EFI transforms research, development and manufacturing operation in Spain

Print Solutions

Electronics For Imaging has transformed its Castellon, Spain, manufacturing facility into a world class manufacturing operation for production level single pass inkjet printing for packaging, display graphics and other adjacent markets.

The facility, which was acquired by EFI in 2012, has a heritage of single pass printing capability based on its solutions for digital printing of ceramic tiles. Since that time, the company has invested heavily in applying that expertise to other markets, most specifically packaging and display graphics. Notably, the single pass technology originally developed in Castellon was a key element in the development of the highly successful Nozomi family of single pass printers for those markets. This single pass technology has also been successfully applied in other market segments including textiles and building materials.

‘EFI has placed a particular focus on the packaging market as it has worked to transform the Castellon manufacturing facility as well as the research NS development arm located there,’ said Evandro Matteucci, EFI’s vice president and general manager for packaging and building materials. ‘This includes optimising operations to support ongoing innovation and to leverage our expertise. Our industry leading single pass technology is especially applicable to this growth market as it increasingly transitions to digital. As one example of the market opportunity, more than 250 billion square metres of corrugated board are printed each year worldwide, and we believe a substantial percentage of that can be transitioned to single pass digital printing, bringing additional flexibility, sustainability and profitability to packaging converters. It enables them to benefit from high quality, production level print on-demand that minimises waste and increases flexibility for these producers and their retail and brand owner customers. We are extremely pleased with the progress the facility has made in executing this transformation. It is truly a powerhouse of innovation, and we congratulate the team on their achievements.’

Evandro Matteucci points out that the successes achieved, especially with respect to the Nozomi family of printers, are proof positive that single pass technology is well positioned to enable EFI to expand into additional market segments as those markets, in turn, enter their digital transformation phase. This can include but not be limited to markets such as metal decoration, folding carton, and more. Single pass technology has also helped the company take its offerings in the display graphics market to the next level.