UK-based flexo prepress specialist MPH has installed the Shine LED lamp kit. MPH director Ian Runacres said, “The kit, fitted to a Vianord flexo plate exposure unit, supplied by Clarkson Services, is delivering all the benefits we anticipated. Exposures are, on average, 30% faster, consistent, and plate behaviour is highly predictable. At present, more than 80% of our plates – from various suppliers – are exposed using Shine LED lamps.”
MPH had been considering the move to LED for some time. Ian said, “In flexo printing, removing variables is often more valuable than chasing headline speed. The Shine LED lamp kit investment is about protecting repeatability, reducing risk on press, and supporting customers who need plates to behave the same way every time.
“Compared to fluorescent technology, LED lamps give more stable, uniform exposures and don’t degrade over time in the way fluorescent bulbs do – we had to buy new bulbs pretty much every year. And because LED is instant on/off, there’s no need to warm up bulbs before back-flashing plates before main exposure, which saves time and energy.”
Retrofitting gives flexibility
“Because the Shine LED is vendor-neutral, it gave us huge flexibility in terms of choosing the right exposure frame, including pre-owned units,” Ian said.
The kit consists of new LED UVA lamps, a prewired bracket kit for easy retrofit, and installation guidelines for a qualified electrician. In MPH’s case, Clarkson handled the installation.
Based in Manningtree, Essex, MPH concentrates on the narrow-web packaging market. The company was established in 1982, but the current management team took on the business in 2020, immediately prior to the pandemic.
Since the 2020 management buyout, MPH has committed more than £750,000 to capital investment across the business, including the Shine LED lamp kit, a second Esko CDI for increased imaging capacity, a new flexo plate processing line with updated processor and ovens, and a comprehensive suite of Esko hardware and software upgrades. “Together, these investments underpin MPH’s strategy to enhance consistency, throughput and technical capability for our narrow-web packaging customers,” Ian said.