Early Digital Corrugated Adoption is ‘Like the New iPhone’ for Christiansen Print

Last week, the news broke that Christiansen Print, one of the largest preprint providers for the corrugated market in Europe, would become one of the earliest adopters of the HP PageWide Web Press T1100S, a 110˝ digital press for preprint corrugated.

Though the technology is new to the market, having just been unveiled in December 2015, Christiansen Print Managing Director Henrik Jensen explained in an interview with packagePRINTING, that waiting to bring a press of this magnitude on board would be like a smartphone manufacturer not keeping up with the iPhone.

“Our impression is this is like the new iPhone,” Jensen said. “This is the game changer and this kind of machine technology will change this market completely over the next decade. You can do things with this technology that are simply impossible in an analog technology. The question is, do you want to be the first? Or do you want to wait, like Nokia or Blackberry?”

A Customer Problem Solver

One of the main reasons that Christiansen elected to purchase the press, which will be installed in September at the company’s Ilsenburg, Germany location, was to help its customers adapt to the demand for shorter runs, more frequent changeovers and reduced lead times. While digital technology already provides a step in the right direction for these needs, Jensen says that the press’s use of HP’s Multi-Lane Print Architecture (MLPA) makes it an even more flexible solution.

The HP PageWide Web Press T1100S

MLPA allows the press to print multiple jobs simultaneously across its 110˝ web width, which can then be provided to the customer in a single reel. Jensen explains that this capability is not possible in analog printing and will help customers improve processes on their end.

“This is one of the points where our customers will benefit the most because instead of 10 or 15 small jobs, they will get one reel where all of these jobs are included,” he says. “They have to do one run on their corrugator and then they can split it up into 10 or 15 jobs. The process is very lean compared to the way they have to do it today.”

Though the efficiency improvements will be a substantial benefit for Christiansen’s customers, Jensen explains the press will also allow more flexibility from a graphics perspective. And, with its ability to tackle short runs and fast changeovers, Jensen says the company can target new customers whose jobs were previously not optimized for flexographic preprint.

Many brands are implementing seasonal packaging changes, Jensen says, and by removing plate costs, digital preprint becomes an ideal option.

“We have customers, especially in the FMCG segment, that are really struggling with several changes of artwork during the year,” he says. “With flexo technology, you would need new printing plates, which is very expensive and inflexible. With this technology, you’re able to cover that — and at a very high quality level.”

Spreading the Word

The HP PageWide Web Press T1100S on display at KBA's Wurzburg, Germany facility. HP partnered with KBA to develop the press.

As with any new technology, early adopters need to seek out ways to spread the word that they have this technology on board and explain how their customers can best leverage it. Managing Director Rainer Wilke explains that Christiansen and HP have worked on digital marketing efforts to share the news.

The company will also be showcasing its new capabilities during FachPack 2016, a packaging trade fair held in Nuremberg, Germany from September 27 to 29.

While it will be exciting to see what the press is able to provide for the corrugated market in the near-term, Jensen and Wilke say they’re also looking forward to developing new ideas with their customers. As the Christiansen team becomes more experienced with the T1100S and customers have an opportunity to brainstorm how they can best leverage the technology, Wilke says Christiansen will be well positioned at the forefront of the digital preprint market.

“We will be connected to this technology for the next three or four years before the competitors are at the same level,” Wilke says. “That’s a huge competitive advantage for us.”