Valtim Buys Xeikon 8500 Digital Press for Personalized Membership Cards Business

ITASCA, Ill.—May 6, 2015—Xeikon, an innovator in digital color printing technology, has announced that Valtim Marketing Solutions a Forest, Virginia-based provider of cross-media solutions, has purchased a Xeikon 8500 digital color press to grow its personalized membership cards business.

A family-owned company that was started in 1986, Valtim offers integrated marketing, fulfillment and call center solutions to its customers. Valtim purchased the Xeikon press so that it could produce its CR80 cards more cost-effectively, using variable data digital printing, for its customers—which include major organizations, such as the National Rifle Association and the American Red Cross. The company has also purchased an Autofeeds laminator and diecutter along with the new press.

Valtim's acquisition of the Xeikon press will significantly shorten the production cycle of the CR80 cards. In addition, the company's customers will no longer have to maintain an inventory of blank membership cards in advance of printing. Valtim will be able to produce the cards on demand.

"Our card business is a two-step process—the Xeikon press will enable us to make it a one-step process," said David Baldree, Valtim's director of operations. "Maintaining inventory of cards is a difficult cost proposition for our customers because of the logistics of storage and cash management. All of that will go away with the Xeikon 8500."

Baldree added that the Xeikon press will also take over production of high-volume, variable data postcards, which is currently handled by cut-sheet devices. "We're very excited about some of the new avenues the Xeikon technology will allow us to get into because of its unique capabilities," he noted.

The Xeikon 8500 is the entry-level press of the Xeikon 8000 Series, which is specifically designed for document and commercial printing applications. The press is ideal for a variety of applications, including direct marketing/direct mail, retail signage, posters, banners as well as wallpaper borders and murals. It prints at a top speed of 39-feet-per-minute and can handle monthly duty cycles of up to 5 million letter-size impressions. The press has an imaging width of 19.8" and unlimited imaging length with no frame or sheet size restrictions. It also offers true 1,200 dpi imaging quality.

"We are excited to partner with Valtim as the company grows its on demand, variable data digital printing capabilities," added Todd Blumsack, vice president of sales and marketing, Xeikon America. "The Xeikon 8500 is the perfect choice for improving production and cost efficiencies. We are pleased to be a part of Valtim's continued success."

About Xeikon
Xeikon is an innovator in digital printing technology. The company designs, develops and delivers web-fed digital color presses for labels and packaging applications, document printing, as well as commercial printing. These presses utilize LED-array-based dry toner electrophotography, open workflow software and application-specific toners. As an OEM supplier, Xeikon designs and produces platemakers for newspaper offset printing applications. Xeikon also manufactures basysPrint computer-to-plate (CtP) solutions for the commercial printing market. These proven CtP systems combine the latest exposure techniques with cost-efficient UV plate technology, high-imaging quality and flexibility.

For the flexographic market, Xeikon offers digital platemaking systems under the ThermoFlexX brand name. ThermoFlexX systems provide high resolution plate exposure including screening, color management, as well as workflow management. All the Xeikon solutions are designed with the overarching principles of profitability, quality, flexibility and sustainability in mind. With these guiding principles and a deep, intimate knowledge of its customers, Xeikon continues to be one of the industry's leading innovators of products and solutions.

Source: Xeikon America.