Founded by Michael Morlock in 1999 and a part of the LEONHARD KURZ Group since 2019, MPRINT is renowned for its innovation in digital print and finishing. As part of its development programme into digital cold foil application it turned to corona inventor and pioneer in surface technology, Vetaphone.
Located in Baiersbronn, in the north of Germany’s Black Forest (Schwarzwald), MPRINT has built an international reputation for its digital inkjet print technology for a variety of applications including direct to shape, cards, tickets, mailings, packaging including blister packs, folding cartons and labels, as well as roll to roll tissue, fleece and napkin products.
Its digital print engines are available as standalone units or can be integrated retrospectively into existing narrow web lines up to 540mm in width (specials up to 1080mm) and from single colour up to CMYK and white. The whole concept is to enhance the capability of analogue technology with the late-stage flexibility that digital print offers.
Although relatively small in number, with 40 employees occupying a 1,500 sqm unit, as part of the larger KURZ Group, MPRINT enjoys the support of more than 5,500 colleagues worldwide and can draw on the parent company’s 120 years of expertise in surface finishing. KURZ coatings are used to decorate products, enhance brands, identify goods, protect surfaces and prevent counterfeiting, and it’s into this world of visual appearance that MPRINT brings its inkjet knowledge and capability.
According to MPRINT’s Sales & Marketing Manager, David van Loo: “The big challenge came from digital cold foil transfer, which required digital print to mix with analogue foil. The issue is with the adhesive applied to the reverse side of the foil which then needs to be overlaid in perfect register,” he explained.
A perfect finish requires perfect adhesion, which in the case of expensive foil that is non-absorbent, demands high quality corona that can be accurately controlled. So, after a detailed study of the market and corona technology suppliers, Vetaphone was preferred for its expertise and experience. Since when, the two companies have forged a close working partnership based on trust and mutual respect.
The commercial need for corona treatment at MPRINT relates to the company’s MJET range of standalone label solutions. These include the MJET eco, which is a single colour UV-LED unit designed for late-stage customisation on pre-produced, embellished and die-cut labels. These are often used in the wine industry, for which MPRINT is well located. The range also includes the MJET basic and plus models. These modular lines offer up to four-colour printing plus white with a variety of finishing options.
The range is completed by the Mlabel 3. Capable of printing in five-colours plus white using UV-LED and LM inks, this line has a 324mm web width, a finishing module and digital metal embellishment capacity. This makes it a complete standalone digital inkjet label press with a production speed of 75m/min at 600dpi, and with a usefully small footprint.
Speaking for Vetaphone, Sales Manager Ahmed Türkmen stated: “It is always a pleasure to work with a manufacturer that has the same approach to innovation and ongoing development as Vetaphone – there is a natural synergy that benefits both companies and the end-user. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with MPRINT as the market for digital print and finishing technology evolves at a fast pace.”
With the opening of MPRINT LLC in the USA, the company, which is now 80% in KURZ ownership and the balance with Michael Morlock as CTO, the prospects for growth are good – an outlook that pleases Vetaphone, and one that is likely to keep David van Loo busy in his Sales & Marketing role. “Our focus is Europe and the US, but we are keeping a close eye on the Asian markets too, where demand is growing fast,” he concluded.
