Goss International will open a specialized facility in January of 2014 for demonstration of its Sunday Vpak web offset presses, as well as a wide range of print, technology and consumables testing. The new Packaging Technology Center at the company’s headquarters in Durham, New Hampshire (USA) will also serve as a catalyst for programs bringing packaging producers, brand owners and suppliers together to discuss market requirements and new production concepts.

The 650-square-meter (7,000-square-foot) Packaging Center will be equipped initially with a versatile Goss Sunday Vpak 500 press system configured for printing on film and paper substrates.

“The Sunday Vpak platform can provide higher quality, lower costs and faster turn-around times for packaging printing,” Rick Nichols president and CEO of Goss International says.  “Our investment in the equipment and the resources to staff this Center demonstrates our commitment to the packaging sector and our confidence in the advantages that web offset can deliver over traditional gravure and flexographic systems.”

The Sunday Vpak 500 press system at the Goss Packaging Technology Center will feature seven web offset printing units with a web width of 850 mm (33.5 inches) and a repeat range of 406 – 812 mm (16 – 32 inches). The system will be equipped with a flexo unit and UV and EB curing capabilities and will accommodate film substrates from 9 to 75 microns thick and paper products as heavy as 100 gsm.

“With the first Sunday Vpak system now producing excellent results and another confidential project underway, we look forward to expanding our ability to demonstrate this new-generation web offset option to packaging producers throughout the world through customized print tests,” explains Peter Walczak, director of product management for Goss packaging presses.

Walczak says Goss will host seminars and programs at the Packaging Technology Center that will allow packaging producers, brand owners and suppliers worldwide to jointly explore emerging demands in the market and share new ideas for addressing them. “This will also be an industry resource where suppliers can test inks, chemicals and auxiliary technologies for web offset production in a neutral, controlled environment,” he adds.

Partners supplying equipment and consumables to support the new Packaging Technology Center and its first Sunday Vpak press include ESI, Flint, Martin Automatic, Nela, Prime UV, QuadTech, Technotrans and Vataphone. Additional suppliers will be confirmed prior to the opening of the Center.

Goss Sunday Vpak 500 and Vpak 3000 web offset press models for folding carton, flexible packaging, pre-print and label applications are available in web widths from 520 mm to 1905 mm (20.5 to 75 inches) and print at speeds of up to 457 meters (1,500) feet per minute. Key features include quick-change sleeve adapter technology for efficient, cost-effective size changes, and advanced offset inking, tension and control systems.

For information about demonstrations and testing at the new Goss Packaging Technology Center, please contact Peter Walczak ([email protected]) in the Americas and Asia or David Muncaster ([email protected]) in Europe.