Xeikon, a division of Punch Graphix, legendary for pioneering the first digital color presses, today announced the launch of the Xeikon 3000, its latest digital label press. The Xeikon 3000 joins the Xeikon 3300, which was unveiled earlier this year at drupa 2008 and completes the company's product portfolio for the label and packaging industry.

The Xeikon 3300 represents a quantum leap in label print quality, offering true 1200 dpi at four bits per spot. With a top speed of 63 feet per minute and a monthly duty cycle of 2,300,000 feet, it is an extremely fast digital color label press, particularly suited for short to medium print runs and just-in-time jobs.

The Xeikon 3000 represents the entry-level counterpart of the Xeikon 3300. It is a perfect fit for label converters who are eager to enter digital printing but do not need the high speed and productivity of the Xeikon 3300 just yet. It is also an ideal press for label converters wanting to focus on niche applications such as paperboard packaging or textile transfer printing. With a top speed of 31.5 feet per minute and a monthly duty cycle of 1,500,000 feet, the Xeikon 3000 allows label converters to master digital printing at a more leisurely pace. The Xeikon 3000 can be upgraded to the Xeikon 3300 once the user is ready to go to the next level.

"It's no secret that the label market has changed significantly over the last few years. Global growth, enhancements in product development, legal and environmental standards as well as brand awareness create new challenges for the label industry," said Paul Willems, chief marketing officer, Punch Graphix. "Xeikon has taken a stance to surpassing these standards. We welcome the Xeikon 3000 into our product portfolio to satisfy the needs of the label and packaging industry."

The Xeikon 3000 is identical to the Xeikon 3300 in all other respects, be it imaging quality (1200 dpi at four bits per spot), format flexibility of substrates (7.9 inches to 13 inches) or substrate weight flexibility (27 lb text to 16-point board stock). In addition, both presses can print the four process colors plus a range of standard or custom spot colors for perfect reproduction of brand image. They can also apply special security toner for anti-counterfeiting applications, and opaque white to create that sought after 'no label look' on transparent labels. In addition, the press speeds are independent of the number of colors that are required for a specific job.

Both the presses feature full rotary printing technology for maximum productivity. In addition, the Xeikon 3300 and 3000 can print on an unmatched range of substrates from various self adhesive films including co-extruded film, to unsupported film, paper, transparent and opaque foils, and paperboard. The environmentally-friendly dry toner electrophotography imaging process enables the use of conventional substrates without coating or pre-treatment.

The Xeikon 3300 and 3000 are equipped with the latest generation of Xeikon's unique X-800 digital front-end. Based on open standards, the X-800 enables the implementation of fully automated workflows in any production environment, integrating seamlessly with any MIS. Its modular set-up allows separating pre-press functionality from press operation. The X-800 offers ICC color management, facilitates integration in a conventional (offset) print environment and allows post-RIP color adjustment; minimizing downtime while offering extra flexibility. The post-RIP imposition function enables last minute changes. The preview functionality ensures errors are identified before they are printed. The X-800 processes all common input files and significantly lowers the threshold for including metadata such as sequential numbers or barcodes.