Revenues show strong growth, especially in the US, as more customers put increasingly more work on Xeikon presses

Eede, the Netherlands, – Xeikon International BV tripled its net profit from Euro 1.7 million (~USD 2.4 million) in the first half of 2010 to Euro 5.9 million (~USD 8.2 million) during the same period in 2011. The groups operational cash flow (EBITDA) rose 16%, from Euro 12.2 million (~USD 17 million) in the first half of 2010 to Euro 14.2 million (~USD 19.9 million) during the same period in 2011. These strong results can be mainly attributed to the revenue growth of Xeikon digital printing product line, especially in the USA.

Xeikon's success reflects its customers' success!

Wim Maes, CEO of Xeikon International BV, said, "Our success depends on the success of our customers. We follow the mantra of customer intimacy and are committed to understanding our customers' requirements and delivering solutions that meet or exceed those requirements. This impressive growth in our revenues simply means that more customers are printing more labels and document/commercial applications on our technology, thereby leveraging the higher productivity, image quality, flexibility and sustainability of our presses."

Another reason for this success is Xeikon's focused approach towards the industrial and document printing markets. The company has dedicated its product portfolio as well as its sales/marketing efforts towards these two markets Xeikon's toner development efforts - focusing on FDA compliancy and light fastness for industrial applications, and higher speed, improved color gamut and deinkability for document printing applications, are a testament to this approach.

Successful customer events

In the US, Xeikon organizes Executive Communication Exchange events, which bring label printers directly into contact with industry experts, opinion leaders and fellow printers in an intimate and casual setting. As a result, label printers can gain information on the latest trends and technologies as well as learn about brand owner requirements. This initiative will be further extended in the US and elsewhere.

In addition, Xeikon has set up Xeikon Cafés at numerous locations in Europe and Turkey for the retail and personal banking sectors. Xeikon Cafés are seminars at which printers and communication specialists working for end-users examine new marketing ideas together. The focus is on new trends in cross-sector product communication, and hence on supporting innovative marketing.

Special focus on industrial printing

Xeikon focuses on the industrial printing market, and more specifically on self-adhesive/pressure-sensitive labels. This is demonstrated by four Xeikon 3000 Series presses, including the Xeikon 3500 flagship press and the specially developed QA-I toner, which is in compliance with the FDA and Isega standards and offers extremely high lightfastness.

Xeikon will demonstrate three different machine configurations at the annual Label Expo show in Brussels at the end of September. In addition to having its own booth (Hall 9, Booth H45), Xeikon will be also present in both the Technology Area and the Package Printing Zone.

Further extension of distribution channels

With new distribution partners in Poland, Columbia, Spain, Brazil and Chile, Xeikon has confirmed its plan of further developing the label market in different continents. All these distribution partners have vast experience in the label and packaging industry of their respective countries.

Generation change in basysPrint product lines for four- and eight-page UV platesetters

In early June, Punch Graphix NV, the parent company of Xeikon, launched the new generation of UV-Setters within its basysPrint computer-to-plate products portfolio - the 450x and 850x - during a launch meeting for its distribution partners worldwide. With unbeatable cost control, quality and sustainability advantages for its printer customers, basysPrint has further strengthened its lead position in the success of conventional printing plate production.

With this new platesetter generation, a series of prepress functions can now be carried out on a single setter type. Under the name 'Cross Applications', basysPrint customers can achieve special print effects such as selective varnish, hotfoil stamping and embossing, as well as plate die-cutting and even screen-printing. This new generation of solutions provides printers with printing plate production that is cost-effective, faster, simpler and environmentally friendly. It also opens up new income sources for work that printers have previously had to outsource, and this in turn ensures them shorter delivery times and greater operational autonomy.

Excellent results open new possibilities

According to Wim Maes, "Our strong EBITDA financially strengthens our company for the future. At the same time, it also enable us to further invest in both R&D and customer intimacy, two of our strongest success factors".