As Russia continues to delay and restrict the exportation of natural gas, Europe faces a growing danger of running short of natural gas stockpiles in the middle of peak winter demand. The recent announcement of the complete and indefinite shutdown of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline heightens the concern around this energy crisis and the risk it poses to the wellbeing of the European economy that’s of major concern to the print industry.
With uncertainty mounting and the potential for mandatory rationing ahead, proactive European printers are racing to sever their dependence upon gas dryers by converting to LED-UV curing on their web presses to avert the risk of being unable to print.
Converting web presses to LED-UV curing is an immediate action European printers are taking not only to end their reliance on gas for the short term, but also for long-term quality, productivity, and environmental benefits that make the investment worthwhile.
Baldwin Technology reports that it has had an influx of requests for such retrofits and has been installing them at a record pace for a growing number of customers as severe disruptions this winter and beyond are a reality.
Click here to watch a podcast on the pressing energy crisis, featuring Thomas Torp, head of the Federation of Printers in Denmark (Grakom); Christian Sager of Druckerei Kyburz AG, a pioneering printer that made the conversion to LED UV on its web press; and Baldwin LED UV expert Jonathan Fore.
Additionally, the EU is providing funds to support industry investments in non-gas alternatives, which will help make conversions more affordable and hasten the pace of installations.
“European printers need an immediate solution. Presses with gas dryers are vulnerable to the crisis, and printers need a partner they can trust for converting to LED-UV,” said Carsten Barlebo, Baldwin’s AMS Spectral UV sales leader for Europe. “We have walked more web offset printers through LED conversions than all other companies combined, so Baldwin is that partner. “
Eliminating Gas Reliance
LED-UV-on-web offset retrofits have been gaining traction among printers in the years since the concept’s relatively recent inception. Early adopters have invested in the technology for a better, more targeted cure yielding higher print quality and more consistent drying results.
Converting to LED UV is also the clear choice for the environment, with a significantly smaller carbon footprint through far less energy consumption used in the process.
With LED-UV, only around 28 kW/h is needed to cure a 1,000mm-wide web at full production speed, which results in a minimum of 70% less energy consumption versus a heat dryer so even if availability is not an issue, cost should be. These savings not only align with printers’ increasing implementation of sustainability objectives but also with the acceleration of mandatory carbon footprint reduction regulation, which is especially pronounced in Europe but also trending globally. Additionally, LED-UV curing is compliant with Europe’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) standards by eliminating mercury and ozone.
Mounting Crisis
The Nord Stream 1 pipeline is a major delivery route to Europe for Russian gas, accounting for around a third of all Russian gas exports to Europe. “The indefinite closure of the pipeline is an escalation that threatens more economic turmoil,” Fortune reported on September 2. “With prices four times higher than a year ago, the gas crisis is already forcing shutdowns in European industry and undermining the Euro.”
European leaders have already taken steps to limit the impact of a halt in the gas supply, and are continuing to plan for how an extreme shortage and rationing of gas supplies would impact their countries.
“On Sunday, the German government announced a €65 billion ($64 billion) relief package to help households and companies cope as inflation soars,” CNN reported on September 5. “Together with previous measures, that brings the total amount of government support to €95 billion ($64 billion), equivalent to about 2.5% of German GDP.”
In case of a severe gas shortage, the industry will be cut off first before consumers and essential services like schools and hospitals, amplifying the need for printers to proactively plan for an alternate source of energy to dry their inks or risk being incapacitated.
“Baldwin understands the gravity of the European gas crisis because our employees and their families live in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, Holland, and Sweden,” concluded Jonathan Fore, commercial lead for Baldwin’s AMS Spectral UV segment. “The print industry is hardly the only one affected by this situation, but if your livelihood depends on your ability to dry what you print, you can depend on us to help you convert to LED. We can make sure your press, at least, isn’t dependent on the availability of gas.”
For more information, visit baldwintech.com.
ABOUT BALDWIN TECHNOLOGY COMPANY INC.
Baldwin Technology Company Inc. is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of innovative process-automation equipment, parts, service, and consumables for the printing, packaging, textile, plastic film extrusion, and corrugated industries. As a total solutions provider, Baldwin offers our customers a broad range of market-leading technologies, with a focus on improving the economic and environmental efficiency of production processes. Through a global footprint of 21 company-owned locations and an extensive network of partners, our customers are supported globally, regionally, and locally by dedicated sales and service team members who add value by forming long-term relationships. Baldwin is privately owned by BW Forsyth Partners, a Barry-Wehmiller company. For more, visit baldwintech.com.
ABOUT BW FORSYTH PARTNERS
BW Forsyth Partners is the investment arm of multibillion-dollar global manufacturing and engineering consulting firm Barry-Wehmiller. Established in 2009, BW Forsyth Partners blends Barry-Wehmiller’s unparalleled legacy of value creation and people-centric culture development with keen investing experience to help companies realize their true potential. With a focus limited to areas known well, BW Forsyth Partners seeks to partner with leadership teams to acquire small- to middle-market companies in the capital and component equipment, and professional services sectors. In each of our operating companies, BW Forsyth Partners deploys operational improvements and strategy development without compromising the autonomy, strategic vision, and entrepreneurial spirit of their leadership teams. For more information, visit bwforsyth.com.