Baker Labels Leads the Way: First UK Installation of Durst Tau RSC 340 LED

Groundbreaking investment in advanced inkjet technology marks a significant milestone for Baker Labels, enhancing productivity and print quality.

Baker Labels, a leading independent UK label manufacturer, has once again demonstrated its commitment to innovation with the installation of the Durst Tau RSC 340 LED. This installation makes Baker Labels the first UK company to adopt this model of the state-of-the-art press. The investment reinforces Baker Labels’ dedication to delivering cutting-edge, high-quality printing solutions while expanding production capabilities.

Baker Labels has been a trusted, high quality professional label supplier for over 50 years. They’re proud to have maintained their independent, family run business status in a climate where similar label producers have been absorbed into larger groups. Being committed to continual reinvestment in new innovations and technologies has ensured they have remained relevant, valuable suppliers to their customers.

Key technical details of the Durst TAU RSC 340 LED:

The productivity of the press running at 80m/min, the robustness and the quality of print at a native resolution of 1200dpi were key to the investment with Durst Group. The press features “best in class” Fuji Samba print heads providing 1200 x 1200 dpi and running speeds of 80m/min CMYK – 52m/min CMYKW.

When asked for his thoughts on being the first UK company to install this version of the press, and with a Hawk AI unit to be added to the press in the coming weeks Tom Baker said, “If we’re going to do something, we will do it properly! Getting the full RSC with LED curing and the Hawk AI unit to develop is an exciting challenge for us as a team and should keep us busy for a while. It’s exciting to see what will be possible and start pushing the boundaries of such an innovative product.”

Impact on Production at Baker Labels: Enhanced Productivity

With the Durst they believe they can achieve the best quality in less time than the machine they are replacing. Their target is to ensure they remain at the forefront of the label printing industry using the best quality kit. In this way, they will maintain their customers’ confidence in Bakers as a supplier.

Quote from Jamie Godson, Bakers’ Technical Manager
“It was clear to me from a very early stage that the TAU 340 RSC was a well-engineered press. It has impressed at every stage of the investment process from initial sampling, press demos right through to the install and will no doubt have a huge impact on our productivity and lead times. The running speeds of 80 & 52 m/min are an obvious benefit, but the TAU has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve to enhance our uptime. LED curing reduces downtime during start/stops and extremely consistent head densities across the web, coupled with our internal colour management software, has shown a dramatic improvement on the consistency of repeat orders without having to “tweak on press”.
With a thinner ink laydown than what we have previously experienced, the TAU 340 RSC is capable of producing high quality tonal images and fine text, whilst still retaining the robustness and impact of traditional inkjet print.”

Reducing waste and improving environmental sustainability

Sustainability was a key factor when deciding to go with the Durst. They are the only suppliers in the labels industry to offer a full LED press with native 1200dpi. Full LED curing instead of UV will reduce the energy used in production. In addition, more accurate set-ups & calibrations will reduce material wastage. These two factors will reduce the total impact of Bakers’ operation and so improve their green credentials.

Baker Labels’ Focus on Innovation:

This investment shows Bakers’ commitment to offering customers the highest quality across the board. They have made a lot of noise in the packaging world recently with the investments of two HP Indigo 200k presses and Galaxy Packtech pouch makers, but Baker Labels is still a growing part of the company that they continue to invest in.

Bakers Ongoing Growth Strategy and Vison for the Future

This press installation is part of a broader two-year, £5 million investment in growth and advanced technologies for the company. In the last 14 months Bakers has acquired and additional HP Indigo 6k press for their label division; three Galaxy Packtech pouch converters and two HP Indigo 200K digital presses and additional factory premises for their flexible packaging division, BakPac. Two more Galaxy presses are planned for 2025.

How does this align with the company vison?

Quote from Steve Baker, “Our Labels division is the core of the business, and we will always maintain the commitment to our customers to offer them the best possible label production capabilities. Our future with flexible packaging is new and exciting and growing at a fantastic rate. The challenge that we are enjoying now is to keep Labels growing and improving alongside. The new Durst Tau RSC 340 LED is a leap in that direction, and we cannot wait to see what it can do for our customers.”

Quote from Jamie Godson, Bakers’ Technical Manager
“There has been a buzz about the factory ever since the install. We are fortunate that we are in a position to regularly invest in the newest print technology, but still, when a new press is delivered, especially one as handsome as the TAU 340 RSC, you can’t help but get excited.
This continuous investment strategy enables Bakers to lead the way as a trade labels and packaging supplier for the UK print industry. We are passionate about our reputation and are highly motivated to continue pushing the boundaries of what is achievable utilising the highest performing print technology available on the market.”

Quote from Durst Representative:
Simon Cosh, Durst UK & Ireland’s Label Business Development Manager, said: “After a rigorous process we are delighted to have been successful with our first inkjet press installation into Baker Labels. Given their experience and industry leading position I’m looking forward to seeing how the RSC 340 LED will help enhance Baker Labels product range even further.

Further Questions?

If you require any further information on this press release please get in touch with Kirsty Dailly, kirsty.dailly@bakerlabels.co.uk