Virupa increases efficiency with Durst Workflow

Virupa has successfully implemented Durst Workflow alongside the P5 350, achieving remarkable improvements in operational efficiency and automation.

Elwin Bullée, Chief Operations Officer at Virupa, has been through several challenging years with the company. In January 2020, a fire completely destroyed their building in Aalten. However, a temporary location was quickly secured and set up. In early 2021, a serious fall from his mountain bike landed him in the hospital, but he made a full recovery. In 2022, construction began on their new facility in Ulft, which became operational earlier this year.

Despite these setbacks, production continued, thanks in part to the P5 350 and its integrated Durst Workflow software. “We had been considering it since 2019 and had already conducted some tests with the Durst," says Bullée. The decision to go with the P5 350 was driven by its specifications. "Durst was way ahead of the competition, not just in terms of speed but also in technology. The P5 350 was state of the art, the most advanced technology available."

Virupa initially chose the basic software provided by Durst with their machine. However, one of the operators, Jelmer de Vries, highlighted the substantial benefits of upgrading to the extended version with the Production Optimization Tools option. “Jelmer is one of those young tech enthusiasts who wants to understand everything about machines and software,” recalls Elwin Bullée. “He pointed out that the extended software package could significantly optimize our workflow.”

Bullée is now thankful he followed Jelmer’s advice and invested in Durst Workflow. “With this software, we can control everything, including Zünd’s cutting table,” he explains. “The Workflow handles files, formatting, and color management. Previously, we had to manually nest files and arrange them on a plate. Now, we generate an XML file, which is seamlessly read by the Durst Workflow, processed, and automatically arranged on the plate. It’s a game changer for us—we’re able to work much faster now.”

The key advantage of the Durst Workflow is its ability to facilitate seamless cooperation between machines from different manufacturers. "The software includes drivers that can interpret different protocols," explains Pedro Overmeer, Managing Director of Durst Benelux. "For example, when it comes to color matching, our software generates a unique 'fingerprint' for each machine from each manufacturer. This ensures that no matter which press you use, you'll always get the same color gamut. This capability is invaluable when customers demand consistent color accuracy.

Bullée also highlights another often-overlooked benefit of the Durst Workflow: "Using a single software package makes it much easier for operators to learn on their own. It also streamlines our communication with a single vendor for all our production software needs.