The label market is one of the printing industry’s biggest growth segments. The growth in demand for digitally printed labels in particular continues unabated. Following the global market launch of the Gallus Labelfire 340 digital label press – a joint development by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and Gallus based on leading inkjet technology from Fujifilm – series production is now getting off to a successful start. Initial customers of the new series presses include several companies from the US.
 
Heidelberg produces the digital inkjet print engine of the Labelfire in Wiesloch-Walldorf. The company’s entire digital printing portfolio will also be manufactured here in the future. The base unit of the new press is made by Swiss subsidiary Gallus at its German production site in Langgöns.
 
“The requirements related to quality, flexibility and speed are getting even more demanding in label production,” says Stephan Plenz, member of the Management Board responsible for Heidelberg Equipment. “With the Gallus Labelfire, we’re leading our customers into the digital future with the growing label market. The considerable interest confirms we’ve adopted the right approach.”
 
Following numerous orders from Europe and Australia, Heidelberg and Gallus are now also enjoying success in the key American market. Info Label from Clifton Park in New York is getting the first Gallus Labelfire 340 supplied to a label print shop in the US. “By investing in the Gallus Labelfire 340, we’re offering our customers outstanding quality combined with shorter delivery times at lower costs,” president Mark Dufort explained.
 
Another U.S. customer – Hub Labels from Hagerstown, MD – has also signed up for the new Gallus Labelfire 340 digital label press. “This is the first digital press I’ve seen that can do exactly what I expect it to,” Thomas Dahbura, president of Hub Labels, said. “It integrates all steps from the reel to the finished label in a single production pass – whether digital or flexographic printing, cold-foil printing or die cutting.”
 
The new Gallus Labelfire 340 digital printing system has been designed for the self-adhesive labels market. The global print volume for these labels is growing by about 4% a year. Although nearly 5% of this volume is printed digitally, this figure is rising rapidly with up to double-digit growth rates. It is anticipated that, in the medium term, just under half of the presses sold in this sector will be digital. The medium-term goal is for digital business to account for approximately 10% of Heidelberg Group sales.