To keep the competitors at bay, Punch Graphix, legendary for pioneering the first digital colour presses, has introduced a new Xeikon 8000 digital press, producing prints more than twice as fast as its nearest competitior. With an astonishing printing speed of 230 A4 pages while using 100 gsm substrate per minute and true 1200 dpi imaging quality at 4 bits per spot, the new Xeikon 8000 has been developed to optimise print productivity and to provide high-quality printing. This press was being presented at the pre-drupa event held during mid March in Lier (Belgium).

“The launch of this first-rate engine represents a major step forward for Xeikon. With the Xeikon 8000, Punch Graphix has the leading edge in digital printing and demonstrates that we have continued to evolve in order to address user needs and anticipate future market demands. The press offers high productivity benefits and eyecatching graphic printing capabilities, leading to maximum profitability,” says Wim Deblauwe, CEO of Punch Graphix to a group of journalists. Building on the previous success of Xeikon equipments, the web-fed Xeikon 8000 uses optimized dry toner electrophotography, engineered to perfection with exceptional sharpness essential. According to Frank Deschuytere, chief technology officer of Punch Graphix, “With the Xeikon 8000, we target the well-established commercial print market as well as the direct marketing and fast-growing transactional printing markets.

The commercial power of transactional documents is vastly increasing since personalized full-colour documents lead to faster and greater response. As the market standard in variable full-colour digital printing, this machine adapts easily to the degree of personalisation desired by the customers.”

Xeikon’s flagship system takes a productivity leap by printing multi-page documents at an impressive speed of 230 A4 pages per minute, which translates into 13800 A4 pages per hour. Two in-line densitometers and highperformance process algorithms guarantee perfect colour consistency over time and inbetween presses. Capable of handling expanded substrate widths from 320 to 512 mm and offering enlarged 504 mm imaging width, the machine allows 2-up A4 and 3-up A5 printing, opening up a whole new range of applications.

It is known that the very first digital press introduced under the Xeikon brand in the year 1993 could produce only 70 pages per minute as against 230 ppm introduced this year. Justifying this new Xeikon 8000 digital press as a real revolution, Siegfried Trinker, chief sales officer, Punch Graphix confirmed confidently as the use of dry toner to be much affordable as against inkjet technology. However over a question by S K Khurana, P&P editor, the company officials agreed not to hesitate in adopting inkjet technology in future if it makes significant improvements.

Later in the evening, all journalists were taken to a fully operational demo area, where full range of their digital presses – viz Xeikon 5000, XP 500 (double sided UV-coating+diecutting), Xeikon 8000, Dcoat (UV- coating+die-cutting), Xeikon 330, Xeikon 6000 and Textile Transfer techniques – were in operation which made an impressive site to have a great feel of the products.

For more details, contact their authorised distributor in India: Monoteck Systems Limited, City Centre, 66 Thirumalai Road, T Nagar, Chennai-600017. Phone: 4428157894/7928/7933. email: info@monotech.in