Konica Minolta in Europe has announced a new label press in its successful AccurioLabel series. The AccurioLabel 400, is capable of faster speeds up to 39.9 mpm and higher uptime through more durable components. AccurioLabel 230 machines installed can be upgraded to 400 spec. In Europe, Konica Minolta claims a 28% market share in 2021. Globally, the company installed its 1,000th AccurioLabel 230 in 2022.
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| Konica Minolta's new AccurioLabel 400 is faster and has higher uptime than the 230 model |
Konica Minolta is staying with dry toner for its latest digital label press, which was announced at the company's European Labels & Packaging Exhibition in Madrid on May 30th. Official sales are planned to commence in Q1 of 2023. Although not as fast or substrate-versatile as the inkjet label presses from Screen, Durst, Xeikon and Epson; for mid-level short run label printers, dry toner has proven to be a viable entry into digital label production, with high quality results in CMYK+White. With many print 'n cut wide format printers producing stickers and labels, such a mid-level dedicated label press can offer a useful step-up in production.
Konica Minolta says that the AccurioLabel 400 will also be fully upgradeable for AccurioLabel 230 customers who are expanding their own business in the growth markets of label production and packaging. Important new developments include the ability to expand applications with white toner, improved productivity with print speeds of up to 39.9 metres per minute, and further running cost reductions thanks to even more durable parts life, as well as enhanced print quality.
Konica Minolta’s Intelligent Quality Care and the IQ-520 will increase usability and automation with the AccurioLabel 400, hence label production will benefit from higher levels of control, says the company in the announcement. Intelligent Quality Care enables real time control of white toner opacity, colour stability control, as well as automatic calibration, density adjustments and profile creation.
At 1200 dpi (equivalent to 3600 dpi visual), the Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 400 single-pass toner production press prints on paper widths up to 330mm. Multiple touch panel monitors in three different areas of the label press enable intuitive operation and is easier to use for operators, eliminating the need for extensive user training. Tasks that were time-consuming on analogue machines can be performed quickly and accurately in delivering stable printing quality.
With just seven years in the digital label market, the recent installation of the 1,000th AccurionLabel 230 series is testimony to its popularity.
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| Carsten Bamberg |
Carsten Bamberg, Business Development Manager, Professional Printing Group at Konica Minolta Europe says: “The AccurioLabel 400 adds to our broad range of innovative print solutions to enable digital transformation that also include workflow, software and process automation, and cloud solutions as part of the drive to the smart factory. The digitization of the label industry will continue to accelerate with double-digit predicted growth annually. Opportunity is everywhere. It just takes a spark to make it happen.
“Unveiling the AccurioLabel 400 at our European Labels & Packaging Exhibition provides us with another perfect opportunity to help our customers rethink possibilities and ignite printing. Working in partnership as a global player and partner of choice, we are constantly rethinking print and helping customers to improve and grow in partnership.”
He adds: “We feel confident of capturing significant market share with our AccurioLabel 400 that will have an extremely competitive total cost of ownership.”
