MPS Printing, which produces narrow web flexo presses, has developed a mid-width 680-mm-wide version of its EF series label presses. This would allow customers to address needs for flexible packaging, lidding, shrink sleeves and laminated applications, as well as wraparound labels.
MPS Systems had already talked about creating a packaging variant of the EF series at the Loupe show – formerly known as LabelExpo – in Barcelona in 2025. But shortly afterwards, MPS Systems went bankrupt. The new company, MPS Printing, rose from the ashes of this with a management-led buyout at the end of 2025.
The company promised at the time that it would invest more in service and would look at the lifecycle development of the product portfolio, which it appears to now be making good on.
The new EF Packaging 680 takes materials up to 680mm from 12 to 250 microns, but with a print width of 670mm. It can produce up to 200 meters a minute and offers a repeat from 12 to 25 inches. It includes a number of standard MPS features, such as automatic mark-to-mark register setting and Crisp.Dot, which uses a rubber-coated counter-pressure roller to improve image quality.
The press uses MPS’ lightweight aluminum eSleeves and fast-change ink chambers for fast job changeovers. There are several optional modules available, including rotogravure and solvent-based flexo units that can be used to add white, metallics, or other special coatings, as well as single-pass laminating modules.
The company already offers the EXL platform in the 680mm width, which has been around for over 15 years. Richard Miedema, commercial director for MPS Printing, told me, “Both products will still be part of our portfolio, however, positioned a bit differently. The EXL offers more versatility in terms of material specification, such as for thicker board applications, and is designed to run at very high speed. But this compromised the ease of use during setup and changeovers.”
He continued, “The EF is really designed for short run – quick turnaround work and can be changed over much quicker and easier, therefore more suitable for the flexpack market segment. However, its spec is limited to film, aluminum, and self-adhesive materials only.”
For reference, the standard EF presses are available in a choice of 340, 430, 530, and 580mm widths, also running at 200 meters a minute but with a wider range of substrates from 15 to 450 microns. As such, this mirrors the overall trend for narrow web flexo presses to move to wider widths to take on more packaging print work, particularly pouch making.
The new EF Packaging 680 is already available, but MPS is holding off on taking more orders until the first one is up and running. You can find further details from mps-printing.com.
