A new chapter in the shared innovation story of Kemtek and Ren-Flex.
A first for Africa
Digital printing is a game-changing technology, and it’s one that South African converter and flexible packaging specialists Ren-Flex have been quick to integrate into their operations. Against this backdrop of advancing technology, the HP Indigo 200K digital printing press stands out as a true milestone.
As the sole distributor for HP Indigo in southern Africa, Kemtek has the privilege of seeing how HP Indigo digital presses are creating new opportunities for South African firms, and enabling them to attract new work that might otherwise have gone to overseas firms.
With the installation of Africa’s first HP Indigo 200K, Kemtek customer Ren-Flex has transformed not just their workflows, but the way that printshops and their clients see digital printing. Until now, this technology had largely been seen as a solution to the technical and financial challenges associated with short runs; now that their 200K has been successfully commissioned, Ren-Flex are firmly in the vanguard of the movement towards a new business model for commercial printers.
Thinking about digital printing – differently
As explained by Kemtek’s Business Development Executive, Wendy McLoughlin, the HP Indigo 200K is a true game-changer, and has fundamentally shifted the way that digital presses are regarded. The technological enhancements that HP Indigo has introduced in their latest printing press has dramatically and decisively expanded the potential role of digital printing presses to include much longer print runs. Digital presses are now part of every workflow conversation – whenever a decision needs to be made about the most efficient and cost-effective approach to any printing job, digital printing is now absolutely an option.
with Africa’s first HP Indigo 200K digital press. (Image credit: Packaging and Print Media)
Introducing the Indigo HP 200K
Ren-Flex, in partnership with Kemtek, drew up a demanding list of requirements for their ideal digital printing press. They were looking to expand their flexible packaging operation and their customer offering and crucially, this had to be in ways that could be easily integrated into their existing operations.
The compact footprint of the HP Indigo 200K and the skilled assistance of Kemtek’s factory-trained technicians meant that the physical installation and commissioning of the new press was an entirely seamless process.
Almost immediately, the Ren-Flex team led by CEO, Dwayne du Sart, began to fully appreciate the advantages of their new press. They have been most struck by the quantifiable increases in productivity that the 200K has enabled: in terms of output, speed (up to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 56 m/s), minimal downtime between jobs and automated processes such as colour matching, the HP Indigo 200K means that the Ren-Flex team can now consistently exceed their own, already high productivity standards.
Ren-Flex’s sustainability credentials are literally on show at their premises, with over 70 solar panels installed on the roof. The selection of the HP Indigo 200K as their latest digital printing press is entirely in keeping with this philosophy as it delivers faster initialisation and greater agility between jobs, leading to reduced waste on every task. Plus, its consistent quality and colour-matching abilities mean that even the highest client specifications can be achieved immediately, with zero errors and zero repeat prints.
Azzarn Kirsten and Andre Walburgh. (Image credit: Packaging and Print Media)
The business case for the 200K
Enhanced automation, increased efficiency and reduced downtime add up to greater output, even when compared to earlier HP Indigo digital printing presses. This means that the HP Indigo 200K is more economical for print runs of any length, while its gravure-matching quality is already delighting customers and helping Ren-Flex to secure more work.
Through consistent investment in the latest digital printing technology, Ren-Flex has continued to demonstrate that packaging innovation and diversification are alive and well in South Africa. This matters to Dwayne du Sart and the Ren-Flex team: they describe themselves as a proudly South African company, and their excellence in all areas boosts client confidence and raises the profile of the print converter industry across the country.
With the availability of new materials helping to make flexible packaging a more easily recyclable and environmentally conscious choice for brands, Ren-Flex and their technology partner Kemtek are continuing to reframe the conversation around digital printing, and to reimagine the art of the possible.
To learn more about HP Indigo digital printing solutions from Kemtek, please contact Wendy McLoughlin at wendyl@kemtek.co.za or call +27 (0)82 417 7188. Alternatively, you can connect with her on LinkedIn here.
You can also learn more about Ren-Flex and Africa’s first installed HP Indigo 200K digital printing press for flexible packaging, including additional insights from the Ren-Flex team, in this must-read PPM article: https://www.packagingmag.co.za/online-magazines/2026online/ppm-july-2026/#flipbook-ppm-july-2026/25/
