Mortsel, Belgium -- Agfa Graphics announced today a partnership with Edale Ltd to distribute the :Dotrix single pass digital inkjet press. This enables both companies to focus on the specific needs of mutual customers for digital printing solutions in the flexographic market.

Agfa Graphics and Edale Ltd have been working together to build both the :Dotrix Modular and the :Dotrix Transcolor. Edale's expertise in narrow web flexo presses brings the industrial base with proven media transport to the digital press. Agfa Dotrix have integrated the single-pass inkjet color engine (SPICE) into the Edale base unit. The SPICE contains the four inkjet head arrays to print CMYK in one pass with a maximum printing width of 63cm. Thus the :Dotrix suits both narrow and medium web printing applications.

“The Edale industrial base brings proven printing flexo press technology into the digital press room,” said Jan Soenen, Business Line Manager for the :Dotrix products at Agfa Graphics. “The reliable web transport in combination with the UV curable inkjet technology offer a unique press that prints on the widest range of substrates from heavy 450gsm paper to the ultra thin 25µ plastic material. Being digital, however, it is far more flexible and versatile than a traditional press.”

Edale and Agfa Graphics plan to share the show floor at LabelExpo later this year. Like any Edale press, the :Dotrix can be configured to also include inline coating flexo stations or post press finishing.

“The strategic decision to build digital technology on an industrial base is the best guarantee for a well balanced investment for our customers, “ said James Boughton, Managing Director of Edale Ltd. “Many of our customers are looking to add digital solutions to their traditional business. We are extremely happy we will now offer this solution to our own customer base.”

The Dotrix comes as a single side solution (:Dotrix Modular) or as a 2 sided solution (:Dotrix Transcolor ) and uses the Agfa Graphics UV curable inks.