For over half a century, one of Thailand’s largest metal packaging printers, SWAN Industries, has been supplying high quality printed metal sheets to can manufacturing customers. But, at the end of 2019, it became the first company in the region to invest in Fujifilm’s revolutionary digital inkjet printer, the Acuity B1.
“The first thing was quality,” operations director Vorasit Dejthamrong told WhatTheyThink. “Customers are increasingly demanding when it comes to quality and no other digital machine we tested could reach an acceptable standard for us. But more importantly, the Acuity B1 gave us the opportunity to do much more than create quality proofs – it opened the door to profitable commercial work in the short term.
The demand for very long runs has declined and from 100,000 sheets or more, it is now almost difficult to get to 2,000, which is not profitable, Dejthamrong said. But now, with Acuity B1, things are different. In addition to being able to print smaller jobs, the creative possibilities are enormous.
Kevin Jenner, business director, Fujifilm Wide Format Inkjet Systems, says: “The metal decorating market is a very analogue world, but Fujifilm’s inkjet technology, which has transformed so many commercial and wide format printers over the last two decades, is now doing the same for metal packaging printers. Early investors, such as SWAN Industries, are already seeing the wide range of benefits that this technology brings, as well as positioning themselves to make the most of future opportunities.”
