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BRUSSELS, Oct. 16, 2017 (Press Release) -FEFCO, the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers, honoured some of the most innovative and exciting names in packaging with awards in Vienna on October 13.

FEFCO Production Committee, chaired by Marc Van Damme, issued eight awards at the end of the three-day Technical Seminar.

The most prestigious FEFCO award was for Best Innovation, and this year there were two gold winners:

  • BHS, for their new single facer Modul Facer MF-A. FEFCO jury said this offered, “a solution to the ever-increasing complexity on flute changes. The Modul Facer MF-A makes it possible to change flute positions in a very flexible way, without losing all the advantages of the traditional module facer.” BHS’s Thomas Murr collected the prize.
  • BOBST, for their introduction of the online gap control on bundled boxes. The FEFCO jury said Bobst, “was taking the request of our industry seriously to check the gap control on boxes after the counter ejector.” This could help the industry reach the goal of zero defect deliveries. Bobst’s Yves Bletterie picked up the award.

A bronze Innovation Prize went to Fosber, for their new Pro/Care, which the FEFCO jury said was “bringing to our industry a structured, well defined comprehensive approach on collecting and analysing available data.” It was handed to Fosber’s Tim Straker.

The Best Presentation Award, out of some 60 six-minute spotlights delivered during the Vienna seminar, was won by Göpfert, Lena Bördlein collected it for her presentation, ‘Göpfert, the Next Generation’.

The Most Inspiring New FEFCO Member Award went to Elitron, which has moved from a supplier of digital cutting tables for Italian leather to the worldwide corrugated industry. It was handed to Elitron’s Luca Lui.

The Sustainability Award went to Metsa Board, which has invested in a next-generation bio-product paper mill in Finland, proving that businesses can support the goals of the circular economy goal by cutting the carbon footprint of paper production. The award was collected by Metsa Board’s Leena Ylinimie.

Two business leaders who have contributed hugely to the industry were awarded FEFCO’s first ever Lifetime Achievement Awards. One went to BP Agnati’s Renato Rossi, “in recognition of his lifelong commitment to developing the corrugator, enhancing the single facer to process lightweight papers and introducing ‘colder’ corrugators,” according to the jury citation. The other went to Daniel Tatti from Bobst, “for his long-term research and innovation in the field of printing, developing solutions for the Corrugated Industry.”

FEFCO Secretary General Angelika Christ mentioned that “over the last few days I could see overwhelming smiles honouring the efforts of many people that worked hard to make this event a real success.”

FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) represents the interests of the European Corrugated Board Manufacturers. Headquartered in Brussels, FEFCO has 17 Association members, all European national corrugated packaging organisations. The role of the Federation is to investigate economic, financial, technical and marketing issues of interest to the corrugated packaging Industry, to analyse all factors which may influence the industry, and to promote and develop its image.

Europe’s corrugated industry in Europe makes about 43.4 billion square metres of board per year, enough to cover Denmark. It has 412 companies, 701 plants and accounts for 91,100 jobs. Corrugated is already a complete, high-performance material design, and delivery system, with thousands of possible combinations of board types, depth, weight, adhesives, and coatings. The average box today is more than 5% lighter than 15 years ago and contains around 7% more recycled material.

FEFCO presents eight awards at its Technical Seminar in Vienna, Austria

Posted in: Packaging Technology 10/16/2017 - 12:09

BRUSSELS, Oct. 16, 2017 (Press Release) -FEFCO, the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers, honoured some of the most innovative and exciting names in packaging with awards in Vienna on October 13.

FEFCO Production Committee, chaired by Marc Van Damme, issued eight awards at the end of the three-day Technical Seminar.

The most prestigious FEFCO award was for Best Innovation, and this year there were two gold winners:

  • BHS, for their new single facer Modul Facer MF-A. FEFCO jury said this offered, “a solution to the ever-increasing complexity on flute changes. The Modul Facer MF-A makes it possible to change flute positions in a very flexible way, without losing all the advantages of the traditional module facer.” BHS’s Thomas Murr collected the prize.
  • BOBST, for their introduction of the online gap control on bundled boxes. The FEFCO jury said Bobst, “was taking the request of our industry seriously to check the gap control on boxes after the counter ejector.” This could help the industry reach the goal of zero defect deliveries. Bobst’s Yves Bletterie picked up the award.

A bronze Innovation Prize went to Fosber, for their new Pro/Care, which the FEFCO jury said was “bringing to our industry a structured, well defined comprehensive approach on collecting and analysing available data.” It was handed to Fosber’s Tim Straker.

The Best Presentation Award, out of some 60 six-minute spotlights delivered during the Vienna seminar, was won by Göpfert, Lena Bördlein collected it for her presentation, ‘Göpfert, the Next Generation’.

The Most Inspiring New FEFCO Member Award went to Elitron, which has moved from a supplier of digital cutting tables for Italian leather to the worldwide corrugated industry. It was handed to Elitron’s Luca Lui.

The Sustainability Award went to Metsa Board, which has invested in a next-generation bio-product paper mill in Finland, proving that businesses can support the goals of the circular economy goal by cutting the carbon footprint of paper production. The award was collected by Metsa Board’s Leena Ylinimie.

Two business leaders who have contributed hugely to the industry were awarded FEFCO’s first ever Lifetime Achievement Awards. One went to BP Agnati’s Renato Rossi, “in recognition of his lifelong commitment to developing the corrugator, enhancing the single facer to process lightweight papers and introducing ‘colder’ corrugators,” according to the jury citation. The other went to Daniel Tatti from Bobst, “for his long-term research and innovation in the field of printing, developing solutions for the Corrugated Industry.”

FEFCO Secretary General Angelika Christ mentioned that “over the last few days I could see overwhelming smiles honouring the efforts of many people that worked hard to make this event a real success.”

FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) represents the interests of the European Corrugated Board Manufacturers. Headquartered in Brussels, FEFCO has 17 Association members, all European national corrugated packaging organisations. The role of the Federation is to investigate economic, financial, technical and marketing issues of interest to the corrugated packaging Industry, to analyse all factors which may influence the industry, and to promote and develop its image.

Europe’s corrugated industry in Europe makes about 43.4 billion square metres of board per year, enough to cover Denmark. It has 412 companies, 701 plants and accounts for 91,100 jobs. Corrugated is already a complete, high-performance material design, and delivery system, with thousands of possible combinations of board types, depth, weight, adhesives, and coatings. The average box today is more than 5% lighter than 15 years ago and contains around 7% more recycled material.

Read more

WEINFELDEN, Switzerland, July 10, 2017 (Press Release) -In 2015, a beta version of a BOBST digital printing press was put into operation at Model AG in Weinfelden. Over the last two years, the site has been continuously developed. The forward-looking investment in digital stream inkjet technology was recently completed with the installation of the coating unit.

Model AG thus continues to focus on digital production at the Weinfelden site, a future-oriented step that is already beginning to pay off. The days when customers had to maintain expensive storage facilities for packaging and display materials are finally over. The market requires ever more flexibility; print motifs and layouts are altered at ever shorter intervals or are adapted to regional requirements. Customers want to reach the market ever more quickly, an aim which the water-based stream inkjet digital printer makes possible, even for the food industry.

The printing press has clear advantages for small batch sizes as well as for large print runs. The high speed of up to 200 m/min means that even large quantities can be economically produced, and thanks to the high availability of the base material, corrugated board, the ordering cycle is shortened by weeks. Digital printing thus simplifies and accelerates the entire manufacturing process in comparison to an offset laminated version. The rapid, high-quality production of a specific print run optimises the entire supply chain and changes the behaviour of all the market players: this is stream inkjet printing's greatest potential. Variability and flexibility in all upstream and downstream processes are convincing arguments in favour of this digital application in comparison to existing printing processes.

