Pixartprinting, Italy

Around 1,000 different orders every day. Print runs starting from a single copy. Frequent substrate and format changes. At Pixartprinting, complexity is part of daily production – and managing it efficiently requires a high degree of automation, flexibility and reliability.

With Hunkeler’s GEN8 EVO technology, the company has a finishing solution designed for exactly this environment.

Efficient production, even for a single copy

Books and magazines are an important part of Pixartprinting’s product portfolio, accounting for around 20 to 30 percent depending on the product mix. What makes this production environment particularly demanding is the combination of volume and variety: Orders can start from just one copy.

Producing a single book or magazine efficiently requires a highly automated workflow in which unnecessary waste and manual interventions are minimized.

“One challenge in managing one-copy production is that you cannot have waste,” explains Pixartprinting’s Head of Production. “We need to produce one copy in an efficient and simple way without adding copies.”

With around 1’000 different orders processed every day, Pixartprinting relies on a fully connected digital production environment to manage this complexity efficiently.

GEN8 EVO: Flexibility for a highly dynamic production environment

At the heart of Pixartprinting’s roll-to-stack finishing operation is Hunkeler’s GEN8 EVO solution, operating in a nearline configuration. Reaching speeds of up to 180 meters per minute, the system enables efficient processing of different formats and substrates.

Pixartprinting processes more than ten different substrates, ranging from approximately 100 to 250 g/m², with seven to eight substrate changes on a typical production day.

In this highly dynamic environment, short changeover times and reliable performance are essential to maintaining productivity.

“In terms of performance, speed and reliability, the outcome is in line with our expectations. What we see is that the changeover is really short in terms of time.”

The GEN8 EVO combines speed, versatility and straightforward changeovers, helping Pixartprinting handle frequent job changes while keeping production efficient and consistent.

Automation and partnership driving efficiency

For Pixartprinting, automation goes beyond individual machines. Its production equipment is integrated into a digital workflow that enables efficient processing of highly variable orders with minimal manual intervention.

Reliability and seamless integration are equally important. Pixartprinting follows a multi-vendor strategy, choosing technology partners based on performance, process requirements and shared long-term objectives.

Over the years, the company has built strong partnerships with Hunkeler and Müller Martini, united by a common vision for digitalization and automation.

Sustainability is another important part of this strategy. Since 2018, Pixartprinting has used energy from renewable sources and recycles almost 90 percent of its waste. Efficient, low-waste production processes support the company’s commitment to responsible manufacturing.

Ready for the next level of complexity

Pixartprinting expects its book and magazine business to become even more complex in the future. More sophisticated products, including saddle-stitched and bound products, combined with shorter runs and greater variability, will place additional demands on both printing and finishing.

The objective is clear: create increasingly integrated production processes that minimize production time while maintaining flexibility and reliability.

For Pixartprinting, the Hunkeler GEN8 EVO provides a foundation for taking that next step – today in a flexible nearline roll-to-stack configuration and, potentially, as part of an even more integrated inline production environment in the future.

“Complexity is going to increase. If our vision about digitalization and automation continues to be aligned, I believe that we will work together again.”

For Hunkeler, that shared vision is at the heart of the partnership: developing finishing solutions that turn the growing complexity of digital print production into an automated, efficient and reliable process.