Mumbai-based label specialist Mudrika Labels has installed a 10-color Gallus Labelmaster flexo UV press at its plant in Vasai. The Labelmaster is fitted with a die-cut and cold foil unit, a Corona unit and GEW UV curing on each of the ten printing units.
The first Gallus Labelmaster in West India
The Labelmaster was installed in early August and is up and running at the 4,600 square meter Mudrika plant, which houses 12 flexo presses, seven of which are from Gallus – five EM 280, one ECS 340 and the latest Labelmaster. “The trend among print buyers is to order bigger sized labels. We have the ECS 340 but to cater to customers’ new demands we were looking for a higher width machine,” said Manish Desai, director at Mudrika Labels.
Mudrika Labels was established in 1976 in Mumbai by Desai, his brother Vipul and cousin Sandip. Besides producing labels, the Desai brothers operate an offset-based corrugation unit in Daman and Bhillad; a packaging plant in Vasai; a label-stock material plant; and a joint venture with a South Korean partner for manufacturing heat transfer films, decals and in-mould labels. Before finalizing the Labelmaster, Desai said, he evaluated few options from other flexo press manufacturers that offer equivalent or larger width presses. “We have a battery of Gallus’ presses in our plant, and continuing with them made sense, because service is an important factor when it comes to overall equipment effectiveness.”
The other factors were the speed and the ability of the Labelmaster to print on a wide range of substrates like self-adhesive label, cardboard, PE, PP, aluminium foil and tube laminate, among others. “We were also impressed by the Gallus technology which enabled reproduction of exact spot colous. Today’s customers are most demanding. Once a job is approved, it is imperative that we produce labels exactly the way the brands want it. Consistency becomes prime.” And while 200 metre per minute speed was one of the factors, Desai said, even at 130 metre per minute, he will be able to achieve a 30% gain in productivity.