eliminating die costs and waiting time for new punches a high value is added, which is impossible to achieve when using traditional print technologies.

Eta Beta purchased the full system from Primetec Srl, Primera's authorized distributor in Italy. Primetec not only installed the CX1200e Color Label Printer and FX1200e Digital Finisher but also trained the staff and ensures now technical support for both hardware and software.

During the 18 months after installation customers that turned to Eta Beta for their printing service of short label runs are manufacturers of chemicals, cosmetics, food and many others. All for different applications such as prototypes; new product launches; customized, private labels; labels in foreign languages for export products; etc. Among the many different labels Eta Beta produced since then, the die-cutting of star-shaped irregular labels for exhibitors (see photo on the left-hand side) is an especially remembered example of how digital die-cutting allows to create any label shape in small quantities with zero costs for extra dies.

In the light of the experience gained with the Primera CX-FX1200e system in the course of the past year and a half we asked for a general opinion from Mr. Lorini: "The cost/performance ratio is exceptional, because you get a complete and reliable solution with an excellent print quality, though the cutting speed is a bit slower than the printing speed." And his cheerfully response to whether he would recommend buying the CX-FX1200e to other companies was: "No, otherwise I will create my own competition!" Obviously then he confirms he would recommend the system, arguing that the demand for short to medium runs of color labels on rolls continues to grow thanks to a number of reasons. And It's still a market niche with little competition where there is enough room for companies that want to innovate and grow.