Model installs coating unit to complete digital stream inkjet technology on its Bobst digital printing press in Weinfelden, Switzerland

Posted in: Packaging Technology 07/12/2017 - 09:07

WEINFELDEN, Switzerland, July 10, 2017 (Press Release) -In 2015, a beta version of a BOBST digital printing press was put into operation at Model AG in Weinfelden. Over the last two years, the site has been continuously developed. The forward-looking investment in digital stream inkjet technology was recently completed with the installation of the coating unit.

Model AG thus continues to focus on digital production at the Weinfelden site, a future-oriented step that is already beginning to pay off. The days when customers had to maintain expensive storage facilities for packaging and display materials are finally over. The market requires ever more flexibility; print motifs and layouts are altered at ever shorter intervals or are adapted to regional requirements. Customers want to reach the market ever more quickly, an aim which the water-based stream inkjet digital printer makes possible, even for the food industry.

The printing press has clear advantages for small batch sizes as well as for large print runs. The high speed of up to 200 m/min means that even large quantities can be economically produced, and thanks to the high availability of the base material, corrugated board, the ordering cycle is shortened by weeks. Digital printing thus simplifies and accelerates the entire manufacturing process in comparison to an offset laminated version. The rapid, high-quality production of a specific print run optimises the entire supply chain and changes the behaviour of all the market players: this is stream inkjet printing's greatest potential. Variability and flexibility in all upstream and downstream processes are convincing arguments in favour of this digital application in comparison to existing printing processes.

Read more

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 22, 2017 (Press Release) -One of the very first such machines, a PCR382, was set up in 1942 at the Zeiler company near Bern, Switzerland. This same company, which under its current name, Limmatdruck Zeiler, is now an extremely successful part of one of Europe's leading manufacturers of folding boxes — the RLC Packaging Group — is, to this day, still a BOBST client.

What began in 1942 is very much a success story. Thanks to their reputation for consistently high box quality and outstanding performance, BOBST folder-gluers have imposed themselves as the benchmark for the folding carton and corrugated packaging industries. And today’s client can purchase complete folding-gluing lines. They combine highly configurable machines with top-of-the-range peripherals to provide integrated and automated solutions for anything the customer might need.

BOBST has consistently invested around 6% of its annual turnover into research and development. This has allowed the company to develop innovative new systems, equipment and processes — many of which are still patented and unique to the sector. For all of those 75 years, BOBST folder-gluers have continually evolved through the roll-out of ground-breaking new technologies such as, the blank aligner, the crash-lock module, four-corner box folding systems, the flipper-ejector, as well as GYROBOX for the production of complex boxes in a single run, Braille embossing and zero-fault quality checks, in-line and at full running speed.

Philippe Milliet, Head of Business Unit Sheet-fed, explains, “The success of our folder-gluer equipment over the past seventy-five years is the proof that passion and innovation are part of our DNA. Over the years, customers have demanded equipment that runs faster and faster, is more and more efficient, and can deliver boxes that meet increasingly stringent quality requirements across a whole range of packaging markets. We are continually developing the sophisticated materials and technologies that allow us to deliver all this, while maintaining the same reliability and longevity as those very first machines.” It is this ability to respond to client needs through constant innovation that has earned BOBST its dominant position in the folder-gluer market, such as the sector of e-commerce.

Today, BOBST folder-gluers are sold worldwide, often locally produced for different markets. BOBST understands, however, that technology alone is never enough, so the company — now present in fifty countries around the world — also invests generously in local services.

Bobst celebrates 75 years of passion for folding-gluing

Posted in: Packaging Technology 06/27/2017 - 17:35

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 22, 2017 (Press Release) -One of the very first such machines, a PCR382, was set up in 1942 at the Zeiler company near Bern, Switzerland. This same company, which under its current name, Limmatdruck Zeiler, is now an extremely successful part of one of Europe's leading manufacturers of folding boxes — the RLC Packaging Group — is, to this day, still a BOBST client.

What began in 1942 is very much a success story. Thanks to their reputation for consistently high box quality and outstanding performance, BOBST folder-gluers have imposed themselves as the benchmark for the folding carton and corrugated packaging industries. And today’s client can purchase complete folding-gluing lines. They combine highly configurable machines with top-of-the-range peripherals to provide integrated and automated solutions for anything the customer might need.

BOBST has consistently invested around 6% of its annual turnover into research and development. This has allowed the company to develop innovative new systems, equipment and processes — many of which are still patented and unique to the sector. For all of those 75 years, BOBST folder-gluers have continually evolved through the roll-out of ground-breaking new technologies such as, the blank aligner, the crash-lock module, four-corner box folding systems, the flipper-ejector, as well as GYROBOX for the production of complex boxes in a single run, Braille embossing and zero-fault quality checks, in-line and at full running speed.

Philippe Milliet, Head of Business Unit Sheet-fed, explains, “The success of our folder-gluer equipment over the past seventy-five years is the proof that passion and innovation are part of our DNA. Over the years, customers have demanded equipment that runs faster and faster, is more and more efficient, and can deliver boxes that meet increasingly stringent quality requirements across a whole range of packaging markets. We are continually developing the sophisticated materials and technologies that allow us to deliver all this, while maintaining the same reliability and longevity as those very first machines.” It is this ability to respond to client needs through constant innovation that has earned BOBST its dominant position in the folder-gluer market, such as the sector of e-commerce.

Today, BOBST folder-gluers are sold worldwide, often locally produced for different markets. BOBST understands, however, that technology alone is never enough, so the company — now present in fifty countries around the world — also invests generously in local services.

Read more

LYON, France, May 23, 2017 (Press Release) -More than 200 attendees from 120 customers were among the first to discover the benefits of innovative new technology at BOBST technical seminar.

BOBST revealed its new THQ (Très Haute Qualité) FlexoCloud Technology at a Technical Seminar attended by some of the leading printers and converters from all over Europe, Middle East and the USA.

This technology - developed by Graphilabel, a specialist in graphic solutions for narrow web, security and anti-counterfeit solutions, and adapted by BOBST – is considered a quantum quality shift in post-print flexo.

THQ FlexoCloud Technology is the pride of BOBST Lyon: “This innovative technology enables amazing results,” said Dominique Ravot, Sales & Marketing Director, Bobst Lyon. “For post-print flexo on corrugated board, it brings unmatched quality at lower cost in one pass. The feedback we received from the seminars has been overwhelmingly positive and supports our belief that the THQ FlexoCloud represents the opportunity for our customers to make the difference and increase their market share.”

Serving growing needs by enhancing flexo quality and counterfeit protection

The seminar – which took place from March 28 to April 13 at BOBST’s Lyon Competence Center – was a smart combination of in-depth technology presentations, interactive sessions as well as hands-on technology demonstrations. All along this seminar, customers discovered how they could serve a growing need for enhanced print quality and counterfeit protection and at the same time derive maximum value from their investment in BOBST flexo machines. There was a genuine interest in the THQ FlexoCloud Technology: 75% of attendees rated the new technology as very good or excellent.

BOBST THQ FlexoCloud is a very easy-to-use flexo solution for corrugated board. Indeed, there is no need for special skills and this technology requires only three key elements: THQ ceramic rolls (supplied by BOBST), THQ CMYK inks plus varnish for high graphic jobs (supplied by Siegwerk exclusively to THQ FlexoCloud customers) and THQ printing plates (supplied by Graphilabel) that are the core due to a unique color separation algorithm. It is associated with ultra-high precision, a larger range with four colors and enables excellent anti-counterfeit security printing through invisible coded messages.

Discovering THQ benefits with live demos

To ensure its customers could see the benefits of THQ technology in person, BOBST ran live demonstrations on a MASTERFLEX-XL THQ FlexoCloud. These demonstrations proved to customers that this revolutionary technology enables them to reduce ink consumption as well as number of printing plates and thus easily operate at lower cost in one pass. They discovered how to print a larger range of liners and achieve a 65% gamut coverage with the four process colors only. Furthermore, print samples demonstrated the accuracy of print, be it in the repeatability of orders or ultra high quality of print.

