Mark Andy Retrofit, Flexo Press Upgrade, Air-Cooled UV, Narrow Web Flexo Mexico, EXPOGRÁFICA 2026, VTECH.CO.LTD.GUANGZHOU
During our technical exchanges at EXPOGRÁFICA 2026 in Guadalajara, one specific topic dominated our conversations with Mexican label manufacturers: How to breathe new life into existing narrow-web flexo presses without massive capital expenditure.
In Mexico’s bustling packaging sector, heavy-duty workhorses like Mark Andy presses (including the widely utilized Mark Andy 2200 and Performance series) are the backbone of label production. However, as production speeds increase and older UV curing systems degrade, print shops face a critical bottleneck.
The most practical, cost-effective solution? Upgrading these legacy presses with high-performance Air-Cooled UV Mercury Systems.
Here is why retrofitting Mark Andy presses with air-cooled technology is currently the smartest move for Mexican printers looking to optimize their ROI.
The Perfect Synergy: Mark Andy Layouts & Air-Cooled UV Hardware
Mark Andy narrow-web presses are celebrated for their robust mechanical design, ease of operation, and high-speed registration. When planning a UV curing upgrade, maintaining this structural integrity is paramount.
1. Seamless, Unobstructed Integration
VTECH’s air-cooled UV cassettes are engineered to fit precisely into the compact print station configurations of Mark Andy lines. Our plug-and-play mechanical housing ensures that the installation is completely unobstructed, requiring zero major structural modifications to your existing press framework.
2. Eliminating the Weight & Complexity of Water Systems
Traditional water-cooled retrofits require heavy internal piping, chillers, and continuous water-quality maintenance—which can complicate the agile footprint of a narrow-web shop.
-
The Air-Cooled Advantage: By utilizing high-velocity air extraction, our system eliminates the chiller overhead entirely. This significantly lowers both the initial purchase price and the ongoing maintenance costs, delivering an exceptionally fast payback period.
3. High-Intensity Curing for High-Speed Labels
Mexican label converters frequently run demanding UV varnishes and heavy ink laydowns on pressure-sensitive labels and tag stocks. Our advanced mercury arc technology provides the precise spectrum needed to guarantee total curing, eliminating wet-ink smearing and maximizing adhesion even when the Mark Andy press is running at its top rated speeds.
VTECH’s Heavy-Duty Retrofit Kits: Engineered for Long-Term Reliability
At VTECH, we specialize in manufacturing industrial-grade UV hardware that turns older machinery into high-efficiency profit centers. Our Mark Andy-compatible air-cooled UV upgrade packages feature:
-
Precision-Engineered Shutter Structures: Pneumatically controlled shutters open and close instantly in sync with the press status, preventing substrate burning during setup or temporary machine stops.
-
Optimized Thermal Management: Specially designed reflectors focus maximum UV energy onto the web while efficiently channeling ambient heat away from the sensitive press rollers.
-
Turnkey Engineering Support: We supply comprehensive wiring schematics and mechanical interface brackets designed to match standard Mark Andy station dimensions.
Maximize Your Press Value Today
If your Mark Andy flexo press is mechanically sound but held back by inconsistent curing, weak lamp output, or frequent downtime from obsolete UV parts, a hardware retrofit is your most profitable path forward.
As we wrap up an incredible week at EXPOGRÁFICA 2026, the VTECH engineering team is ready to help Mexican printers upgrade their capabilities.
0 comments