中文Etiquetas Rocafer, based in Seville, Spain, has become the first company in Europe to install a Spande press, taking on a model S5 for self-adhesive labels. The installation, supplied through Grupo Impryma, marks the opening move in Spande’s step-by-step expansion into the European market and signals fresh competition in the mid-range flexographic press segment.
Founded in 1963 in Mairena del Aljarafe near Seville, Etiquetas Rocafer was the first company in Andalusia to print self-adhesive labels using continuous technology. Now led by the second generation of the Barbera family, the converter serves a diverse client base that includes wineries in Jerez and Cadiz, food manufacturers, logistics companies and dermocosmetics producers. That mix of demanding, design-led customers makes it a fitting debut site for a new press brand.
The company chose the Spande press for two design features it considered fundamental: a high level of automation that guarantees fast setup with high-quality registration and print quality, and an ergonomic design focused on the operator. For a family business competing against larger groups, the ability to change jobs quickly and consistently is a direct commercial advantage.
Felix Prieto, CEO and general manager of Grupo Impryma, expressed gratitude for the trust placed in the new brand. “It is not easy to launch a new brand in a market unless that brand has a significant competitive edge over other manufacturers,” he said, arguing that Spande’s flexographic expertise and competitive positioning earned it the partnership. Impryma was appointed Spande’s partner for its European expansion.
The Rocafer installation is only the beginning of a broader rollout. A Spande S5 demo machine is due to be installed in Madrid within about a month, with a further installation planned for Budapest afterward. That sequence, Iberian Peninsula first, then Central Europe, reflects a deliberate, measured approach to building reference sites before aggressive scaling.
For the European label market, Spande’s arrival adds a new option in a segment long dominated by established flexo names. Converters weighing capital investments will welcome additional choice, particularly when a newcomer leads with automation and operator ergonomics rather than simply undercutting on price. The early references, starting with a respected Andalusian converter, are critical to credibility.
Etiquetas Rocafer’s decision also illustrates a persistent trend: family-owned converters modernizing through selective, high-impact capital investment. Rather than chasing every new technology, the Barbera family targeted a press that would tighten setup times and elevate quality on the accounts that matter most.
The Spande S5’s emphasis on registration and print quality speaks to the realities of self-adhesive label production, where color consistency and precise die alignment separate premium converters from commodity shops. For wine, food and dermocosmetics clients, those attributes are not negotiable.
As Spande builds its European footprint, the next test will be service and support infrastructure. A press is only as good as the local partner behind it, and Impryma’s appointment suggests Spande understands that. The Madrid demo site will be a proving ground for both the machine and the support model.
For now, Etiquetas Rocafer holds a first-mover distinction that resonates with its heritage of regional pioneering. Six decades after becoming Andalusia’s first continuous self-adhesive label printer, it is once again first, this time as the launchpad for a new flexo brand in Europe.
Source: Labels & Labeling (https://www.labelsandlabeling.com/news/conventional-printing/etiquetas-rocafer-first-europe-spande-press)
The choice of Spain as the European beachhead is no accident. The Iberian label market is sophisticated, with strong wine, food and cosmetics sectors that demand high-quality self-adhesive labels and a converter base receptive to new technology. A successful Rocafer reference there lends credibility as Spande pushes into France, Germany and beyond.
For Impryma, the appointment as Spande’s European partner is a strategic coup. Representing a fresh flexo brand with automation at its core lets Impryma differentiate from distributors tied to established, slower-moving manufacturers. The Madrid demo site will be the proving ground where skeptical buyers can see the S5 perform against familiar alternatives.
Ultimately, Rocafer’s first-mover status benefits both parties. The converter gains a marketing edge as the pioneering Spande site in Europe, while Spande gains a credible anchor reference. In capital-equipment markets, the first visible installation often sets the tone for everything that follows.
Spande’s European ambitions also highlight the enduring vitality of the flexographic press market. Despite years of digital hype, flexo remains the workhorse for self-adhesive labels, and automation is where the segment continues to innovate. A newcomer leading with servo-driven setup and ergonomics shows that the incumbents cannot rest on reputation alone.
For Rocafer, the investment is as much about the next generation as the present. As the Barbera family steers the company into its seventh decade, modern equipment helps attract younger operators who expect intuitive, connected machinery. That human dimension may prove as valuable as the press specs in securing the converter’s future.
In the end, Rocafer’s pioneering installation is a win on multiple levels. The converter secures a productivity edge, Impryma launches a flagship European brand, and Spande gains a credible anchor reference. As the Madrid and Budapest demos follow, the European label market will be watching closely to see whether this new entrant can convert first-mover momentum into lasting share.
