Electronics For Imaging, Inc. continues to expand its market-leading position in single-pass inkjet digital press technology for corrugated packaging. The company, which has the largest share of single-pass inkjet corrugated press installations with its Nozomi C18000 Plus platform, has completed an installation of its new EFI™ Nozomi 14000 LED product. In March, U.K.-based corrugated packaging manufacturer Caps Cases became the first business in the world to acquire the 14000 model, a 55-inch wide, ultra-high-speed digital press designed for mainstream, high-volume packaging production. The newly launched single-pass UV LED inkjet press now running at Caps Cases’ facility in Newmarket brings enhanced productivity, reliability, value and flexibility to the industrial packaging segment. 
Printing at speeds up to 328 linear feet per minute, the Nozomi 14000 LED press is designed to deliver high uptime and reliability, with durable performance in heavy industrial production, direct to board on nearly all flute types. The corrugated packaging press also boasts superior color registration and Nozomi presses’ award-winning imaging quality in a 55-inch wide format targeted to fit converters’ production space requirements.
Caps Cases: Leading the way in corrugated
“The Nozomi is an exciting technology that we have been watching for a number of years,” said Caps Cases Managing Director Trevor Bissett. “It is the first solution that has been suitable for us both in terms of the physical space that the machine demands, and in the quality that it can achieve. We will be able to alleviate some of the bottlenecks we have in our current process in ways that have not been possible with digital until now.”
Along with offering the strongest technological solution, Trevor recognized EFI as an ideal partner for his business. “Throughout the buying process, it was clear that EFI is a professional, supportive, and transparent organization. We have been able to virtually design a system that EFI have then brought to life for us to ensure it fits our goals, production process, and physical space, so they have been very accommodating.”
The single-pass solution for better brand success
Caps Cases’ investment is in keeping with its strong focus on customers’ needs. From Bissett’s perspective, this is a forward-thinking move aligned with company strategy to meet or exceed clients’ important multi-SKU and versioning brand requirements using superior high graphics production capabilities. “We are definitely seeing increasing numbers of branding change requests,” Bissett explained, “and this machine will be a real feather in our cap when it comes to pitching to new and existing clients.”
The EFI Nozomi 14000 LED press is available in a range of configurations to complement packaging converters’ individual needs. Following consultancy from EFI, Caps Cases opted to start with a five-color set-up, CMYK plus white ink, with the peace of mind that the company has the option of adding orange or violet inks at a later stage.
The press – a brand-new solution from an innovation and market share leader in direct-to-board, ultra-high-speed digital presses – leverages world-class EFI Nozomi single-pass UV LED inkjet technology with enhancements that make it ideal for mainstream corrugated packaging work. The EFI Nozomi 14000 LED press also drives greater sustainability in corrugated converting, printing exact quantities needed in contrast to the significant overproduction and make-ready waste of analog litho-lamination. Plus, EFI Nozomi technology leads the corrugated market in digital print energy efficiency, based on data from print research organization Fogra, and its printed output is certified for repulpability and recyclability by the Western Michigan University Recycling, Paper and Coating Pilot Plant.
Top-tier technology in the next evolution of digital corrugated printing
Caps Cases’ new digital production workhorse is driven by the EFI Fiery® NZ-1000 blade server digital front end (DFE) on the latest Fiery FS500 platform, which provides the company with high-end color management, exceptional imaging accuracy, higher productivity and intelligent automation features. Fiery Edge™, EFI’s advanced profiling technology on the DFE, delivers out-of-the-box color and quality enhancements. A Smart Ink Estimator feature for the DFE accurately analyses image data for more-precise control of ink costs. Another component in Caps Cases’ Fiery DFE, EFI Fiery JobExpert™ software, features intelligent automation technology that can save valuable job setup time, automatically choosing the right color and imaging settings to ensure correct results. The press also connects with EFI IQ™, a suite of cloud management solutions that can give Caps Cases important business intelligence data to sustain a smarter, more-efficient high-volume digital print production operation.
Evandro Matteucci, VP and GM, Packaging & Building Materials, EFI Inkjet, commented, “The response to the Nozomi 14000 LED has been incredible, and it validates what we came to understand during the research and development process, as well as through ongoing dialogue with our corrugated packaging customers. There is an essential need in the market for a highly productive, reliable, and versatile industrial packaging solution designed for more compact production lines.
“We are thrilled that Caps Cases has become the first business globally to invest in and install the latest evolution of EFI’s breakthrough Nozomi platform. We are looking forward to supporting Trevor Bissett and his team as they increase productivity, alleviate bottlenecks, and deliver more value to their brand owner clients using the outstanding graphics quality and flexibility of our award-winning single-pass UV LED inkjet technology.”
Demand for EFI Nozomi single-pass inkjet solutions continues to accelerate, especially among packaging converters capturing growth opportunities in the adoption of digital printing. Upcoming placements include the first North American installation of the Nozomi 14000 LED model at Complete Design & Packaging, a U.S.-based converter adding its second Nozomi press.
