Over 850 visitors from all over the world attended the Gallus Innovation Days 2016 from the 20th to 22nd September at the Gallus Ferd. Rüesch AG headquarters in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The main focal points of this three-day showcase – the second event of its kind – were the world premiere of the new Gallus Labelmaster machine platform for label and packaging printing, the 2016 highlights from the company’s machinery and service portfolio, and the ranges of printing accessories and Gallus Screeny screen printing plates.

The new Gallus Labelmaster for label printing thus builds on the successful, tried-and-tested design principle of Speedmaster offset printing presses from Heidelberg. The Gallus Labelmaster augments the existing digital label printing portfolio, also developed in collaboration with Heidelberg and based on the Gallus Labelfire 340.

The new Gallus Labelmaster conventional label press platform that was making its world debut impressed the numerous visitors with its unprecedented printing speed, exceptionally fast job changes, easy operation and absolute register accuracy across all speeds. “A printing speed of 200 metres per minute at present and a web width of 440 millimetres make the Gallus Labelmaster the fastest label press the company has ever built,” stated Klaus Bachstein, CEO of the Gallus Group. “Initial orders have already been placed and deliveries will start as early as the second quarter of 2017,” he added.

In a live demonstration, the Gallus operators showcased the machine’s extremely user-friendly operation and absolute register accuracy. Three print jobs, each with 300 metres of saleable labels, were completed one after the other in the space of just nine minutes on the Gallus Labelmaster equipped with eight flexographic printing units. This included changing printing cylinders with format lengths of 15", 25" and 8" and building up to the maximum machine speed each time.

According to the new platform system, the Gallus Labelmaster is made up of modules each comprising two printing units. These modules are available in three different variants. The basic variant already covers all the essential label printing standards, while the Plus version offers enhanced flexibility and the Advanced version can meet virtually any requirement and be configured to include as much or as little automation as necessary. By opting for this modular system, Gallus is ensuring that label printers can satisfy prevailing market requirements and always remain fit for the future – all for a level of investment that would previously have been inconceivable for premium products.

As on the previous occasion, other innovations besides the new Gallus Labelmaster drew the numerous visitors from across the globe to the exhibition halls at the Gallus site. To round off the three-day event, 16 Gallus partners demonstrated the prowess of their latest products and services.

Christof Naier, Head of Sales & Marketing at Gallus, remarked: “We’re delighted with the Gallus Innovation Days 2016. The large number of orders placed for items including the Gallus Labelmaster and the high visitor numbers demonstrate the great interest in our new machine platform in the 17-inch segment. Our commitment to new digital printing technologies signifies another important step towards providing the full portfolio our customers require and makes Gallus the only company to offer all printing methods, both conventional and digital, from a single source,” he stressed.