Mark Andy will launch a new entry level narrow web flexo press, the Evolution series, at next week’s Label Expo show in Brussels.
The Evolution is essentially a scaled back version of the older P7 giving Mark Andy a cost-effective basic model complete with servo controls. This in turn will allow for more automation, particularly around the job settings. It will take a range of substrates from 12 – 305 micron including film, shrink sleeves, tags and tickets. Paul McDonald, Mark Andy’s UK sales director, says that the price structure between servo and mechanical drives has got closer, adding: “So it gives us the opportunity to go down that route.”
There’s a choice of widths of 330mm and 430mm – some reports say 460mm but this is just a typo in the press release. Either way the press is able to run at up to 230mpm. It has a print repeat range of 140 – 610mm and maximum die repeat of 610mm.
This press will be competing directly against the likes of the Gallus Labelmaster and the new MPS EFS. It’s part of a trend toward more cost-effective servo-driven presses with the flexibility to cope with a broader range of applications.
Mark Andy is taking orders now and says the first units will be ready for delivery starting in October. The price starts from around £380,000, which does seem like fairly good value.
The new Evolution series replaces the Performance P3, P4 and P5 presses. Mark Andy will continue to sell the Performance P7E and P9E flexo presses, which offer a broader range of options such as screen printing and hot foiling. Interestingly there’s still enough demand for Mark Andy to continue selling its 2200 mechanical label press, which is now over 20 years old, proof that the original design was really spot on. You can find further details at markandy.com.
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