USER REPORT - Hoshiyu Corporation Hoshiyu Corporation 7-8 Yoshida Toeicho, Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture Mr. Kenji Ebizuka, President Pioneering the future of packaging with the RMGT 1060LX Employing an integrated system from planning and design to production and shipping, Hoshiyu Corporation is a long-established company in Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture, that creates packages based on the concept of “The box is the product.” The RMGT 1060LX-7+CC+LED-UV B1-size offset press that Hoshiyu purchased in December 2024 represents the company’s commitment to the future of the packaging market. Overcoming three hurdles to meet future challenges. Founded in 1957, Hoshiyu Corporation, started out as a vendor of metal polishing cloths, later venturing into the production of shipping cartons for dinnerware, and today focuses on “packaging as a communications tool for connecting things and people.” To develop packaging that best expresses a product ’s appeal, the company concentrates on high-value-added surface treatments such as velvet varnish coating, chemical embossing, and foil stamping. One of Hoshiyu’s strengths is that they are able to produce each individual box from s tar t to f inish, including printing , sur f ac e treatment , inte rl e av ing , di e - c u t ting , gluing, and window pasting. Hoshiyu cites three main reasons for selecting the 1060LX. First, their existing presses were aging. Improving the efficiency of their equipment, which the company had been using for up to 19 years, was an urgent issue. Second was the rising cost of electricity. It was essential to replace their existing high-power-consumption equipment. And third, they wanted to meet new challenges. Having earned a reputation for their high-value -added package Development of various unique products products, Hoshiyu decided that they needed to take on the challenge of new technology to make the next leap forward. President Ebizuka said, “We are confident that this investment will lay the foundation for our future growth.” Further advancing varnish processing with the introduction of 1060LX-7 The newly introduced machine is a seven-color press with a varnish coater, so they can easily handle most printing work, including process + special color + varnish, chemical embossing, and velvet varnish. The addition of a 7-color press has opened up new possibilities, such as 6-color + OP varnish in addition to conventional UV varnish and water-based clear coat, and it has become easier to perform spot varnishing. Hoshiyu’s high level of varnishing expertise is evidenced by their use of anilox rollers for fine matte finishes and rough finishes, with a lot of unevenness when performing chemical embossing, and in their expertise in applying a thin coat for velvet varnish. Installation of an anilox roller replacement device has eliminated the labor required for replacing the rollers and reduced operator burden. Manager Hirose commented, ”One of our strengths is our expertise in press settings and material selection, which enables us to control the texture.” non-stop feeder has significantly reduced the burden on operators. This enables production consistency regardless of differences in operator expertise, resulting in improved work efficiency and quality. General Manager of Manufacturing Dept. Kurotori said, “Looking ahead, we are thinking of taking on challenges in new areas, such as G flutes and printing on thin substrates. We’re also looking to optimize personnel allocation by taking advantage of the labor-saving functions of the 1060LX and accelerating the operator training cycle.” unique characteristics of the company while strengthening the ability to cope with the growing demand for high quality and the need for systemization. As efficiency continues to improve, operators are being encouraged to use the time saved to come up with new ideas and innovations. Hoshiyu Corporation’s purchase of the 1 0 6 0 L X r e p r e s e n t s t h e c o m p a ny ’s long-term commitment to the creation of new value through technological innovation and human resource development. Benefits of automation and labor saving devices Color stability from the start of printing has markedly improved, and once color matching is performed, a high level of stability can be maintained. Installation of a Simul Changer Parallel system for automatic plate changing has shortened makeready time, greatly improving overall productivity. Moreover, installation of an automatic Anilox roller changer Utilizing new technologies and developing human resources Hoshiyu aims to promote “ambidexterity i n m an a g e m e n t ” to e m p h a s i z e t h e Automatic non-stop feeder Left : Mr. Hirose, Manager of Manufacturing Dept. Right : Mr. Kurotori, General Manager of