Label Link’s Journey to Digital Label Printing

Established in 2003, Label Link has been a key player in Cape Town’s wholesale label printing market, serving resellers primarily in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. They specialise in producing labels for fruit, spices, and other food ingredients packaging, with an annual turnover approaching R80 million. Their innovative management and reliable investments have resulted in consistent growth, necessitating an urgent need to expand printing production capacity.

In 2018, Label Link took a significant step towards modernising its operations by partnering with ROTOCON to acquire a SCREEN Truepress JET L350UV+ inkjet press and a ROTOCON ECOLINE RDF 340 finishing machine. This investment marked the company’s initial foray into digital production, laying the foundation for Label Link’s digital future.

Inkjet Flexibility and Efficiency
“We focus primarily on short-run label production, explains Wiaan Stemmet, owner of Label Link. “While flexo still remains a big part of our business, we’ve found that for limited, efficient and accurate label printing, digital makes a lot more financial sense.’

The increasing focus on short-run label production prompted Label Link to shift its workflow further towards digital in 2023 with a second SCREEN inkjet press. “We realised that our capacity could only meet our increasing demand by investing in the latest and best technology.” Compared to analogue printing, digital inkjet’s on-demand printing functionality eliminates minimum order quantity (MOQ) while reducing ink and substrate set-up waste, perfect for precise short-run label orders.

The new Truepress LABEL 350UV SAI-S press has also been transformative for Label Link’s productivity. “What I love most about this machine is its flexibility and automation features,” Wiaan remarks. With EQUIOS, SCREEN’s proprietary workflow management software and seamless integration with finishing equipment enables multiple jobs to be run on the same printed reel, all while running at print speeds up to 60m/min.

With these and many more processes automated, operators will be free to begin working on the next printing job sooner, streamlining the production process to improve lead times and productivity, with Wiaan commenting, “With this press, everything is instantaneous.”

A Partnership Forged in Trust and Expertise
Label Link’s success has been significantly bolstered by its partnership with ROTOCON under the guidance of CEO Michael Aengenvoort and Sales Director Pascal Aengenvoort. “Nothing is too much effort for them,” Wiaan enthuses. He shared how their fully trained local technicians have consistently delivered stellar service from installation to training, bringing the “know-how, knowledge, experience, and expertise” needed to make the transition to digital printing seamless.

“They’re more than just a machine supplier. I genuinely enjoy working with them because they’re always ready with solutions,” Said Wiaan describing ROTOCON’s commitment to understanding Label Link’s pain points and requirements to provide the best solutions, and since beginning our partnership.

Label Link’s digital transformation journey is a testament to the power of adopting digital inkjet solutions and building strong business relationships. With a steadfast commitment to the latest inkjet innovations and a trusted partnership with ROTOCON, Label Link is set for a future of continued growth and success in the label printing industry.

“I’ve seen my productivity double and my vision for the future includes a complete digital printing division brimming with ROTOCON and SCREEN equipment. I trust them with my business because they deliver.”