Boxmeer, Netherlands - SPGPrints reported tremendous interest in its digital inkjet and laser engraving technologies for textile printing at ITM 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. The company confirmed six machine sales during and just after the show: four of its newly launched JAVELIN® inkjet printers to textile producers in Pakistan and two bestLEN engravers to Turkish customers. Additionally, enquiries were received from a broad base of printers who crowded the SPGPrints stand to watch demonstrations, inspect samples and see the future of textile manufacturing.

JAVELIN sales were confirmed to two Lahore, Pakistan-based manufacturers that are making the next move into digital production in larger volumes. Opera Textile chose the printer as a result of the quality achievable with the JAVELIN’s Archer® print head technology. The JAVELIN complements two existing rotary printing machines at Opera’s Shekhupra Road facility. Additionally, MA Textile Dyeing Printing & Finishing Industries cited the print head technology, together with its warranty, as the reasons for investing in a JAVELIN. The company’s existing printing capability comprises two rotary and one flatbed printers at Shahdara. Following the show, two more JAVELIN deals were concluded in Lahore as well.

The 1.85 metre-wide JAVELIN printer is designed to print one to three million square metres per year on a wide variety of substrates. The JAVELIN printer’s Archer Technology, developed with Fujifilm Dimatix for use with its Samba print heads, makes it possible to reach high print quality and a wide colour gamut. The printer’s 36 print heads jet ink across a 4mm distance and deliver variable drop sizes ranging from 2pl to 10pl, assuring fine line detail, high-quality blotches and geometrics, and resolutions up to 1200 x 1200. The machine is compatible with natural or manmade fabrics, as well as reactive, acid or disperse inks. The longer jetting distance also significantly reduces print head damage, contributing to lower operational costs.

Increased machine output of PIKE and JAVELIN

There was a high level of interest in SPGPrints’ high-productivity single-pass PIKE digital printer, which was launched in 2015. Featuring the same Archer technology and using the same inks as in the JAVELIN, the PIKE offers the same precision and operational simplicity, for the highest volume requirements. With industry-leading speeds of 40m/min, PIKE® is capable of up to 13 million metres’ output per year. Its Archer print bar contains 43 print elements, giving a printing width of 1.85m. Its modular build allows between six and nine colours to be specified. 

In response to market demand, SPGPrints has ramped up production of the PIKE and JAVELIN printers at its Boxmeer (Netherlands) and Kufstein (Austria) manufacturing facilities. Installations are in progress at a number of major textile printers. 

Inks suited for the JAVELIN and PIKE have superior runnability, resulting in longer print head life. As a result, SPGPrints offers the “Archer Print Head Program” that provides a two-and-a-half-year guarantee on print heads with the use of accredited inks. 

Two bestLEN Laser Engraving Systems Confirmed

SPGPrints also sold two bestLEN laser engraving systems, for imaging rotary screens, to Turkish textile producers. Toraman Tekstil, headquartered in Istanbul, purchased a bestLEN 7412 laser engraver, which accommodates screens up to 2.1m wide. The investment means Toraman can bring the imaging operation in-house at its new dyeing and printing plant in Çorlu, in the west of the country. The new plant will also be Toraman’s first production facility. 

SPGPrints also announced the sale of its bestLEN 7413 direct laser engraver – exhibited at the show -- to Deniz Export, of Istanbul, Turkey. Capable of imaging screens up to 3.5m wide, the engraver will be installed at its new textile printing and dyeing plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The company is also opening plants in Russia in order to streamline logistics and be closer to its major markets in north-western Asia. 

Direct laser engraving, based on a single-step dry process, eliminates costly consumables such as film, ink or chemicals, and time-consuming processes like exposing and washing. With minimal process steps, the chance of human error is greatly reduced.

SPGPrints’ bestLEN 741X represents the ultimate in laser engraving performance. With top resolutions of 2540dpi, it is ideal for perfect halftones.    Engraving cycles are complete in only 30 minutes, and it comes equipped with state-of-the-art Best Image software and automatic laser power calibration.

“We are delighted with the tremendous level of interest in both the JAVELIN and bestLEN systems at ITM 2016,” commented Hakan Uzman, managing director, SPGPrints Baski, the Turkish subsidiary of SPGPrints. “The introduction of the JAVELIN printer makes the business-transforming benefits of digital printing accessible to a wider textile market, especially for lower production volume requirements. Furthermore the bestLEN engraver, with over 20 installations since last year’s launch, has proven to raise the competitiveness of rotary screen printing, simplifying workflow and setting new standards for consistency and efficiency.” 

“The positive reception we have received reflects the growing recognition of SPGPrints’ technology as a platform for providing the advantages in quality, cost and flexibility in textile printing – whether for digital or analogue applications.”