Calhoun, GA—CFL Flooring acquired a Hymmen Jupiter JPT-C print-to-board digital printing line for its U.S. facility.
This move is part of CFL’s longer-term digital printing strategy under which its next-generation rigid core products will be produced digitally. As part of the installation, CFL also signed a digital printing technologies agreement with i4F, which manages Hymmen’s intellectual property licensing.
With 4,500 employees, CFL Flooring is a global-scale business in rigid core manufacturing as well as other hybrid vinyl floor covering solutions. Over the last two years, the company has heavily invested in its state-of-the-art production facility in Calhoun, GA, which is now fully operational.
“CFL has long been committed to its vision of leading flooring innovation,” says Thomas Baert, CFL president and co-founder. “I believe we were the first manufacturer to push rigid core in a massive way. Our aim is to continue to be top of mind with our partners when they think of first-to-market innovations and second-to-none marketing and customer support. Digital printing is the next logical step.”
In addition to the flexibility to produce multiple designs and other production advantages, CFL’s decision to buy the digital printing line was driven by its goal to reduce its carbon footprint and to operate more sustainably. Digital printing eliminates the need for conventional elements, including décor films and plastic wear layers, reducing the total amount of PVC used, as well as plastic waste. It also mitigates the impact of supply chain strains linked to production.
Designed for 24/7 industrial production, the Jupiter JPT-C print-to-board lines deliver intelligent and highly precise register accuracy. This ensures color stability and print quality output while maintaining printing speeds of 25-50 meters (approximately 80 to 160 feet) per minute.
i4F licenses advanced digital printing technologies from many companies, and it offers exclusive access to all Hymmen digital printing technologies in the flooring sector. Digital printing is expected to play a crucial role in the future of new material flooring as it enables unlimited design and embossing-in-register flexibility and can be applied to a wide range of materials. This facilitates faster response times to market demands and trends while reducing material waste, according to Hymmen.
