Founded in 1961, the family-owned business has around 400 employees and operates one of the most advanced flexible packaging plants in Europe. Serving a wide range of markets, Delo produces packaging for applications spanning food, hygiene, household and beyond.
With 17 wide-web flexographic printing machines, and two more in the process of being installed, along with extrusion, lamination and slitting departments, Delo is a true powerhouse in conventional printing. But as customer expectations evolve, the business recognised the need for a complementary digital solution capable of handling both short-run and mainstream production volumes.
Bernd Böckmann, Head of Printing Department at Delo, comments: “Short runs are the big game changer at the moment. If customers have jobs that are too small to run viably on flexo, but still demand the same quality, digital is the answer. We belie
ve in digital, not only to reduce the flexo workload, but because it represents a special market in its own right and will increasingly become part of mainstream volume production.”
The ability to deliver packaging at speed is a key advantage: “Sometimes we are in situations where we must deliver in just two weeks,” said Bernd. “Even with our in-house plate production, it is not always possible with flexo. The Jet
Press FP790 helps us meet those deadlines. It increases our productivity and gives us options.”
Delo’s Jet Press FP790 is already being put to work across a variety of packaging sectors. Bernd comments: “Our main focus is to print smaller runs. For example, very small jobs of around 1,000 metres are not an option for flexo. With the FP790, we can deliver these jobs quickly and still maintain the
quality our customers expect. The machine is opening the door for us to take on jobs that previously would have been difficult to manage, while giving us flexibility to balance both traditional and digital production where it makes sense commercially.”
As the second company outside of Japan, and the first in Germany, to invest in the Jet Press FP790, Delo is playing an important role in showing how digital inkjet can complement existing flexible packaging production in Europe. “We see this as part of the next generation of packaging production,” said Bernd. “We have a strong foundation in flexo, and this investment allows us to continue growingwhile also embracing new opportunities in digital.”
Ralf Wilkens, Managing Director at Delo, adds: “The digital press is an additional tool to relieve pressure on our flexo production. Setup time on a flexo press is the same whether you are printing 4,000 metres or 400,000 metres, which is not always viable for small runs. With digital, we can handle those smaller sizes efficiently, while also giving us the flexibility to handle additional volumes where possible, all while continuing to keep our main accounts happy on flexo.”
The company also highlighted how the FP790 supports market changes: “We have quite interesting customers in our portfolio, and they challenge us with job sizes that don’t fit perfectly in our flexo setup. The digital press gives us the option to manage those smaller and mid-sized volumes more
effectively, without losing time or capacity in our main production lines.”
Ralf adds: “We’re seeing a shift in job profiles. Very large runs will remain with flexo, but smaller and more customised runs are becoming increasingly important for digital. The FP790 allows
us to handle those smaller sizes and tack
le a share of the mainstream jobs in a way that makes sense commercially.”
The decision to invest in the FP790 followed discussions with Fujifilm’s packaging team and a visit to Eco Flexibles in the UK. Ralf explains: “The first time we heard about the Jet Press FP790 was when we visited Eco Flexibles and saw the machine in action, and three months later we decided to buy one ourselves.”
Delo was supported by Fujifilm in the sales and installation process. Ralf comments: “I am really satisfied with the support from Fujifilm. They were interested in solving our challenges from the beginning, and the overall support has been excellent.”
Manuel Schrutt, Head of Packaging, Fujifilm EMEA, commented: “We are delighted that Delo, Europe’s largest flexographic printer, has chosen to invest in the Jet Press FP790. Their decision confirms the growing importance of digital inkjet for flexible packaging. With this investment, Delo is strengthening its market leadership, taking on both short-run and mainstream production, while also helping to drive the industry towards greater agility and sustainability.”
