Société De Thermométrie Industrielle Et De Laboratoire Diversifies Offering with VersaUV Flatbed Solution

STIL

STIL (Société de Thermométrie Industrielle et de Laboratoire) is a French business specialising in the manufacture of thermometers and barometers for laboratories, childcare, mouth care, agriculture, and gardening. In recent years, the company has expanded to include rain meters, density meters, CO2 detectors, weather stations and balances to become a real reference in France and Europe.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, company president, Gérard Lux, decided to strengthen the relocation of its production to France. In order to diversify and consolidate the added value of the offer, the company acquired a VersaUV LEC2 S-Series flatbed UV printer.

Gérard Lux in front of Roland DG – LEC2-330S F200
Gérard Lux in front of Roland DG – LEC2-330S F200

 

The Possibilities Are Endless

One of the key strengths of this UV print solution is its ability to deliver high-quality graphics on a virtually unlimited range of substrates (glass, metal, plastic, cardboard, wood, enamelled sheet, vinyl, etc.).

Examples of direct printing on thermometers
Examples of direct printing on thermometers

 

Featuring ECO-UV EUV5 ink for optimum print quality, the LEC2 S-Series creates prints with stunning detail and colour accuracy. The combination of EUV5 CMYK, Orange and Red inks included with the printing machine delivers exceptional quality pigments, especially on gradients and colour nuances.

"For us, the choice of Roland DG was obvious. The LEC2 S-Series combines production excellence with the wide variety of possible applications on a surface up to 20 cm thick.  This printer met 95% of our production criteria, both in terms of size and thickness and we knew the machine could be used for a wide range of print materials: glass, wood, plastic, metal, etc. says Lux.

Example of direct printing on decorative glass barometer
Example of direct printing on decorative glass barometer

 

Towards New Applications and Markets… 

For Gérard Lux, this investment allows him, on the one hand, to extend the scope of possible applications and, on the other hand, could facilitate him in opening up new markets such as events or advertising, particularly through small-scale production. STIL is no longer limited by a minimum production capacity and can cater for very small print runs that incorporate original designs, which are more interesting than they could have done before. Lux estimates the return on investment will be achieved in less than a year.

“With this acquisition, we had the guarantee to increase the added value of our products while strengthening our capacity to innovate. The Roland DG printer met our expectations perfectly: incorporating technology that would complement our company’s unique know-how and allow us to complete our offering and target new markets.”

Committed to a Made in France production system, invested in the transfer of knowledge between generations, and with a view to continuously renewing its offer while maintaining a high level of quality, STIL managed to combine all these criteria through the installation of the UV printer.

Production and blowing shop
Production and blowing shop

 

"This equipment will enable us to continue the relocation initiated for several years at STIL, a large part of traditional thermometer production can be made in France, which represents up to 500,000 units per year. For some part numbers that require even higher production speeds, we are considering future investments in collaboration with Roland DG.”

To find out more about Roland DG’s VersaUV LEC2 S-Series or see the full range of UV printers, please visit rolanddg.eu.