Agfa Describes Bold Moves and a Strategic Approach

Agfa (Booth C8130) is moving forward with good technology for our industry,” said Reuben Silva, VP of sales, inkjet, for Agfa, as he highlighted recent moves by the 123-year-old company. These moves included the acquisition, of Inca Digital Printers, and the receipt of five Pinnacle Product Awards, presented by PRINTING United Alliance.

Tom Cloots, Agfa’s director of industrial inkjet, outlined how the company is working to build on its core competencies in specialty chemicals, equipment and service, software, coated films, and sustainability.

Cloots described how Agfa’s acquisition of Inca expanded the breadth of its wide-format printing portfolio, which ranges in speed from 700 to 600,000 sqft/hr. These developments further Agfa’s movement into industrial printing applications, he said, including corrugated, packaging, surface decoration, and leather printing.

Describing the Agfa Inca Onset printer, which made its global debut yesterday, Matt Brooks, products and solutions director for Inca Digital Printers, said, “It’s been a busy time developing and enhancing the product. We’ve seen a lot of interest in the machine.” Among updates to the Onset are new Agfa general purpose inks, which Brooks said provide reliability, performance, and image quality, and a new high-quality mode, printing at 9,900 sqft/hr. “It’s high-quality resolution at speed,” Brooks said.

Brooks also described Agfa’s soon-to-be introduced Speedset 1060, a high-end single pass inkjet device focused on folding carton and corrugated applications. The B1, 40" sized printer will print at roughly 11,000 sph. “We’re making good progress with this,” he said, noting a beta of the machine is expected in 2023.

Discussing Agfa’s move into soft signage and textiles, Mike Horsten, worldwide segment manager, textiles, explained that only 6% of textiles printed today are printed with digital. “The possibilities for growth are huge,” he said. He sees much opportunity in applications such as bed sheets, curtains, and furnishings. Agfa’s new Avinci 110 Dye-Sub ink, he says, allows for direct or transfer printing, gives longer open head time, and holds more efficient transfer properties. About the ink, and the new Avinci CX3200 press, Horsten said, “We listened to the customer and said ‘let’s make it better.’”

Highlighting the benefits of Agfa’s Jeti Tauro J3300 UJS LED inkjet press, Philip van der Auwera, Agfa’s marketing manager, sign and display, said the new unit includes both printing and embellishment, and can produce prints — with varnish — at more than 800 sqft/hr. The varnish can be used to “full flood” the print, which can enhance color gamut, protect the surface, and equalize gloss. “We are adding value to prints.” he said, noting this feature will soon be available on all Jeti Tauro printers.