31 Jan 2024

IMAGINE acquires high-speed EFI Nozomi Press

IMAGINE acquires high-speed EFI Nozomi Press.

IMAGINE and Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (Nasdaq: EFII) are pleased to announce the addition of a new EFI Nozomi C18000 single-pass inkjet press to IMAGINE’s expansive lineup of print technology.

The new press will bring exciting new capabilities and enhance speed-to-market efficiencies for the wide range of applications and visual communications solutions produced by IMAGINE.

“We are excited to add the Nozomi’s impressive technology to our production fleet,” commented Mark Popp, VP of Manufacturing at IMAGINE. “IMAGINE is continuing to invest in industry-leading innovation as we further our mission to create impactful brand experiences and drive consumer outcomes.”

The award-winning Nozomi press platform has quickly become one of the world’s leading ultra-high-speed digital press technologies for high-quality graphic corrugated board printing. The 71-inch-wide press prints at speeds up to 75 meters per minute—equivalent to 1,800 50” x 100” sheets per hour—providing a level of digital productivity unmatched in the industry. IMAGINE is working in partnership with EFI to establish new capabilities for the press to further enhance its output.

“The Nozomi line has an impressive record of delivering high-impact, high-quality results, and we are excited for the opportunity to broaden its capabilities in support of our business and the needs of our customers,” remarked Michael Moore, Chief Customer Officer at IMAGINE.

The Nozomi C18000 is also expected to create tremendous efficiencies in rigid-board display production for IMAGINE and its customers by transitioning to direct-to-board digital printing and away from litho-laminate mounting of analog offset-printed sheets.

“The Nozomi C18000 is truly a game-changer,” stated Mark Popp. “Not only will this digital press offer speed-to-market efficiencies using single-pass technology, but graphically rich jobs will have litho-like quality.”

As one of North America’s leading print providers, IMAGINE does a sizable volume of corrugated board printing. When evaluating the latest single-pass digital production platforms, the company was looking for a press that could execute that work and more. The high-end print quality and high-productivity capabilities of the Nozomi will provide IMAGINE with another industry-leading technology that delivers impactful visual marketing to its retail and CPG clients.

“IMAGINE is an innovative leader in our industry, and we are excited to partner with them on this next phase of growth across so many of their key print applications,” said Frank Mallozzi, Chief Revenue Officer at EFI. “The new Nozomi capabilities coming to IMAGINE speak to the tremendous potential that single-pass inkjet has to re-shape and re-define digital’s essential and central role in the future of print.”

IMAGINE purchased its EFI Nozomi press in 2018. The press is being installed on site at the company’s Shakopee, Minn., facility this month, with testing planned throughout May and full operation targeted in late June 2019.