Brockville, Ontario – Labelexpo Americas was host to a wide range of exciting new products in the printing and packaging industry when it was held September 13-15 in Rosemont, Illinois.  The show proved again it is an opportunity for top industry brands to show off their wares and let the industry know that they’re paying attention to the ever-evolving needs of their clients.

Nothing demonstrated this more than HMJ tech’s all new HMJ-250 Medium Batch Dispenser. Making its debut in the INX International Ink Co. booth, the HMJ-250 proved its worth time and time again with simple, quick and precise dispensing demonstrations. Hugh Chant, HMJ tech’s Director of Sales, was pleased beyond expectations with the show.

“Our speed and precision specifications are impressive on paper, but people seemed really surprised when they actually see the dispenser run for the first time. They were impressed with how fast it can produce a batch of ink.”

Mr. Chant is no stranger to the industry. Having designed multiple generations of automated dispensers over the last two decades, he has a lot to say about the right and wrong way to dispense ink.

“Speed isn’t just about flow rate. It’s about quick transitions, real time control and getting every batch within specification the first time. By taking an all-inclusive approach to our design philosophy, we can get ink to the press quickly and reliably every time. That’s what our clients care about.”

The HMJ-250 has a compact footprint with a stainless steel frame, rugged moving parts and outstanding design features. Expandable to 24 stations, this versatile machine is capable of drawing from any type of source container including pails, drums and totes. It can quickly and accurately dispense into narrow mouth jugs, or pails up to six gallons. As with all of HMJ tech’s automated dispensers, it includes a proprietary automated valve cleaning system that leaves the valves clean and dry after every single dispense.

Mr. Chant has high hopes for the industry as this new generation of machine is being accepted by clients far and wide.

“End users are starting to pay attention to the benefits of the latest generation of equipment. They are seeing measurable improvements in batch quality and productivity. The Labelexpo Americas show was a great opportunity for us to reach a wide range of people who are still struggling with old technology.” 

Chant said part of HMJ tech’s success stems from a focus on comprehensive media management solutions. 

“The dispense head is always the main discussion point but there’s more to it. Our modular media farm has dramatically simplified installations. It’s simple and easy to customize for ink rooms of all shapes and sizes. It can always be modified or expanded to grow with your printing operation.” 

Also on display at the show was HMJ tech’s brand new Shadow Pail Mixer. Chant explained how this all-stainless, drip free machine presents a unique solution to the hazards of spinning shafts and impellers.

“We took this project on to address industrial safety concerns. Open impellers present obvious risks, so we started with the OSHA and CSA guarding codes and we built a better mixer from the ground up. It has a ton of really clever features including offset mixing for better efficiency with lower aeration, and an integrated drip tray in the parked position to keep the mess off the floor. It’s 100% pneumatic and virtually maintenance free, a real showpiece that we are very proud of. “

HMJ tech’s dispensing and mixing machines were the perfect complement to the array of ink products and printing press options being showcased at Labelexpo Americas 2016. Chant summarized this need with a keen focus on the bottom line.

“On-site automated ink batching is an essential part of modern printing. The packaging industry is demanding a wide range of colors and coatings, and ink has a punitive shelf life. That means you need to be able to mix just what you need, right when you need it. Repetitive draw-downs and color corrections hold up the printing operation and that kills productivity and profitability.”