Business News
QuadTech Acquires Print Inspection Technology Innovator Vigitek
Friday 02. May 2008 - Acquisition strengthens print quality solutions to the packaging industry
QuadTech, Inc., announced today that it has purchased Vigitek, a leading designer and manufacturer of 100 percent print inspection technology. The acquisition strengthens print quality solutions for printers and converters in the packaging industry by bringing together QuadTechs advanced register guidance system with Vigiteks state-of-the-art print defect detection technology.
Vigitek will operate as a subsidiary of QuadTech, and will continue to function as its own entity.
“We are excited to combine our companies products and know-how to benefit the packaging industry worldwide,” said Karl Fritchen, President of QuadTech. “Vigitek excels at continuous defect detection across the entire press web. QuadTech excels at register controls. Together, we offer a premier solution for the packaging industry.”
The precision and reliability of QuadTechs and Vigiteks solutions are equally well-suited for the decorative print industry, where precise color and register are essential to maintain pattern, repeat length and color consistency, Mr. Fritchen noted.
“We, too, are excited about the acquisition,” added Martin Cooke, CEO of Vigitek. “As part of QuadTech, we can accelerate the marketing of our print inspection technology in Europe, Asia and the Americas to help printers and converters produce packaging that reflects the quality of their customers brand while minimizing waste and costs.”
Vigitek, based in Limerick, Ireland, pioneered the technology that inspects 100 percent of the web 100 percent of the time. Its systems are fully compatible with all types of printing (i.e., gravure, flexo, web offset, sheetfed, label and corrugated) and in all types of configurations – roll-to-roll, roll-to-sheet and sheet-to-sheet. Features of Vigiteks ground breaking solution include an innovative linescan system that uses high-resolution 3CCD cameras with optical prism and custom-built software that runs extremely complex detection algorithms. Separate processors are dedicated to tasks such as image capture, image analysis and data logging, giving the system robust and reliable computing power.
Vigiteks print inspection systems complement QuadTechs Autotron Packaging 2600 color-to-color registration technology, an industry-leading product with advanced features that provide extraordinary control and quality from first printing to finished product or rewinder. Among its standard capabilities is a sophisticated mark-recognition system that allows printers and converters to use just one set of register marks for bi-directional printing. The technology also works flawlessly with low-contrast marks, and is adaptable to substrates from foil to paper to film. Unique control algorithms automatically adapt the system to changing press conditions, ensuring optimal control at all the critical phases of press operation – including starts and restarts, splices and steady-state running at all speeds.
QuadTech and Vigitek will be exhibiting at drupa 2008, the worlds largest printing equipment tradeshow, held May 29 – June 11 at the Düsseldorf Fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. QuadTech will be exhibiting in Hall 17, Stand B40. Vigitek will be exhibiting in Hall 3, Stand D44.