Mex, Switzerland—Ingogroup SA has managed to increase efficiencies and improve the environmental footprint of their flexible packaging production with a BOBST MASTER M6 inline flexo press, equipped with UV LED curing.

The Spanish company Ingogroup, located in Girona, has established itself as a leader in its field, recognized for its commitment to productivity and environmental sustainability, setting new benchmarks that have drawn recognition and respect across the industry. Starting out as a label printer in 2007, the company diversified into short and medium-run flexible packaging 12 years later when it launched the innovative ‘Ingoflex’ solution. The installation of a BOBST MASTER M6 with UV LED lamps and a solventless laminator from Comexi supported the company to introduce a high-quality offering for its food packaging customers, which is flexible, cost-effective, fast, and crucially, comes with a higher degree of sustainability.

“We became aware that our brand owner customers were increasingly looking for sustainable alternatives in flexible packaging to improve their environmental credentials for consumers,” said Iñigo Pons, CEO and founder of the company. He is known as a trailblazer who believes that technological progress and sustainability can go hand in hand. “As a result, we wanted to offer new solutions with less environmental impact both in the manufacturing process and in the end product. Today, I’m proud to say our determination to deliver the highest sustainability at a lower cost, with products shipped in under 10 days, has been incredibly successful.”

Adopting this strategic approach that combines technological advancements with environmental consciousness, Ingogroup introduced the MASTER M6 with UV LED curing technology from GEW, which allowed the company to become more efficient, as well as contributing to a reduction of its energy consumption by a remarkable 80%. “Choosing UV LED curing underscores our commitment to energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. These lamps not only enhance print quality but also consume significantly less energy compared to traditional UV lamps, and their lifespan is up to 20 times longer,” stated Mr. Pons.

The MASTER M6 can be also configured with BOBST oneECG (Extended Color Gamut) technology and DigiFlexo automation, digitalization features that streamline and optimize production, and in the process, reduce waste to a minimum. BOBST calculates that three 4-color jobs printed in an 8-hour shift with oneECG will double productivity compared to using Spot Color DigiFlexo technology, which generates a significant sustainability impact.

“Our partnership with BOBST has been instrumental in our pursuit of a brighter, more sustainable future. By embracing innovative technologies, and incorporating energy-efficient solutions like UV LED lamps, we have not only increased our productivity but have also taken substantial steps towards minimizing our environmental footprint,” concluded Mr. Pons.

The MASTER M6 equipped with UV LED curing and oneECG technology was a key focus on BOBST’s stand at Labelexpo Europe 2023. The press could be seen running live jobs with UV LED SolarWave™ flexo inks from Sun Chemical, which have been developed to provide environmental improvements within industrial processes. It also demonstrated job changes on the fly, taking less than one minute, with only a few meters of waste.