BOBST THQ FlexoCloud Technology is available on a wide range of new BOBST post print flexo machines.

Throughout the three weeks, customers were fascinated by the new BOBST THQ FlexoCloud and agreed that seeing the machine in action and discussing the technological advances it brings had made their visit worthwhile. For BOBST, the THQ FlexoCloud further demonstrates that the company is at the forefront of technical innovation.

Bobst launches new THQ FlexoCloud technology for post-print flexo on corrugated board

Posted in: Packaging Technology 05/23/2017 - 09:18

LYON, France, May 23, 2017 (Press Release) -More than 200 attendees from 120 customers were among the first to discover the benefits of innovative new technology at BOBST technical seminar.

BOBST revealed its new THQ (Très Haute Qualité) FlexoCloud Technology at a Technical Seminar attended by some of the leading printers and converters from all over Europe, Middle East and the USA.

This technology - developed by Graphilabel, a specialist in graphic solutions for narrow web, security and anti-counterfeit solutions, and adapted by BOBST – is considered a quantum quality shift in post-print flexo.

THQ FlexoCloud Technology is the pride of BOBST Lyon: “This innovative technology enables amazing results,” said Dominique Ravot, Sales & Marketing Director, Bobst Lyon. “For post-print flexo on corrugated board, it brings unmatched quality at lower cost in one pass. The feedback we received from the seminars has been overwhelmingly positive and supports our belief that the THQ FlexoCloud represents the opportunity for our customers to make the difference and increase their market share.”

Serving growing needs by enhancing flexo quality and counterfeit protection

The seminar – which took place from March 28 to April 13 at BOBST’s Lyon Competence Center – was a smart combination of in-depth technology presentations, interactive sessions as well as hands-on technology demonstrations. All along this seminar, customers discovered how they could serve a growing need for enhanced print quality and counterfeit protection and at the same time derive maximum value from their investment in BOBST flexo machines. There was a genuine interest in the THQ FlexoCloud Technology: 75% of attendees rated the new technology as very good or excellent.

BOBST THQ FlexoCloud is a very easy-to-use flexo solution for corrugated board. Indeed, there is no need for special skills and this technology requires only three key elements: THQ ceramic rolls (supplied by BOBST), THQ CMYK inks plus varnish for high graphic jobs (supplied by Siegwerk exclusively to THQ FlexoCloud customers) and THQ printing plates (supplied by Graphilabel) that are the core due to a unique color separation algorithm. It is associated with ultra-high precision, a larger range with four colors and enables excellent anti-counterfeit security printing through invisible coded messages.

Discovering THQ benefits with live demos

To ensure its customers could see the benefits of THQ technology in person, BOBST ran live demonstrations on a MASTERFLEX-XL THQ FlexoCloud. These demonstrations proved to customers that this revolutionary technology enables them to reduce ink consumption as well as number of printing plates and thus easily operate at lower cost in one pass. They discovered how to print a larger range of liners and achieve a 65% gamut coverage with the four process colors only. Furthermore, print samples demonstrated the accuracy of print, be it in the repeatability of orders or ultra high quality of print.

BOBST THQ FlexoCloud Technology is available on a wide range of new BOBST post print flexo machines.

Throughout the three weeks, customers were fascinated by the new BOBST THQ FlexoCloud and agreed that seeing the machine in action and discussing the technological advances it brings had made their visit worthwhile. For BOBST, the THQ FlexoCloud further demonstrates that the company is at the forefront of technical innovation.

Read more

SHANGHAI, March 2, 2017 (Press Release) -SinoCorrugated 2017 will be grandly launched on April 11-14 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in China as the focus of Chinese corrugated packaging industry in 2017. MeiYin Media had interviewed Reed Exhibitions’ Converting Team General Manager Mr. Alex Wang, who will unveil the new highlights of SinoCorrugated 2017.

MeiYin Reporter: Mr. Alex Wang, Thank you for accepting our interview. Now it’s less than 60 days before SinoCorrugated 2017, can you briefly introduce us the latest progress of SinoCorrugated 2017?

Mr. Alex Wang: SinoCorrugated 2017 will be held together with SinoFoldingCarton 2017 and China Packaging Container Expo 2017 to occupy 8 exhibition halls with nearly 110,000 square meters of exhibition areas. Its scale has far exceeded SinoCorrugated 2015: by the end of January 2017, 93.4% of the overall exhibition areas have been filled, while we have confirmed 442 Chinese and international leading brands as SinoCorrugated 2017 exhibitors.

Meanwhile, as of February 17, the onsite pre-registration number has been boosted up to 50,841 persons, which covers diverse professional buyers with high purchasing power. In general, the quantity of both exhibitors and audiences will far surplus SinoCorrugated 2015. I believe that SinoCorrugated 2017 will be one of the most rewarding professional corrugated expo throughout the history.

MeiYin Reporter: As an exhibition brand with 16-year history, I believe the readers will be interested to know the new highlights of SinoCorrugated 2017 in comparison with the previous Sino Shows?

Mr. Alex Wang: For the sake of providing suitable production and management solutions for Chinese and international packaging enterprises at different levels of development, and to systematically display the future of the industry, SinoCorrugated 2017 will showcase 7 effective production & management solutions featuring cutting-edge processing technology:

  • Solution for Raw Paper Procurement and Management
  • Solution for Energy Saving, Pollution Reduction and Waste Collection & Recycling
  • Solution for Intelligent and Cost Effective Paper Board Manufacturing
  • Corrugated Box Pre-Printing Solution
  • Solution for small-batch ordering and digital printing of corrugated boxes
  • Solution for Efficient Printing & Converting module Integration
  • Solution for Intelligent Logistic and Storage Management Equipment Configuration

These selected solutions aim to resolve challenges in the contemporary folding carton and corrugated industry, covering the entire corrugated packaging production chain: from the raw paper procurement – corrugated board production - printing - die cutting - stitching and gluing - intelligent logistics – to delivery of finished products. There will be a suitable solution available for every corrugated packaging enterprises at at SinoCorrugated 2017.

MeiYin Reporter: So, what are the common problems that can be resolved by the 7 solutions in the current industry? Who are the corresponding solution providers?

Mr. Alex Wang: The 7 solutions will be warmly provided by numerous global machinery suppliers who are specializing in various fields of corrugated production:

Solution for Raw Paper Procurement and Management features comprehensive collection of diverse industrial paper for buyers’ one-stop paper procurement experience, which also provides convenient procurement of raw materials, especially when pricing of Chinese raw papers are rising dramatically in recent years. The solution provides an opportunity for in-depth technical exchanges between the upstream and downstream industry, through which, the raw paper manufacturers will understand more about the demands of box makers and foresee the future trends of the industry. On the other hand, corrugated companies will build more networks with raw paper suppliers and gain more knowledge about their products. At SinoCorrugated 2017, visitors will see a collection of various mainstream Chinese raw paper suppliers as well as companies such as CHANGCHENG, Onego, Kika, YunChou who will showcase over 10 kinds of imported paper brands.

Solution for Energy Saving, Pollution Reduction and Waste Collection & Recycling mainly features temperature control, energy-saving, loss-reduction technology, waste water treatment, and waste paper recycling solutions applicable to corrugating lines. 

In recent years, papermaking, printing and packaging industries have been listed as one of the key industry to imply national environmental protection policies and laws in China. The firm implementation of policies raises a higher demand for boiler rectification, waste water and gas processing, VOCs treatment, and waste paper recycling solutions for corrugated companies. In order to help vast corrugated factories to walk out of the current dilemma, Hontech, Harvest, and Hehua will display corrugating lines’ temperature control, energy-saving and loss-reduction solution at SinoCorrugated 2017; suppliers such as Xi’an Highyan, Shanghai Chuanding, Dongguan Yuexiang will also bring in advanced waste water treatment solution; XT Pack, Jewel, Lisheng, Jiaming, Haoyan and many other suppliers will display waste paper recycling solution which is applicable to the majority of cardboard and corrugated factories.

