Arrow Digital installs Esko Kongsberg X24 Edge 

Arrow’s state of the art Democenter in Ahmedabad

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Kongsberg X24 Edge
Kongsberg X24 Edge installed at Arrow Digital Democenter in Ahmedabad. Photo Arrow Digital

Arrow Digital, a digital printing and cutting equipment technology leader, recently installed the Esko Kongsberg X24 Edge digitally-driven cutting table at its state of the art Democenter in Ahmedabad. Arrow Digital’s Sam says about the new installation, “The new Kongsberg X Edge is extremely versatile and suitable for short-run production. The machine is designed to cut and finish simultaneously, giving you a better quality of finish and competitive edge over the other cutting technology available in the market.” 

He explains, “Finishing is just as important as the printing itself. Printing and finishing on a variety of substrates is a challenge, especially when considering non-traditional printable materials. The Kongsberg provides a complete spectrum of tooling to finish the entire range from paper-based materials to harder material like Sun board, Acrylic, MDF, ACP, WPC, bubble board, fabrics and other materials. 

“Instead of outsourcing the finishing processes, the Kongsberg gives you an in-house solution, giving you a competitive edge. Additionally, the machine can help speed up, streamline, and enhance your finishing process, making sure you get the most out of your printer’s speed capabilities. Finishing can become a bottleneck in your workflow and productivity, but with the Kongsberg Series, you can transform the finishing process into one of your strongest attributes and a significant profit center. 

“For print shops, maximizing profitability is a two-fold equation; printing and proper, timely execution of finished products. By having the right decisions and strategies in place, you can make sure that the finishing process becomes a profit center for your company and not an expense. Considering the current situation where labor is a challenge, Kongsberg will take care of your commitments in delivering products just in time (JIT).” 

The Kongsberg X24 Edge ROI can be recovered quickly as it is versatile to replace traditional cutting equipment like laser, router, plotter, and hand tools while delivering equivalent productivity. Additionally, it can finish substrates like duplex board, corrugation, honeycomb, and foam boards, giving you the advantage of diversifying to other segments. Applications like V grooving, polishing, and engraving are the latest developments that the Kongsberg can deliver and help customers differentiate themselves in the market.

The Kongsberg X Edge delivers high production speed and outstanding cutting quality at a competitive price. Its design avoids the impact of costly reinvestment when a business expands, providing exceptional cutting quality and unlocking future production flexibility and profitability. 

Extra features like fast tool loading, auto-recognition, and calibration features are ideal for short-run jobs. The added flexibility of an optional conveyor system is available to support automated board and roll feeding and to finish longer than the table. The latest camera system helps in perfect registration for heavily distorted jobs. It provides Edge recognition for registering corrugation Jobs where the print is underside and for detecting barcodes for automation.

The rack and pinion drive, the construction of the tabletop and the dual motors, all combine to ensure that the table provides the highest cutting accuracy and consistency. It is engineered to work continuously 24 x 7 for several years, assuring that the investment is secure.

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Sam concludes, “The main purpose of installing the Kongsberg edge is to give the customers and prospects the entire workflow experience and to test their product right from design-print-cut in the demonstration center. The Kongsberg X Edge appeals to clients who desire a no-compromise, quality product at an affordable price, but importantly a machine that offers upgradability in the future as the business grows.”

 More essential now than ever as skilled labor grows scarce and expensive during the pandemic, less wastage and fast execution of print and cut jobs pays for itself in supporting timely deliveries in this ever-demanding industry. What good is printed output sitting on the floor without finishing and shipping? As you mix and match or create innovative applications with your printer, create more profitable opportunities; learn more, and schedule your virtual or in-person demo with our skilled team with a vast array of applications that amaze you. Learn about our made in India green boards and materials that will impress you and your clients. Learn about the mini-digital mini-garment factory as well, with print and cut textiles for garments and signage.

2023 promises an interesting ride for print in India

Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. While the print and packaging industries have been resilient in the past 33 months since the pandemic lockdown of 25 March 2020, the commercial printing and newspaper industries have yet to recover their pre-Covid trajectory.

The fragmented commercial printing industry faces substantial challenges as does the newspaper industry. While digital short-run printing and the signage industry seem to be recovering a bit faster, ultimately their growth will also be moderated by the progress of the overall economy. On the other hand book printing exports are doing well but they too face several supply-chain and logistics challenges.

The price of publication papers including newsprint has been high in the past year while availability is diminished by several mills shutting down their publication paper and newsprint machines in the past four years. Indian paper mills are also exporting many types of paper and have raised prices for Indian printers. To some extent, this has helped in the recovery of the digital printing industry with its on-demand short-run and low-wastage paradigm.

Ultimately digital print and other digital channels will help print grow in a country where we are still far behind in our paper and print consumption and where digital is a leapfrog technology that will only increase the demand for print in the foreseeable future. For instance, there is no alternative to a rise in textbook consumption but this segment will only reach normality in the next financial year beginning on 1 April 2023.

Thus while the new normal is a moving target and many commercial printers look to diversification, we believe that our target audiences may shift and change. Like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.

Our 2023 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock and reconnect with your potential markets and customers. Print is the glue for the growth of liberal education, new industry, and an emerging economy. We seek your participation in what promises to be an interesting ride.

– Naresh Khanna

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