1972 saw the birth of opti-color and the idea to create a fully automatic, reliable viscosity control to effectively process data. At that time, the target of founder Helmut Schultze was the control of ink and lacquers in the flexo and gravure printing process. Until then the typical adjustment for viscosity was by hand-checks with test cups and the manual addition of thinners, so the time was ripe to find the demand and market for modern control elements.
The first zero-series was produced and supplied from a prototype exclusively marketed to gravure printing companies for field tests. The success and the feedback from users were positive: opti-color control systems were born and have been available ever since.
Today, opti-color controls are found as a standard in many areas such as can- and sheet-printing applications, the automobile and supplier industries as well as chemical and food processing applications. Initially, during the ’70s and ’80s the main customers were found in industrial printing businesses. During the ’90s more prospective clients were found. It was astonishing to see the number of possible usages for automatic viscosity control. Even unexpected areas such as foundries and tube-manufacturing enterprises now comprise the numerous customers for opti-color controls.
The product range may have increased, but there is still a clear focus on control and understanding of liquids. opti-color developed special temperature and level controls and also offered customers complete solutions from one stable, including pumps, agitators and stainless-steel tank constructions.
After 50 years, around 20,000 viscosity controls and more than 1000 MCS-sets with combined temperature regulation have been supplied to customers worldwide. Not only are the controls and systems sold to customers on five continents, but customers also expect and get fundamental knowledge and advice about the special behaviour of liquid media during processing.
opti-color is still a family-owned company, today managed by Carsten Schultze. The third generation, Leif Schultze, is also an integral part of the company, so while the future will present new challenges and new ideas, opti-color’s target is to be and to stay up to date!
opti-color is represented in Australia and New Zealand by Nekkorb Solutions
Caption:
UVC universal-control for viscosity and temperature, the central unit for many opti-color systems
