Südpack expands SPQ line to include rotogravure printing, reducing material consumption and boosting quality

23 Nov 2023 --- Südpack is expanding its range of SPQ (sustainable print quality) technology to include rotogravure printing (engraving images onto packs), which reduces ink and solvent consumption while optimizing print quality. The company says its line already offers potential carbon savings for package printing.

Using the technology for rotogravure printing requires the complete standardization of machine and process parameters and smart color management, according to Südpack. 

“With SPQ, we significantly reduce ink consumption, ink waste and the number of color changes,” says Enrico Riesel, senior site director at Südpack Biog-gio. 

“Even though the color palette is reduced to seven colors, it is still possible to realize virtually the entire color spectrum as well as additional metallic colors — all while maintaining superior print quality similar to that of a photo as well as excellent color brilliance.” 

All designs are mapped automatically in the pre-press stage using a reduced color palette. Through a PUR-based (polyurethane) color system, the ink is also suitable for pasteurization and sterilization. 

This system opens up various applications for heating applications, for example, for packaging ready meals, pet food or baby food. 

The technology is also ideal for finishing flexible films for high-quality, fast-moving consumer goods, like coffee, tea or confectionery, because it can also incorporate metallic colors, like gold or silver, and coatings for different textures. The process is also suitable for imprinting Digimarc digital watermarks. 

SPQ cutting footprint
Using SPQ can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of package printing, asserts the company. This is due, in particular, to reducing the standard color palette from ten to just seven colors, which decreases both ink and solvent consumption.

Südpack performed in-house calculations that showed that limiting the palette to seven colors leads to a savings of approximately 36.5% in a typical standard process for a print order for 15,000 running meters.

Lower energy consumption and reduced film waste are other benefits, which would have usually been produced during the changeover of printing machines for the next print order.

Greater efficiency
Südpack customers will also benefit from the reduced effort required in the pre-press stage, says the company. Using a strictly defined color space eliminates constant color adjustments and complex and costly on-site print approval. Another advantage is combining different print designs in one print order.

The new technology is also said to stand out due to its high register accuracy and color consistency. The standardized color palette can create approximately 95% of all Pantone colors — with stable, reproducible color conversion. As a result, SPQ completely eliminated all the adjustments necessary for conventional printing processes.

Riesel asserts that Südpack “completely reinterpreted and reconceptualized from the very beginning of the project.”

Edited by Louis Gore-Langton