Solution for Intelligent and Cost Effective Corrugated Board Manufacturing ensures the intelligent and efficient corrugated board production process. The solution highlights corrugating lines with production speed of over 200 m/min with width of 2,800mm, 2,500mm and other options.

Intelligent high-speed corrugating production line ensures high efficiency, manpower saving, and a more intelligent production management system with an easier operation. It is a highly effective choice for corrugated board production enterprises to enhance production capacity. The exhibiting solution providers include but not limited to: BHS, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Taiwan Yueli, Hsieh Hsu, Taiwan K&H, Taiwan Ming Wei, Wanlian, Xieyang, Dong Chuang, and Meiguang.

In addition, SinoCorrugated 2017 will present the unique Corrugated Box Pre-Printing Solution, which is suitable for producing large batch of customized products. It is more environmentally friendly in comparison to offset printing, and also ensures production efficiency and high quality of the products. Nowadays, corrugated pre-printing technology has been widely used in high quantity beverage and food container packaging (such as milk, beer, fruit and others). 

SinoCorrugated 2017 has gathered many well-known Chinese and international pre-printing brands, such as Switzerland BOBST Group, CONPRINTA, Taiwan Kuen Yuh, Yigaofa, Donghang, Yongcheng, Qingzhou SG·ONE, Aerospace-Huayang, Shaanxi Beiren, OLGER and many more. At the same time, there will be numerous innovative platemaking equipment, plates and platemaking service providers, as well as ink accessories and consumables suppliers at the exhibition, who will guide the visitors through the entire pre-printing production chain.

Specialized exhibiting solution providers are listed as follows:

A: Printers: BOBST Group, CONPRINTA, Shaanxi Beiren, Aerospace-Huayang, Yigaofa, Dong, Yongcheng, Qingzhou SG·ONE, Xi’an KNWA, OLGER, Taiwan Kuen Yuh and etc.

B: Platemaking equipment, plates and platemaking service providers: Lucky Huaguang, Baiyun Kemao, Meiju Chemical, Biolane, Zhanyi, Adasion, Flexo, Chunyi and etc.

C: Ink accessories and consumables Suppliers: Sky Dragon Printing Ink, Yingke Printing Ink, Shanghai Gethray, Shandong Dechuang, Jiajing, Mikuni, Yashi, Auclean, Yuncheng, MingYang, Chuen Fong Wang and etc.

Solution for small-batch ordering and digital printing of corrugated boxes mainly displays the "corrugated digital printing" equipment and production solutions. As the contemporary packaging printing industry demands more and more small batch ordering and corrugated box customization, digital printing solution will represent the direction of future printing trends. In addition, the application of digital printing program can relatively reduce cost in box samples production while increase printing efficiency. Some corrugated companies also apply this technology in manufacturing creative corrugated products.

At present, there are more than 10 Chinese and international suppliers of digital printing equipment have confirmed their presence at SinoCorrugated 2017, such as EFI、BARBERAN、HP、KBA、LANDA, Kodak, Haike, Scodix, Boye, Shenzhen Wonder, Shenzhen Handway, Jiangmen Jingou, Teckwin and so many more.

Solution for Efficient Printing & Converting module Integration increases efficiency in the corrugated box finishing process, so that simplifies the management procedures within corrugated factories. The implementation satisfies the need of on-demand production and inventory control, which will also release manpower from manual operation of Gluter, Stitcher, Strapper and Stackers while maintaining high quality control of the finished products. SinoCorrugated 2017 will not only display integrated printing, slotting and forming lines suitable for large orderings of corrugated boxes, but also displays corrugating lines satisfying majority of the small and medium-sized corrugated companies.

At SinoCorrugated 2017, BOBST Group, Nantai, Ming Wei, Baowang, Dinglong, Keshenglong, Vippo, Pinlong Seiko, Juer, Yijinda, Hebei Shengli, Qingdao Meiguang and more than 20 enterprises will display advanced solutions and a variety of equipment configuration programs.

Finally, SinoCorrugated 2017 has specially launched the Solution for Intelligent Logistic and Storage Management Equipment Configuration. The solution covers cutting-edge technologies and equipment of intelligent logistics, information system integrator, industrial robots and many more. As we all know, visualized and intelligent logistics systems are the foundation for all intelligent corrugated factories. The adoption of intelligent logistics can greatly improve the production efficiency, reduce process losses and decrease surface damage of finished products. Up until now, the confirmed solution providers include: BDS, Kawasaki, OM Partners, FUJI、Naili, Ming Wei, YCM, Zerone, Fuji and other international brands of mature technology.

MeiYin Reporter: Of course, with so many solutions, we certainly hope that the visitors can maximize their ROI from SinoCorrugated 2017. Could you summarize for us that how can these 7 solutions benefit the visitors?

Mr. Alex Wang: At SinoCorrugated 2017, we invite machineries and consumable suppliers to collectively provide integrated solutions to satisfy demands of corrugated companies. In accordance with the cooperative integration of the solutions, we offer an exhibition platform for corrugated board and box manufacturers to compare the values of the exhibits rather than merely the prices. That is to say, it is the most suitable product that will bring highest ROI of corrugated companies, not the cheapest ones. We help buyers to find the accurate positioning of their own company and to find the most suitable equipment and production solution for their own development.

Moreover, the solutions, on-site conferences, and factory tours post the exhibition will allow corrugated factories to understand the real development trend of the whole industry through one exhibition visit. SinoCorrugated 2017 will cover almost all potential solutions for the operation of large, medium and small corrugating companies at different stages of development. Of course, we have also offered a lot of opportunities for corrugated factories to expand business and seek for international investment.

It can be said that these 7 solutions at SinoCorrugated 2017 will cover almost all advanced technologies and hot topics of the global corrugated industry. Packaging enterprises at various stages of development can find customized solutions for their own benefits. I believe that SinoCorrugated 2017 will be one of the most rewarding professional corrugated expo throughout the history. I am looking forward to seeing you on April 11-14 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre!

MeiYin Reporter: Thank you Mr. Wang for all the valuable information. We look forward to hearing good news about the International Exhibitor Pavilions, exciting onsite events and registration of international buyers at SinoCorrugated 2017. Meanwhile, we sincerely wish SinoCorrugated 2017, SinoFoldingCarton 2017 and China Packaging Container Expo 2017 to be a great success!

SinoCorrugated 2017 to showcase 7 effective production and management solutions in Shanghai, China from April 11-14

Posted in: Packaging Technology 03/06/2017 - 00:21

SHANGHAI, March 2, 2017 (Press Release) -SinoCorrugated 2017 will be grandly launched on April 11-14 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in China as the focus of Chinese corrugated packaging industry in 2017. MeiYin Media had interviewed Reed Exhibitions’ Converting Team General Manager Mr. Alex Wang, who will unveil the new highlights of SinoCorrugated 2017.

MeiYin Reporter: Mr. Alex Wang, Thank you for accepting our interview. Now it’s less than 60 days before SinoCorrugated 2017, can you briefly introduce us the latest progress of SinoCorrugated 2017?

Mr. Alex Wang: SinoCorrugated 2017 will be held together with SinoFoldingCarton 2017 and China Packaging Container Expo 2017 to occupy 8 exhibition halls with nearly 110,000 square meters of exhibition areas. Its scale has far exceeded SinoCorrugated 2015: by the end of January 2017, 93.4% of the overall exhibition areas have been filled, while we have confirmed 442 Chinese and international leading brands as SinoCorrugated 2017 exhibitors.

Meanwhile, as of February 17, the onsite pre-registration number has been boosted up to 50,841 persons, which covers diverse professional buyers with high purchasing power. In general, the quantity of both exhibitors and audiences will far surplus SinoCorrugated 2015. I believe that SinoCorrugated 2017 will be one of the most rewarding professional corrugated expo throughout the history.

