Smurfit Kappa, a European leader in digital printing in the paper and corrugated cardboard packaging sector, has increased its capacity with the installation of eight HP Scitex HDR large format digital printers in several of its European plants. This shows a clear commitment from the company to continue leading this industry in the old continent and to offer quality solutions to its customers, as these new printers facilitate the creation of more luminous graphics, which come to life in promotional displays and packaging. They also allow the production of small batches to reduce delivery times, thus meeting the growing demands from brands.
Digital printing has enhanced the marketing potential of packaging and displays. The high levels of flexibility and quality of these new HP printers also make the product more attractive to customers. Smurfit Kappa successfully uses digital printing to create ready-to-sell packaging (SRP) through its ShelfSmart service.
Edwin Goffard, Chief Operating Officer of Corrugated and Converting of the Smurfit Kappa Group in Europe, says that "the industry agrees that corrugated cardboard packaging is ready for digital technology. That's why we use HP digital solutions in many of our plants, with the aim of offering our customers the leading pioneering products in the market. Our excellent relationship with HP allows us to anticipate new trends in the printing world while helping us achieve our goals in the field of sustainability."
For his part, Cristóbal Macedo, CEO of HP for large-scale industrial sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, added that "after three years of fruitful collaboration, we are delighted to help Smurfit Kappa in its printing projects. The HP Scitex HDR printer offers its customers speed and quality, meeting the most demanding requirements without taking a toll on productivity."
These printers for corrugated cardboard packaging powered by Scitex HDR technology (HP Scitex 11000, HP Scitex 15500 and HP Scitex 17000) have been set up by the company in plants in Belgium, Denmark, France, Portugal, Poland and the United Kingdom and will soon introduced in other plants in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The setting up of these HP Scitex HDR printers comes shortly after last April's installation by Smurfit Kappa of the first commercial Single Pass press from HP in Europe at its Interwell plant in Austria.