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Friday, February 14, 2014

WestPack 2014

On February 11, 2014, I attended WestPack in Anaheim, CA to see manufacturers of on-demand color printers.  I walked by several booths; and chose to spend time with two specific label printer providers:  Afinia and Trojan.


You might find my video from this event of interest: 


 Afinia showed their L-801 printer.  http://www.afinia.com/l-801-label-printer

This printer has 3 features that make it a good option for in-plant prime label production.  First, the L-801 has an built-in unwinder and media cover which save users up to $1,500 to purchase an unwinder; plus keeps the label media clean.  Second, the L-801 has a Print/Present feature making hand application easier.  Third, the L-801 has the lowest price, $8,995 of any Memjet-based label printer.  These 3 features make the L-801 a great option for companies wanting to print prime labels in-house.

You may find my previous post on the Afinia printer of interest:  http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2013/10/in-plant-prime-labels.html

In addition to the Afinia printer, I saw Trojan Color Systems running the Trojan 1 printer; http://trojancolorsystems.com/.  

This printer has 3 features as well that make it a good option for in-plant prime labels.  First, the Trojan 1 looks aesthetically pleasing; and durable with it’s stainless steel cover.  


Second, the Trojan 1 printers offers the Touch Control, a display and embedded module making configuring and operations easier.  This feature would seem to be a big deal for operators.

Third and most important, Trojan has built remote service capability into the printer.  By establishing a VPN connection, Trojan can problem solve and troubleshoot from anywhere in the world; including down to making firmware changes.  According to Trojan, this feature answers 98% of the issues that arise while using the printer.  If service is required, the print engine is very easy to remove, making service much easier, less expensive and faster.  As mechanical devices break sometimes, the service capability of the Trojan printer differentiates this device from the other Memjet-based systems. 

You may find my previous post on the Trojan printer of interest:  http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2013/09/pack-expo-2013.html

In addition to the printer, Trojan had a laminator running in their booth.  Although somewhat expensive, this device allows end users to purchase pre-converted label stock, reducing converting and transportation costs.  Plus it allows for very durable label stock.  Be sure to view my video to see the laminator.


Although I saw other color label printers at the show, the Trojan and Afinia booths were the most interesting.  If you have questions on either of these printer, feel free to contact me.


Guy Mikel
855-962-7670
#colorlabels

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