A Highcon Beam 2 digital cutting and creasing solution has been installed as part of an end-to-end digital print and packaging workflow for folding carton and micro flute corrugated packaging jobs.
Implemented at McGowans Digital Print Dublin facility, the Highcon technology is enabling the company to meet increasingly tight deadlines for short run jobs, with less set-up time and waste. The new Highcon investment will also support new business from McGowans’ new on-demand e-commerce packaging platform.
In combination with its new Landa press, the company expects to use its new Highcon technology to expand into new and profitable packaging jobs, realising a 30% increase in revenue within three months.
‘What the Highcon brings to the table is real digital finishing. It’s not only cutting, it is creasing and stripping too. It does so much more than a traditional analogue solution. The introduction of a digital finishing process here has dramatically streamlined our production workflow for increased efficiencies,’ said Mal McGowan, founder and CEO at McGowans.
‘And crucially, having the Landa S10, Nozomi and HP Indigo working together with the Highcon Beam 2 also means that we can offer customers a ‘virtual house’ for all their packaging or display needs. Customers can now make changes to their packaging designs on the fly, produce a smaller batch or simply run a limited seasonal promotion – but without the expensive waste of unwanted stock, that also has to be stored in expensive real estate. Cool floor graphics and display applications are also reaping the benefits of digital cutting and creasing, including improved production times for point-of-sale displays,’ added McGowan.
McGowans specialises in commercial printing, Point of Sale, and packaging jobs. It offers customers everything from initial concept work, to box design and the supply of complete finished printed products. Historically, the company has been among the first to adopt new digital technologies, proudly bringing new and often ground-breaking capabilities to the Irish market. This was recently exemplified by the company’s installation of the Landa S10 Nanographic Printing® Press, which complements the Highcon technology in McGowans’ new digital workflow.
The Highcon Beam 2 supports jobs from standard boxes to eye catching and sophisticated packaging and displays. ‘It is the speed, flexibility and on-demand capabilities of the Beam 2 that sell this machine. The amount of work you can do with the Highcon is beyond good,’ said McGowan. ‘Of course, large brands can rely on us for their short-run packaging requirements, but with the introduction of our new website, we can now also support low volume business, perhaps a small business working online from home. We are excited to see what new doors the Highcon Beam 2 can open for us.’
The Highcon Beam 2 also contributes to the company’s sustainability goals. It does this by eliminating the wood, metal and rubber components needed to produce traditional dies, as well as the associated logistics and warehouse costs needed to store them. In addition, it also contributes to a reduction in traditional print volumes and its associated waste by powering new digital short to medium run jobs.
‘We are proud to see our first digital cutting and creasing system in Ireland up and running at McGowans, they are a great fit for the technology. We are also working with Litho Supplies in Ireland, who is now an official reseller of Highcon equipment in another step on our digital finishing journey,’ said Juergen Freier, VP Sales and GM, Highcon Europe.
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