Keypoint Intelligence, a business intelligence and testing provider for the digital imaging and business communications industries, has awarded Tonejet Cyclone with an Outstanding
Innovation Award in Production Print to reflect not just its innovative and unique design but also its environmental value by replacing plastic shrink sleeves and labels.
The Tonejet Cyclone is an environmentally friendly alternative to shrink sleeves and pressure-sensitive labels, a direct-to-shape, fully variable digital can printing system, decorating 60 cans in a minute with the same feel and higher quality than traditionally printed cans.
Headquartered near Royston, Hertfordshire, Tonejet is part of TTP Group, Europe’s leading independent technology development and licensing company. Tonejet can offer industry expertise, bringing together printing systems engineering with printhead physics and ink chemistry under one roof. Tonejet is a digital print technology for packaging decoration and is leading the way in digital printing innovation. Its electrostatic drop-on-demand print head claims to produce cost-effective, high-quality images at high speeds on virtually any substrate type.
“We’re delighted that the Cyclone has been recognized with an Outstanding Innovation award,” comments Rob Day, chief executive officer at Tonejet. “It’s important as it validates our mission to innovate and disrupt the status quo in beverage packaging, enabling craft brewers and global brands alike to realize the benefits of direct digital print productivity and short-run agility, while reducing their overall environmental impact.”
“The Tonejet Cyclone uniquely addresses the booming customized and personalized marketing segment with a system that prints directly onto beverage cans, at a lower cost than traditional decorating methods,” notes Marc Mascara, director, Color Digital Labels and Packaging at Keypoint Intelligence. “Just as importantly, cans produced on the Tonejet Cyclone are 100% recyclable, so there are huge environmental benefits compared to add-on labels or shrink sleeves.” Moreover noted for its unique printhead technology, the Cyclone enables both mass customization and cost-effective short production runs, it said.
Craft beverage producers like BrewBoard in the UK and Worthy Brewing in the USA are already reaping the additional marketing and branding opportunities made possible by direct-to-can printing technology from Tonejet. Tonejet pioneer SoluCan is doing some things for its Canadian and US customers, including Augmented Reality (AR) campaigns. The Cyclone technology is a truly versatile system that will benefit smaller craft beverage producers and larger global brands wanting to capitalize on shorter runs, limited-edition drinks, or marketing campaigns.
Earlier this year, ahead of the event being postponed, the Cyclone was also nominated for the Metpack Innovation in Print award.
