FREMONT, Calif. - Rafael Hinojosa S.A., a technological leader in integrated packaging product development and converting, has reported that it is in successful production using the world's first EFI™ Nozomi C18000 single-pass ultra-high-speed corrugated packaging press from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. The press, installed at Hinojosa's Xátiva, Spain, headquarters, offers powerful production features that have improved Hinojosa's short-run production capabilities.

Hinojosa started producing work with the press shortly after installing it in April. The company has printed and sold more than a half million square meters of corrugated packaging since then to fulfill customer orders for short-run, multi-SKU and versioned jobs. Much of the work has been produced with six colors (CMYK plus Orange and Violet) for superior-quality imaging that rivals offset litho-lamination and HQ flexo processes.

EFI's high-quality, highly productive print technology appeals to a broad base of Hinojosa customers, with more than 40 different Hinojosa clients receiving work produced on the press so far. Packaging applications printed digitally with the Nozomi C18000 single-pass press include packaging for toys, fresh fruit and vegetables, food and beverages, household products, cleaning products and toiletries. These jobs are for retail-oriented clients requiring customized work for their products, and they are among the many Hinojosa customers that are finding the Nozomi press to be a great fit for their packaging needs.

"The packages produced with our new EFI Nozomi press meet our clients' high standards for image quality and brand color reproduction," stated Hinojosa's CEO. "The start-up time for this press following installation was remarkably short. Because of the work EFI and our installation team did to ensure a smooth start-up, our clients had new packaging on their shelves within weeks of the press being installed.

"Now that we are running customer work with the press, our customers are impressed with the vivid colors, photorealistic images, smooth gradations and high-quality solid colors they receive on their packaging," the CEO added.

Robust, reliable production
Hinojosa operates the press daily, meeting continued demand for packaging for products sold in Spain and throughout Europe. The company scaled up production with a second shift over the past couple of months, and expects to move the press into 24/7 production shortly.

The press, according to company officials, has performed equally well on the different corrugated board substrates it runs, printing on E, B, C, BC and EB fluted board in different sizes up to 1500x3000mm.

In the coming months, Hinojosa also intends to begin using a new white LED ink for the press that will allow for printing full-color images on kraft liners and other colored boards. Company officials report that the white ink will help expand clients' marketing capabilities, giving them the option of using an ever greater variety of board choices without requiring a compromise on color impact and brand consistency.

"We are more than excited about the successful installation, positive production results and most of all the new business opportunities Hinojosa has created with the EFI Nozomi C18000 single-pass LED inkjet press," said José Luis Ramón Moreno, vice president and general manager, EFI Industrial Printing. "The robust, high-quality, high-throughput LED inkjet operation at Hinojosa provides real-world validation that this technology — and the business model we offer to customers in production-class corrugated packaging — works and can drive new growth for packaging converters."

Superior, speed, productivity and recyclability 
The Nozomi C18000 press — which can print up to 75 linear meters per minute — helps corrugated manufacturers and brands access a wide color gamut and broader design options in corrugated board work with fast turnaround times while maintaining low production costs.

Key features of the press include:

• High-quality, accurate output in resolutions up to 360x720 dots per inch with four-level grayscale imaging
   
• A fully integrated, programmable top- and bottom-feed system that also handles media separation, lift, transport and alignment at full press speeds
   
• A 100% in-line image quality inspection system that actively manages and optimizes inkjet nozzle, alignment and uniformity errors for the highest possible imaging quality
   
• High productivity with a permanent head architecture that eliminates the downtime associated with replacing consumable printheads.

Output from the press is unique in having certification for OCC recyclability and repulpability from the Western Michigan University Recycling, Paper and Coating Pilot Plant — a leading certification organization for corrugated recycling.

The next-generation, scalable EFI Fiery® digital front end (DFE) installed with the press — a new platform available for new ultra-high-speed digital presses from most leading manufacturers — gives Hinojosa the processing power to develop a broader range of even longer-run, multi-SKU and versioned production applications. It also gives Hinojosa advanced color management capabilities to deliver quality color and brand accuracy.

Irish display graphics print provider McGowans Print is the world's second EFI Nozomi C18000 LED press customer. After McGowans notified EFI that it was ready to receive the printer, EFI began shipping the press the week of August 21st. The press is scheduled to arrive at McGowans' Dublin facility this week, with production on the press expected to begin before the end of September.

The press is part of a complete ecosystem for corrugated production available from EFI with leading edge inks, the Fiery DFE and an EFI Corrugated Packaging Suite manufacturing execution system that streamlines and automates job-preparation to help corrugated packaging companies efficiently produce larger numbers of short- to medium-run jobs.

EFI's complete printer portfolio, which in addition to industry-leading LED and UV inkjet narrow-, wide- and superwide-format technologies includes aqueous textile and ceramic decoration printers, gives customers profitable opportunities for the "Imaging of Things," delivering greater product customization and appeal in everything from signage and packaging to décor, apparel and industrial manufacturing. To see many of the extensive, imaginative applications possible with EFI print technology, visit www.ImagingofThings.com or www.efi.com.