Swavesey, Cambridgeshire, UK – Industrial Inkjet Limited (IIJ) is showcasing its ground-breaking technology for food and pharmaceutical packaging manufacturers visiting two shows in Chicago, Illinois. It will be on Booth W-571 in Pharma Expo, which is co-located with Pack Expo, from 6-9 November, 2016.  

IIJ, the fast expanding company that manufactures bespoke digital print engines based on Konica Minolta inkjet print heads, is inviting showgoers to visit its stand where experts will be on hand to discuss how its technology can help customers address their challenging pharmaceutical and food packaging applications.    

Based on its MonoPrint XPi system – a superfast variable data print module – the turnkey solution is capable of printing high quality variable data output using low migration inks at speeds of up to 300 metres per minute – far in excess of what alternative systems can currently achieve. 

IIJ has worked with expert partners in the development of this system, including UV curing, ink technology and camera specialists. The inkjet print heads are Konica Minolta KM1024i heads. Working together, they have already carried out the first installation of this technology in Asia in September 2016. The inkjet print module has been installed in-line with this customer’s offset presses.

Examples from other ink, security, white, varnish and cold foil solutions will also be available for viewing at the US show.

Laura Kitzmann, IIJ’s Business Development Manager in America, said: “Please stop by and visit or contact me at [email protected] for an appointment. Our technology provides the ability to do late stage customisation, inline and at high production speeds. We’re looking forward to explaining this exciting development to visitors to Pack Expo and PharmaExpo and we expect there will be a great reaction from the marketplace.”

In addition to the superfast speeds that have been achieved, IIJ’s Drop on Demand UV piezo inkjet delivers a real quality boost compared to the continuous inkjet technologies that have been used for most of the variable data that has been added to packaging so far. The quality of print is such that the variable elements look as if they were printed as part of the overall print run. IIJ’s system is also smaller and more affordable than other Drop on Demand inkjet systems.

Paddy O’Hara, IIJ’s Director of Technology, who will also be on hand throughout the show, said: “As a company we have the flexibility to tailor the technology to each customer and each print line. Partly that is because the Konica Minolta heads are very fast and accurate, but also it’s because we are a focused company that can innovate and move quickly.”