Kolding, Denmark - TRESU Group, the global provider of flexographic technology to the packaging, label and commercial print markets, has established a new division, DigitalSolutions, specialising in coating systems for the digital folding carton printing market. 

The new division is focused on developing and producing the TRESU iCoat and TRESU Pinta, flexo coating system for integration into digital printing lines for sheet-fed folding cartons.  TRESU iCoat, capable of immediate coating after the printing stage and designed to integrate seamlessly alongside leading digital printing presses, provides a lean, single-pass converting solution, bringing with it a host of efficiencies in logistics, material waste, setup time and manpower.

Working at up to 5000 sheets / hour between 180 and 500gsm, the coater includes a flexo unit capable of applying spot and flood varnishes. It also features corona treatment, quick-change sleeve technology and the ability to switch from UV to aqueous varnish within a few minutes. TRESU iCoat offers a simpler alternative to an offline workflow that requires stand-alone coating equipment.  Market sectors targeted by TRESU Digital Solutions include cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, retail promotional packaging and foods.

To spearhead development of the market, TRESU has appointed Christian Matzen as Vice President of the DigitalSolutions division.  Christian has 12 years’ senior managerial experience in the packaging and engineering sectors, having held positions with shrink-wrap film and machine maker Lachemeier, palletising systems supplier Beumer Group and marine engines builder Bukh.

Christian Matzen comments: “In a matter of months, the team responsible for building the iCoat has grown from four people to 43. We are now building at a rate of one per week, but the surge in demand is not so surprising. There is a great demand generally for digital solutions, because it enables the flexibility of short runs, greater packaging variations, serial numbering and interactive packaging, and considerable cost efficiencies too. TRESU iCoat‘s unique ability to integrate with the digital process brings those possibilities to sheet-fed folding carton converting for the first time – while offering the same the outstanding quality delivered by conventional process.”

The division’s new dedicated Demo Centre comprises a live iCoat system featuring double-sided coating. The centre enables converters and brand-owners to speed up product development by testing substrates and coating media. TRESU is also using the Centre to drive innovation of a new proprietary varnish range, optimised for the coater, and to provide dedicated training facilities.

In 2014, iCoat has been received with great enthusiasm, with several installations in Europe and North America. TRESU has developed variations of the coater to optimise integration with sheet-fed presses manufactured by HP, and other players in the market. 

Christian adds: “With our dedicated production and testing facilities, TRESU DigitalSolutions is working to enable packaging printers to exploit the flexibility and growth potential of integrated digital folding carton workflows and compete in numerous high-end markets.”