Integration of oneECG technology

The German division of Wipak Group is digitally streamlining its gravure printing process by integrating the oneECG system into their existing Bobst press. According to Wipack, this resulted in exceptional colour stability, repeatability, and consistency. The number of cylinders required on the press has been significantly reduced since implementation, leading to a remarkable 30% decrease in ink consumption and minimize substrate waste. This transformation has increased the production process resulting in minimal waste and swift replacement of printing cylinders.

The oneECG technology

With the increasing demand for products designed for recycling and a reduced product carbon footprint, alongside stricter environmental regulations, the future of gravure printing relies on sustainability. Wipak Walsrode also introduced the benefits of ECG under GreenChoice printing as a sustainable alternative. GreenChoice printing limits the use to seven colors, including three additional standardized colours alongside the conventional cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. This enables reproducing over 95% of the Pantone color palette, totaling more than 2500 colors. The result is brilliant print quality while minimizing cylinder and sleeve costs, reducing material usage, and minimizing the CO2 footprint.

Thanks to standardisation by oneECG, the downtimes of the gravure press are significantly reduced, as no colour change is required when setting up a new job. In addition, almost all colour matching processes take place in the pre-press stage, i.e. before the jobs go to print. The results are higher and long-term consistent colour stability and exact repeatability, even with the longest print runs – regardless of whether repeat jobs are printed on the same or a different press using oneECG technology.

Bobst has been pioneering the use of ECG and digitalized workflows that it deploys across all its analogue and digital printing in the labels, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board markets through their oneECG technology. This solution is tailored to the requirements of each type of printing technology to ensure a successful and efficient implementation of colour consistency on multiple substrates.

Deployed for gravure printing presses, oneECG is an open-partnership system to multiple suppliers, developed for use with solvent-based and water-based inks. The ​​partners along the value chain collaborate to achieve highest colour stability, repeatability and consistency and are certified to ensure quality of results on Bobst gravure ECG ready presses.

About Wipak Walsrode

Wipak Walsrode GmbH & Co. KG is part of the Wipak Group, a global provider of packaging solutions and services for the food industry as well as for medical devices and pharmaceutical products. Headquartered in Finland, the group employs more than 1800 people at eleven production sites throughout Europe and Asia as well as in sales offices in 18 countries.