Packaging

Delta adds a fourth press at its Belfast retail packaging plant

Tuesday 29. January 2013 - Delta Packaging will take delivery of a Speedmaster XL 106-6LYYL at the end of this month. This six-colour press with double coating units is the Belfast company’s fourth B1 litho press and an additional, not replacement, line.

“This investment gives us the flexibility to go out and find new business and create more employment,” says Conor Connolly, lithographic print manager.
The press itself has directly created six new jobs with further opportunities arising in other departments, such as the converting side which has added a die-cutter in readiness for the increased print throughput.
All four of the company’s litho presses feature six printing units and double coaters with extended delivery, a flexible configuration which enables the company to use aqueous and/or UV coating, including very high gloss finishes, and to handle low migration inks which require a longer drying time. The company also operates an eight-colour flexo press.
The Speedmasters in place include two CD 102s and an XL 105. All these presses run low alcohol and incorporate the use of low migration inks, an ethical option which is ideal for food packaging which represents 85% of the company’s sales. Delta handles both local and international contracts.
“The Speedmaster XL 105 we installed three years ago has been hugely successful and it’s become the backbone of the company. We expect that and more from the 18,000sph XL 106. We like the build quality and reliability of this press. In my opinion, and based on research, the XL 106 is the best press on the market in terms of living up to its potential in a live production environment.”
The current XL 105 has had an ink pumping system retrofitted and this will be extended to include the XL 106 following the press installation. Sun Chemical supplies the company’s inks and it has upgraded the printing company’s ink kitchen with an additional ink dispensing system and state of the art ink measuring software and database system.
Delta, which already holds ISO 14001 environmental certification, is looking to add the ISO 12647-2 colour accreditation over the next year and in readiness has specified Prinect ImageControl spectral measurement for the new press.
“Image Control will give us a guarantee on quality and consistency of colour. We often handle very long runs, 300,000 plus, and we must provide consistency throughout the production run and from run to run. We handle a lot of repeat work,” says Mr Connolly. “We are caretakers of our customers’ brands.”
The company has also invested in Prinect Pressroom Manager which will be linked into the company’s MIS system providing valuable real time data feedback on job progress, productivity and consumables.
“Some of the global names who place work with Delta expect us to show continued investment in order to produce with total efficiency and effectiveness and many audit us, commonly on a two year cycle. So investment like the XL 106 purchase is very popular with our client base. Our staff, too, are always excited about new equipment and we are looking forward to having the new press up and running,” says Mr Connolly.
Delta Packaging exports to Europe and the Asia Pacific region and has a plant in China and a joint venture operation in India.