MeiYin Reporter: As an exhibition brand with 16-year history, I believe the readers will be interested to know the new highlights of SinoCorrugated 2017 in comparison with the previous Sino Shows?

Mr. Alex Wang: For the sake of providing suitable production and management solutions for Chinese and international packaging enterprises at different levels of development, and to systematically display the future of the industry, SinoCorrugated 2017 will showcase 7 effective production & management solutions featuring cutting-edge processing technology:

  • Solution for Raw Paper Procurement and Management
  • Solution for Energy Saving, Pollution Reduction and Waste Collection & Recycling
  • Solution for Intelligent and Cost Effective Paper Board Manufacturing
  • Corrugated Box Pre-Printing Solution
  • Solution for small-batch ordering and digital printing of corrugated boxes
  • Solution for Efficient Printing & Converting module Integration
  • Solution for Intelligent Logistic and Storage Management Equipment Configuration

These selected solutions aim to resolve challenges in the contemporary folding carton and corrugated industry, covering the entire corrugated packaging production chain: from the raw paper procurement – corrugated board production - printing - die cutting - stitching and gluing - intelligent logistics – to delivery of finished products. There will be a suitable solution available for every corrugated packaging enterprises at at SinoCorrugated 2017.

MeiYin Reporter: So, what are the common problems that can be resolved by the 7 solutions in the current industry? Who are the corresponding solution providers?

Mr. Alex Wang: The 7 solutions will be warmly provided by numerous global machinery suppliers who are specializing in various fields of corrugated production:

Solution for Raw Paper Procurement and Management features comprehensive collection of diverse industrial paper for buyers’ one-stop paper procurement experience, which also provides convenient procurement of raw materials, especially when pricing of Chinese raw papers are rising dramatically in recent years. The solution provides an opportunity for in-depth technical exchanges between the upstream and downstream industry, through which, the raw paper manufacturers will understand more about the demands of box makers and foresee the future trends of the industry. On the other hand, corrugated companies will build more networks with raw paper suppliers and gain more knowledge about their products. At SinoCorrugated 2017, visitors will see a collection of various mainstream Chinese raw paper suppliers as well as companies such as CHANGCHENG, Onego, Kika, YunChou who will showcase over 10 kinds of imported paper brands.

Solution for Energy Saving, Pollution Reduction and Waste Collection & Recycling mainly features temperature control, energy-saving, loss-reduction technology, waste water treatment, and waste paper recycling solutions applicable to corrugating lines. 

In recent years, papermaking, printing and packaging industries have been listed as one of the key industry to imply national environmental protection policies and laws in China. The firm implementation of policies raises a higher demand for boiler rectification, waste water and gas processing, VOCs treatment, and waste paper recycling solutions for corrugated companies. In order to help vast corrugated factories to walk out of the current dilemma, Hontech, Harvest, and Hehua will display corrugating lines’ temperature control, energy-saving and loss-reduction solution at SinoCorrugated 2017; suppliers such as Xi’an Highyan, Shanghai Chuanding, Dongguan Yuexiang will also bring in advanced waste water treatment solution; XT Pack, Jewel, Lisheng, Jiaming, Haoyan and many other suppliers will display waste paper recycling solution which is applicable to the majority of cardboard and corrugated factories.

Solution for Intelligent and Cost Effective Corrugated Board Manufacturing ensures the intelligent and efficient corrugated board production process. The solution highlights corrugating lines with production speed of over 200 m/min with width of 2,800mm, 2,500mm and other options.

Intelligent high-speed corrugating production line ensures high efficiency, manpower saving, and a more intelligent production management system with an easier operation. It is a highly effective choice for corrugated board production enterprises to enhance production capacity. The exhibiting solution providers include but not limited to: BHS, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Taiwan Yueli, Hsieh Hsu, Taiwan K&H, Taiwan Ming Wei, Wanlian, Xieyang, Dong Chuang, and Meiguang.

In addition, SinoCorrugated 2017 will present the unique Corrugated Box Pre-Printing Solution, which is suitable for producing large batch of customized products. It is more environmentally friendly in comparison to offset printing, and also ensures production efficiency and high quality of the products. Nowadays, corrugated pre-printing technology has been widely used in high quantity beverage and food container packaging (such as milk, beer, fruit and others). 

SinoCorrugated 2017 has gathered many well-known Chinese and international pre-printing brands, such as Switzerland BOBST Group, CONPRINTA, Taiwan Kuen Yuh, Yigaofa, Donghang, Yongcheng, Qingzhou SG·ONE, Aerospace-Huayang, Shaanxi Beiren, OLGER and many more. At the same time, there will be numerous innovative platemaking equipment, plates and platemaking service providers, as well as ink accessories and consumables suppliers at the exhibition, who will guide the visitors through the entire pre-printing production chain.

Specialized exhibiting solution providers are listed as follows:

A: Printers: BOBST Group, CONPRINTA, Shaanxi Beiren, Aerospace-Huayang, Yigaofa, Dong, Yongcheng, Qingzhou SG·ONE, Xi’an KNWA, OLGER, Taiwan Kuen Yuh and etc.

B: Platemaking equipment, plates and platemaking service providers: Lucky Huaguang, Baiyun Kemao, Meiju Chemical, Biolane, Zhanyi, Adasion, Flexo, Chunyi and etc.

C: Ink accessories and consumables Suppliers: Sky Dragon Printing Ink, Yingke Printing Ink, Shanghai Gethray, Shandong Dechuang, Jiajing, Mikuni, Yashi, Auclean, Yuncheng, MingYang, Chuen Fong Wang and etc.

Solution for small-batch ordering and digital printing of corrugated boxes mainly displays the "corrugated digital printing" equipment and production solutions. As the contemporary packaging printing industry demands more and more small batch ordering and corrugated box customization, digital printing solution will represent the direction of future printing trends. In addition, the application of digital printing program can relatively reduce cost in box samples production while increase printing efficiency. Some corrugated companies also apply this technology in manufacturing creative corrugated products.

At present, there are more than 10 Chinese and international suppliers of digital printing equipment have confirmed their presence at SinoCorrugated 2017, such as EFI、BARBERAN、HP、KBA、LANDA, Kodak, Haike, Scodix, Boye, Shenzhen Wonder, Shenzhen Handway, Jiangmen Jingou, Teckwin and so many more.

Solution for Efficient Printing & Converting module Integration increases efficiency in the corrugated box finishing process, so that simplifies the management procedures within corrugated factories. The implementation satisfies the need of on-demand production and inventory control, which will also release manpower from manual operation of Gluter, Stitcher, Strapper and Stackers while maintaining high quality control of the finished products. SinoCorrugated 2017 will not only display integrated printing, slotting and forming lines suitable for large orderings of corrugated boxes, but also displays corrugating lines satisfying majority of the small and medium-sized corrugated companies.

At SinoCorrugated 2017, BOBST Group, Nantai, Ming Wei, Baowang, Dinglong, Keshenglong, Vippo, Pinlong Seiko, Juer, Yijinda, Hebei Shengli, Qingdao Meiguang and more than 20 enterprises will display advanced solutions and a variety of equipment configuration programs.

Finally, SinoCorrugated 2017 has specially launched the Solution for Intelligent Logistic and Storage Management Equipment Configuration. The solution covers cutting-edge technologies and equipment of intelligent logistics, information system integrator, industrial robots and many more. As we all know, visualized and intelligent logistics systems are the foundation for all intelligent corrugated factories. The adoption of intelligent logistics can greatly improve the production efficiency, reduce process losses and decrease surface damage of finished products. Up until now, the confirmed solution providers include: BDS, Kawasaki, OM Partners, FUJI、Naili, Ming Wei, YCM, Zerone, Fuji and other international brands of mature technology.

MeiYin Reporter: Of course, with so many solutions, we certainly hope that the visitors can maximize their ROI from SinoCorrugated 2017. Could you summarize for us that how can these 7 solutions benefit the visitors?

Mr. Alex Wang: At SinoCorrugated 2017, we invite machineries and consumable suppliers to collectively provide integrated solutions to satisfy demands of corrugated companies. In accordance with the cooperative integration of the solutions, we offer an exhibition platform for corrugated board and box manufacturers to compare the values of the exhibits rather than merely the prices. That is to say, it is the most suitable product that will bring highest ROI of corrugated companies, not the cheapest ones. We help buyers to find the accurate positioning of their own company and to find the most suitable equipment and production solution for their own development.

Moreover, the solutions, on-site conferences, and factory tours post the exhibition will allow corrugated factories to understand the real development trend of the whole industry through one exhibition visit. SinoCorrugated 2017 will cover almost all potential solutions for the operation of large, medium and small corrugating companies at different stages of development. Of course, we have also offered a lot of opportunities for corrugated factories to expand business and seek for international investment.

It can be said that these 7 solutions at SinoCorrugated 2017 will cover almost all advanced technologies and hot topics of the global corrugated industry. Packaging enterprises at various stages of development can find customized solutions for their own benefits. I believe that SinoCorrugated 2017 will be one of the most rewarding professional corrugated expo throughout the history. I am looking forward to seeing you on April 11-14 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre!

MeiYin Reporter: Thank you Mr. Wang for all the valuable information. We look forward to hearing good news about the International Exhibitor Pavilions, exciting onsite events and registration of international buyers at SinoCorrugated 2017. Meanwhile, we sincerely wish SinoCorrugated 2017, SinoFoldingCarton 2017 and China Packaging Container Expo 2017 to be a great success!

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CAMPI BISENZIO, Italy, Feb. 2, 2017 (Press Release) -The REVO Master Class Open House which took place from 29th November to 1st December 2016 at the Competence Center of Bobst Firenze, Italy, succeeded in being a very dynamic event rich in interaction and networking opportunities for the 322 people that attended it over the three days and six sessions.   Printers and converters of flexible packaging, folding cartons and labels made the journey to attend a workshop which would provide an in-depth knowledge of REVO technology, whilst also seeing it in action during actual printing demonstrations. 

The event also marked the start of REVO Master Certification. By taking part in the Master Classes and demo tracks, participants in the event completed the first step and received the REVO Silver badge, the first of three certificates – Silver, Gold and Platinum - that will lead to REVO Master certification. The program will be made available next year by the REVO Team during dedicated events held at different locations worldwide.  

The REVO offering to the packaging industry is truly unique. It is a process that flows from pre-press through to print production; and summing up the highlights of the demonstrations shown on two BOBST inline flexo presses makes impressive reading, demonstrating the reliability and unique quality of the REVO Digital Flexo workflow:

  • Printing of four different jobs on film and carton substrates using 16 different Pantone colors in total, without ever changing the ink in the print units or the anilox rollers
  • Job changes automatically performed in one minute, with the new job in register after less than 20 meters of waste
  • In each of the four jobs all the Pantone colors showed a Delta-E color accuracy of less than 2.0, notwithstanding the different physical properties and level of absorption of the 38 micron unsupported polypropylene and the 240 gsm light board substrates used in the demo runs.

What lies behind such impressive performance is the determination of the companies that, since 2013, have made up the REVO technology team to push the flexo process beyond its current limitations: pooling together their know-how and resources to develop a new reliable and predictable process.  All the REVO Team partners – Americk Packaging, Apex International, AVT, BOBST, DuPont, Esko, Flint Group, X-Rite PANTONE and UPM Raflatac - were present in numbers at the event to share their know-how and the specifics of their contribution to the development of the process, both in the Master Classes and during one to one and small group discussions with event participants.

Let’s look in detail at the REVO Master Class Open House - which comprised four classes plus two demo tracks.

The Master Class sessions opened with the testimonial of converting company Americk Packaging relayed by Daragh Whelan, Operations Technical Director of their Haverill site, where the REVO Digital Flexo project was first implemented three years ago on two BOBST inline flexo presses.  Mr Whelan talked the audience through the delights and difficulties of being a forerunner in the introduction of a new kind of flexo process which makes the best use of digital technology not as a printing method but to digitize the workflow and make the press fully automated while delivering a print quality of 90Lcm (223 LPi).  “The REVO technology has added value to our production whilst increasing run time and decreasing waste. The fact that our lead time has halved since, puts a very strong case for having adopted the technology and for being a part of its future development.”

Matteo Cardinotti, Managing Director of Bobst Firenze led an open discussion about REVO profitability vs conventional printing, highlighting the elements that are instrumental in increasing the overall economic performance of the REVO production process and stressing the high level of profitability even for below 500 linear meter run production, irrespective of the application.

In the third session, Dan Pulling, EMEA Business Development Manager at Esko and Jan Scharfenberg, Technical Manager EMEA at DuPont Advanced Printing unraveled all the steps of the pre-press process required to create the ECG color separation.

“Esko is fully behind this project which offers printers confidence in ensuring their customers quality consistency and repeatability of the final product. Extended Color Gamut will ultimately change the way converters will print packaging in the future. And early adopters are already starting to take advantage of ECG workflow. Now, with the REVO Academy available to all the converters worldwide, adoption of ECG will be easier and faster,” said Dan Pulling.

Jan Scharfenberg added: “The REVO Academy is a good opportunity to make converters successful in adopting the REVO technology. By using Fast Easy plates, in combination with the REVO technologies, the time from file to printing is tremendously reduced, yet with exceptional print quality, making flexo a possible alternative vs digital printing and for just-in-time production.”

The last class session tackled the very topical issue of the use of UV inks and their safety in flexible packaging applications for food. Niklas Olsson, Global Brand Manager NW at Flint Group, led this session showing data on how the new generation of low migration UV flexo inks integrated into the REVO process is compliant with even the most stringent regulations for food contact material compliance.

“There is still some misconception relating to the safety of UV inks in food packaging which has no reason to be and should be dispelled because, from a compliance point of view, they pass all the safety tests, whilst providing the additional benefits of consistent ink transfer and physical properties,“ stressed Niklas Olsson.

Providing an additional safety guarantee for UV flexo is the BOBST certified UV Track system which BOBST narrow- and mid-web inline flexo presses can be equipped with. This system measures the UV dose and tracks the safety of every printed meter of substrate so, in combination with low migration inks, delivers full compliance in food packaging applications. This is a unique feature of energy curable inks compared to solvent- and water-based inks: continuous safety vs random safety traceability. Only with UV and EB curing can each single printed meter of substrate be safety certified.

Track 1 and Track 2 demonstrations followed the workshop sessions.

The REVO technology printing demonstrations were carried out using a BOBST M6 UV flexo inline press which made a great show of the quality and advantages of Digital Flexo technology. The line was equipped with all the technologies that together concur to make the Digital Flexo process developed by the REVO partners: patented GTT anilox rollers by Apex International provided extremely consistent ink laydown for absolute color consistency; press management and quality control systems by AVT guaranteed digital control of quality and on-the-fly adjustment capabilities; flexo plates by DuPont were able to print with unprecedented 90 lines/cm print quality, on both film and carton substrates; ECG color separation software and Flexo Imaging hardware by Esko made the color matching a “digital” process no longer dependent entirely on the skills of press operators; flexo inks by Flint Group provided fully food compatible printed samples; a color measurement and standard system by X-Rite PANTONE was able to show that the 16 pantone colors which were measured were all below the 2 Delta-E threshold which is considered acceptable by most global brand owners.  

Attendees could also visit the REVO Academy, experiencing the fully operational REVO plate manufacturing process using Esko prepress & proofing solutions, the Esko CDI Spark 4835 Flexo Plate Imaging device plus UV Exposure and Fast Plate processing provided by DuPont. The REVO Academy allows converters to come to Bobst Firenze with a new file, and in less than 2 hours be able to print the new job on the press, including plate making, plate mounting and press set-up. There is no need to specify special Pantone inks: with REVO Technology the accurate color matching is achieved by Esko Equinox pre-press software for Extended Gamut Printing. REVO partners advise that converters worldwide can use the REVO Academy for tests and for full “turn-key” REVO training.

Substrate flexibility being another of the many advantages of the M6 press and of the REVO technologies, the demonstrations alternated between printing a flexible packaging job on 38 micron unsupported polypropylene in the morning and a folding carton job on 240 gsm light board in the afternoon. Noteworthy was the fact that, irrespective of the specifics of the physical properties of the two substrates in terms of absorption, for both jobs the Pantone colors showed a Delta-E color accuracy of below 2.0. 

With reference to printing substrates, Marko Tiainen, Business Segment Manager, UPM Raflatac said “We are completing the REVO validation of the UPM substrates so that they can all become available world-wide.”

Ian Trevor Pike, Packaging Product Portfolio Manager at X-Rite PANTONE said “The REVO approach to color management is scientific in providing the color consistency and repeatability that the Extended Color Gamut system can guarantee through the highly important step of color communication and measurement and through the control products which PANTONE contributes to the REVO ECG system.” 

Commenting on the flawless performance of the M6 demonstration, AVT’s Business Development Director, David Naisby said “We are delighted to see the results of the joint BOBST and AVT Helios Turbo HD and SpectraLab in line spectrophotometer integration on the M6 Digital Flexo press.  AVT within the REVO process delivers workflow automation of both color, register and print quality control which results in a turnkey solution for REVO printers”.

Nick Harvey, Technical Director Apex Printing Solutions EMEA, Apex Europe, is already geared up to the next developments for the REVO Technology Team “After narrow-web, mid-web and UV ink printing, we are looking at the exciting possibility of extending the REVO Anilox technology to mid-web and wide-web flexible packaging applications using solvent-based and water-based inks.” 

“REVO not only enables users to achieve high 90Lcm print quality, almost three-dimensional visual depth and contrast of the printed images, and to print consistently repeatable quality which can be digitally measured and validated by global digital quality standards, it also extends the quality performance to other parameters like consistency, repeatability and predictability that are part of the production process needed to achieve an extraordinary level of overall operational efficiency,” concluded Federico D’Annunzio, Strategic Products Marketing Director of BOBST Business Unit Web-fed.

“Because it delivers the same performance across all market sectors, irrespective of run lengths, substrates or applications, the appeal of the REVO Digital Flexo technology is truly universal,” said Dan Pulling of Esko. “This was reflected by the fact that the participants in the Master Class Open House were converters of all sizes, from large multinational corporations to individual family-owned operations.”

Matteo Cardinotti, Managing Director of Bobst Firenze concluded: “We actually sold or finalized the sales of presses equipped with the REVO Digital Flexo technology at the event, which is a very telling comment on the success of this event”.

About BOBST

We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of equipment and services to packaging and label manufacturers in the folding carton, corrugated board and flexible materials industries.

Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, BOBST has a presence in more than 50 countries, runs 12 production facilities in 8 countries and employs close to 5 000 people around the world.

Bobst reports successful REVO Master Class Open House at its Firenze competence center in Italy

Posted in: Packaging Technology 02/15/2017 - 10:25

CAMPI BISENZIO, Italy, Feb. 2, 2017 (Press Release) -The REVO Master Class Open House which took place from 29th November to 1st December 2016 at the Competence Center of Bobst Firenze, Italy, succeeded in being a very dynamic event rich in interaction and networking opportunities for the 322 people that attended it over the three days and six sessions.   Printers and converters of flexible packaging, folding cartons and labels made the journey to attend a workshop which would provide an in-depth knowledge of REVO technology, whilst also seeing it in action during actual printing demonstrations. 

The event also marked the start of REVO Master Certification. By taking part in the Master Classes and demo tracks, participants in the event completed the first step and received the REVO Silver badge, the first of three certificates – Silver, Gold and Platinum - that will lead to REVO Master certification. The program will be made available next year by the REVO Team during dedicated events held at different locations worldwide.  

The REVO offering to the packaging industry is truly unique. It is a process that flows from pre-press through to print production; and summing up the highlights of the demonstrations shown on two BOBST inline flexo presses makes impressive reading, demonstrating the reliability and unique quality of the REVO Digital Flexo workflow:

  • Printing of four different jobs on film and carton substrates using 16 different Pantone colors in total, without ever changing the ink in the print units or the anilox rollers
  • Job changes automatically performed in one minute, with the new job in register after less than 20 meters of waste
  • In each of the four jobs all the Pantone colors showed a Delta-E color accuracy of less than 2.0, notwithstanding the different physical properties and level of absorption of the 38 micron unsupported polypropylene and the 240 gsm light board substrates used in the demo runs.

What lies behind such impressive performance is the determination of the companies that, since 2013, have made up the REVO technology team to push the flexo process beyond its current limitations: pooling together their know-how and resources to develop a new reliable and predictable process.  All the REVO Team partners – Americk Packaging, Apex International, AVT, BOBST, DuPont, Esko, Flint Group, X-Rite PANTONE and UPM Raflatac - were present in numbers at the event to share their know-how and the specifics of their contribution to the development of the process, both in the Master Classes and during one to one and small group discussions with event participants.

Let’s look in detail at the REVO Master Class Open House - which comprised four classes plus two demo tracks.

The Master Class sessions opened with the testimonial of converting company Americk Packaging relayed by Daragh Whelan, Operations Technical Director of their Haverill site, where the REVO Digital Flexo project was first implemented three years ago on two BOBST inline flexo presses.  Mr Whelan talked the audience through the delights and difficulties of being a forerunner in the introduction of a new kind of flexo process which makes the best use of digital technology not as a printing method but to digitize the workflow and make the press fully automated while delivering a print quality of 90Lcm (223 LPi).  “The REVO technology has added value to our production whilst increasing run time and decreasing waste. The fact that our lead time has halved since, puts a very strong case for having adopted the technology and for being a part of its future development.”

Matteo Cardinotti, Managing Director of Bobst Firenze led an open discussion about REVO profitability vs conventional printing, highlighting the elements that are instrumental in increasing the overall economic performance of the REVO production process and stressing the high level of profitability even for below 500 linear meter run production, irrespective of the application.

In the third session, Dan Pulling, EMEA Business Development Manager at Esko and Jan Scharfenberg, Technical Manager EMEA at DuPont Advanced Printing unraveled all the steps of the pre-press process required to create the ECG color separation.

“Esko is fully behind this project which offers printers confidence in ensuring their customers quality consistency and repeatability of the final product. Extended Color Gamut will ultimately change the way converters will print packaging in the future. And early adopters are already starting to take advantage of ECG workflow. Now, with the REVO Academy available to all the converters worldwide, adoption of ECG will be easier and faster,” said Dan Pulling.

Jan Scharfenberg added: “The REVO Academy is a good opportunity to make converters successful in adopting the REVO technology. By using Fast Easy plates, in combination with the REVO technologies, the time from file to printing is tremendously reduced, yet with exceptional print quality, making flexo a possible alternative vs digital printing and for just-in-time production.”

The last class session tackled the very topical issue of the use of UV inks and their safety in flexible packaging applications for food. Niklas Olsson, Global Brand Manager NW at Flint Group, led this session showing data on how the new generation of low migration UV flexo inks integrated into the REVO process is compliant with even the most stringent regulations for food contact material compliance.

“There is still some misconception relating to the safety of UV inks in food packaging which has no reason to be and should be dispelled because, from a compliance point of view, they pass all the safety tests, whilst providing the additional benefits of consistent ink transfer and physical properties,“ stressed Niklas Olsson.

