First UTECO Sapphire EVO Press Powered by Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology Installed

Japanese packaging printer Kinyosha Printing Co., Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, has started production on their newly installed UTECO Sapphire EVO Press, following a successful on-site acceptance test. This high production digital inkjet press expands the company’s packaging print capabilities, with a cost-effective and highly flexible digital solution for high-speed, high-quality applications. The Sapphire EVO Press was developed by the Uteco Group in partnership with Kodak and is installed at the Kinyosha plant in Ōguchi, a short distance from the Nagoya urban area.

Kinyosha uses the Sapphire EVO Press to print both paper and plastics substrates across different applications for leading brand clients. “Kinyosha is looking forward to new business opportunities with the Sapphire EVO and the ability to drive new digital concepts for our customers,” said Izumi Makino, President of DP2 International (Digital Package Print International) which is responsible for packaging digital marketing activities as one of the group of Companies under Kinyosha. “It is exciting to be the first operating installation site in the world for this ground breaking capability in the packaging market. The flexibility to digitally print on flexible substrates and papers with environmentally friendly inks will enable us to offer our brand customers new creative solutions.”

Utilizing Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology and environmentally friendly water-based pigment inks from Kodak, the Sapphire EVO Press delivers excellent CMYK print quality on a variety of papers and plastic film materials such as PP, BOPP, PE and PET. The web press, which is equipped with Kodak Stream inkjet lineheads and driven by a Kodak high-speed digital front end, supports a maximum web width of 650 mm and a print width of 622 mm. With production speeds of over 150 meters per minute, it is faster than any other digital solution for flexible substrates. Kinyosha is using Kodak’s Personal Care pigment inks which are certified for skin contact on personal care products and comply with regulatory requirements for indirect food contact in the EU and the US.

“The successful commissioning of the Sapphire EVO Press at Kinyosha is fantastic proof that Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology meets both printers’ and brands’ requirements for a high-performance, high-quality, full-color production digital solution for flexible substrates with very short make-ready times and minimal waste,” said Randy Vandagriff, President, Digital Print Group and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company.

Aldo Peretti, President and CEO of the Uteco Group added: “The Sapphire EVO combines Uteco Group’s technological excellence in the development and manufacture of printing presses with Kodak’s innovative continuous inkjet technology. Packaging converters now have a digital solution at their fingertips which lets them expand their portfolios with totally new applications and simultaneously save time and money by migrating work from traditional printing processes to digital.”