Apex International (Apex) has announced an enhancement to its global embossing services with the acquisition of the Schepers Digilas5000 laser engraving technology. The company revealed at drupa 2024 that the new technology is operational at its expanded Hapert facility in the Netherlands.
“The business for embossing is growing exponentially,” said Ruud Van Cuijk, CEO of Apex. “With this investment in the latest laser technology, we are able to drive our penetration in new markets and meet the evolving needs of our customers around the world.”
The Schepers Digilas5000 enables Apex to produce embossing rollers up to 600mm in diameter and 3.4 meters in length. “Importantly, it can also engrave material from copper to steel, ensuring we can meet any customer’s particular needs,” added Van Cuijk. “Embossing delivers a totally uniform pattern and with the incredible throughput speed afforded by such a large diameter roller, it delivers huge efficiency gains to our customers.”
Schepers CEO Carlo Schepers expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. “The deal we have agreed here is a partnership,” he said. “We have the same goals and the same approach to business as Apex, and we see our future in anilox, so this is a perfect example of how we can all benefit from working together.”
Schepers emphasized the importance of not just the technology, but its application. “Both Apex and its customers will continue to benefit in terms of our strong knowledge and as we implement updates to the technology,” he said. “We don’t just drop off a machine and leave a customer to get on with it – we work together to build up the knowledge and ensure they are getting the most from their investment.”
Apex, a global leader in anilox rollers and print maintenance solutions, has become a new global leader in the embossing industry through multiple acquisitions and ongoing investments in cutting-edge technologies.
“This latest investment in bespoke technology illustrates our commitment to embossing,” added Van Cuijk. “Following the success of the Hapert installation, we will look to roll this offering out to our other manufacturing plants across the globe.”