Providing an additional safety guarantee for UV flexo is the BOBST certified UV Track system which BOBST narrow- and mid-web inline flexo presses can be equipped with. This system measures the UV dose and tracks the safety of every printed meter of substrate so, in combination with low migration inks, delivers full compliance in food packaging applications. This is a unique feature of energy curable inks compared to solvent- and water-based inks: continuous safety vs random safety traceability. Only with UV and EB curing can each single printed meter of substrate be safety certified.

Track 1 and Track 2 demonstrations followed the workshop sessions.

The REVO technology printing demonstrations were carried out using a BOBST M6 UV flexo inline press which made a great show of the quality and advantages of Digital Flexo technology. The line was equipped with all the technologies that together concur to make the Digital Flexo process developed by the REVO partners: patented GTT anilox rollers by Apex International provided extremely consistent ink laydown for absolute color consistency; press management and quality control systems by AVT guaranteed digital control of quality and on-the-fly adjustment capabilities; flexo plates by DuPont were able to print with unprecedented 90 lines/cm print quality, on both film and carton substrates; ECG color separation software and Flexo Imaging hardware by Esko made the color matching a “digital” process no longer dependent entirely on the skills of press operators; flexo inks by Flint Group provided fully food compatible printed samples; a color measurement and standard system by X-Rite PANTONE was able to show that the 16 pantone colors which were measured were all below the 2 Delta-E threshold which is considered acceptable by most global brand owners.  

Attendees could also visit the REVO Academy, experiencing the fully operational REVO plate manufacturing process using Esko prepress & proofing solutions, the Esko CDI Spark 4835 Flexo Plate Imaging device plus UV Exposure and Fast Plate processing provided by DuPont. The REVO Academy allows converters to come to Bobst Firenze with a new file, and in less than 2 hours be able to print the new job on the press, including plate making, plate mounting and press set-up. There is no need to specify special Pantone inks: with REVO Technology the accurate color matching is achieved by Esko Equinox pre-press software for Extended Gamut Printing. REVO partners advise that converters worldwide can use the REVO Academy for tests and for full “turn-key” REVO training.

Substrate flexibility being another of the many advantages of the M6 press and of the REVO technologies, the demonstrations alternated between printing a flexible packaging job on 38 micron unsupported polypropylene in the morning and a folding carton job on 240 gsm light board in the afternoon. Noteworthy was the fact that, irrespective of the specifics of the physical properties of the two substrates in terms of absorption, for both jobs the Pantone colors showed a Delta-E color accuracy of below 2.0. 

With reference to printing substrates, Marko Tiainen, Business Segment Manager, UPM Raflatac said “We are completing the REVO validation of the UPM substrates so that they can all become available world-wide.”

Ian Trevor Pike, Packaging Product Portfolio Manager at X-Rite PANTONE said “The REVO approach to color management is scientific in providing the color consistency and repeatability that the Extended Color Gamut system can guarantee through the highly important step of color communication and measurement and through the control products which PANTONE contributes to the REVO ECG system.” 

Commenting on the flawless performance of the M6 demonstration, AVT’s Business Development Director, David Naisby said “We are delighted to see the results of the joint BOBST and AVT Helios Turbo HD and SpectraLab in line spectrophotometer integration on the M6 Digital Flexo press.  AVT within the REVO process delivers workflow automation of both color, register and print quality control which results in a turnkey solution for REVO printers”.

Nick Harvey, Technical Director Apex Printing Solutions EMEA, Apex Europe, is already geared up to the next developments for the REVO Technology Team “After narrow-web, mid-web and UV ink printing, we are looking at the exciting possibility of extending the REVO Anilox technology to mid-web and wide-web flexible packaging applications using solvent-based and water-based inks.” 

“REVO not only enables users to achieve high 90Lcm print quality, almost three-dimensional visual depth and contrast of the printed images, and to print consistently repeatable quality which can be digitally measured and validated by global digital quality standards, it also extends the quality performance to other parameters like consistency, repeatability and predictability that are part of the production process needed to achieve an extraordinary level of overall operational efficiency,” concluded Federico D’Annunzio, Strategic Products Marketing Director of BOBST Business Unit Web-fed.

“Because it delivers the same performance across all market sectors, irrespective of run lengths, substrates or applications, the appeal of the REVO Digital Flexo technology is truly universal,” said Dan Pulling of Esko. “This was reflected by the fact that the participants in the Master Class Open House were converters of all sizes, from large multinational corporations to individual family-owned operations.”

Matteo Cardinotti, Managing Director of Bobst Firenze concluded: “We actually sold or finalized the sales of presses equipped with the REVO Digital Flexo technology at the event, which is a very telling comment on the success of this event”.

About BOBST

We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of equipment and services to packaging and label manufacturers in the folding carton, corrugated board and flexible materials industries.

Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, BOBST has a presence in more than 50 countries, runs 12 production facilities in 8 countries and employs close to 5 000 people around the world.

Read more

FRANKFURT, Germany, Jan. 24, 2017 (Press Release) -Under the direction of its Technical Committee, Fachverband Faltschachtel-Industriee.V. (FFI) has compiled a list of the international manufacturers of processing machines for the folding carton industry. The list is structured according to the different areas of production (cutting & creasing, embossing, gluing and logistics) and shows the equipment supplied by the individual machine manufacturers in the relevant size categories. It also includes an analysis of whether the international manufacturers provide service in Europe and indicates contacts for each company.

Apart from the two associated FFI members from the machine manufacturing field (Bobst and KAMA), the list includes a further 32 machine manufacturers from all over the world. “With this service provided by the association, FFI members are for the first time receiving an extensive insight into the international machine manufacturing community as well as an impression of what kinds of machines are used in the production of folding cartons in other parts of the world”, says Christian Schiffers, FFI Managing Director.

ABOUT FACHVERBAND FALTSCHACHTEL-INDUSTRIE E.V. (FFI)

Since 1948, FFI - Fachverband Faltschachtel-Industrie e.V. has been representing the interests of more than 60 companies with over 80 production locations that manufacture about 860,000 tonnes of folding cartons per year, amounting to a production value of about EUR 1.86 billion. The members of the FFI account for roughly two thirds of the industry’s sales. The folding carton industry has about 9,500 employees from numerous professions, including such industry-specific ones as packaging engineers, printers, packaging technicians, packaging developers or media designers as well as commercial, technical and logistic professions. The industry is currently training about 700 apprentices and a tradition of being both a future-oriented and responsible employer. FFI supports its members by providing them with a wide range products and services; in doing so, it helps them to make sustained improvements in their competitive position.

The range of committees and information provided by FFI is unique anywhere in Europe. FFI works systematically on transferring know-how and increasing skill levels via information events and training seminars as well as via manuals, guidelines, samples and checklists.

FFI publishes list of international manufacturers of processing machines for folding carton industry

Posted in: Packaging Technology 01/24/2017 - 03:04

FRANKFURT, Germany, Jan. 24, 2017 (Press Release) -Under the direction of its Technical Committee, Fachverband Faltschachtel-Industriee.V. (FFI) has compiled a list of the international manufacturers of processing machines for the folding carton industry. The list is structured according to the different areas of production (cutting & creasing, embossing, gluing and logistics) and shows the equipment supplied by the individual machine manufacturers in the relevant size categories. It also includes an analysis of whether the international manufacturers provide service in Europe and indicates contacts for each company.

Apart from the two associated FFI members from the machine manufacturing field (Bobst and KAMA), the list includes a further 32 machine manufacturers from all over the world. “With this service provided by the association, FFI members are for the first time receiving an extensive insight into the international machine manufacturing community as well as an impression of what kinds of machines are used in the production of folding cartons in other parts of the world”, says Christian Schiffers, FFI Managing Director.

ABOUT FACHVERBAND FALTSCHACHTEL-INDUSTRIE E.V. (FFI)

Since 1948, FFI - