New Weipong HQPP Flexo-Printer
Weedon PSC ’ s largest ever investment in equipment
Weedon PSC , the UK ’ s leading independent manufacturer of food and drink corrugated packaging and Point of Sale ( POS ) displays , has acquired a new six-colour HQPP ( High Quality Post Print ) Weipong flexo-printer . The machine , which is the company ’ s largest ever equipment acquisition , has been installed at its Hednesford site in Staffordshire and is now operational .
Weedon PSC has invested in the Weipong flexo-printer , prompted by the need to increase print capacity to meet demand for packaging to support recent growth , as well as developments towards more sustainable packaging .
The Weipong will print sheets bigger than Weedon PSC ’ s two existing TCY printers , enabling the production of a wider range of packaging and displays . For example , for the first time , the company will be able to offer flexo-printing on POS displays as a more cost effective option for high volume runs .
The machine will also print both sides in one pass ( four colours on one side , two on the reverse ), making it ideal for eCommerce packaging and Retail Ready Packaging with printing inside the box . It can also apply a coating on the inside of a box , for example for fresh produce , offering a more environmentallyfriendly , cost-effective alternative to plastic packaging .
The Weipong printer also includes an infra-red dryer to dry each colour station between applications , so it can run high quality work at speed .
The machine will also print both sides in one pass ( four colours on one side , two on the reverse ), making it ideal for eCommerce packaging and Retail Ready Packaging with printing inside the box .
Weedon PSC had to remove walls at its factory and reposition existing equipment to install the Weipong , The machine breaks records for the company both in terms of its size and its cost – it is the largest investment in a single piece of equipment in the company ’ s history .
John Weedon , Managing Director of Weedon PSC , commented :
“ The acquisition of a Weipong flexoprinter follows significant expansion over the last year or so and represents the largest single investment in our company ’ s history .
“ The demand for corrugated packaging is rising , and we are also seeing an increase in customers switching to coated corrugated board as a greener alternative to plastic packaging , especially in markets such as fresh produce and chilled foods .
“ The packaging industry is having to make some major changes to accommodate new trends . In our case things are pretty extreme – we had to demolish part of our factory to accommodate new equipment to keep up with demand !”
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