Durst (Brixen, Italy), a leading manufacturer of advanced digital printing and production technologies, is now producing community masks in its demo center at its Brixen headquarters in South Tyrol, Italy. The masks are being produced for employees of both the Durst Group and sister company Alupress, and will also be available for other companies. The expertise for the production of the community masks will eventually be made available to interested print service providers worldwide through its technology partners, the OEM added.
“At the beginning of April, our printing technologies for the label and packaging industry were classified as systemically relevant, and we were able to go back into partial operation,” said Christoph Gamper, CEO and co-owner of the Durst Group. “Now, we’ll also use our textile printing and processing systems, which are located in the demo center for customer demonstrations, for the production of community masks. In line with our “pixel-to-output” strategy, production takes place digitally and fully automatically. In a web-printing shop with a specially programmed editor, the masks can be individualized with graphics, images and text. Our workflow software then sends the designed files directly to the printing machine and then the printed material is processed by a cutting system. The announcement of our initiative on social media alone has generated great demand, and print service providers worldwide are adapting our concept and thus Durst technology for their production.”
The masks have a filter membrane that has high-filtration efficiency and excellent air permeability. Each mask has a 3-layer structure, the polyester fleece textile materials are comfortable to wear and washable, and the filter membrane can be disinfected with alcohol and reused. Durst explicitly pointed out that the masks are not personal protective equipment in accordance with VO (E) 2016/425, or a medical device in accordance with Directive 93/42/EEC.
Durst has years of experience with filter systems, as these take on a type of cleaning function in the printing press to filter out micro-particles in the ink supply systems (so that the print heads don’t become clogged and are always ready for use). The filter membrane selected by Durst Development for the community masks was subjected to a detailed and rigorous effectiveness test in Durst’s laboratories, and the company will also have the measured values verified by an independent institute.
VergissMeinNicht (www.vergissmeinnicht.bz.it), a social cooperative in Bruneck that gives young cross-border workers and people with disabilities a place in the workforce, will be partnering will Durst for the processing and assembling of the masks. Under the slogan Appreciation and Added Value, the specialized sewing service assembles and completes the community masks in a protected environment that also focuses on sustainability for packaging. For larger quantities or inquiries about pixel-to-output software and hardware solutions for production, please contact protection@durst-group.com. For further information on the Durst community masks initiative, please visit www.durst-group.com/masks.
Durst now producing community masks at its Italy headquarters
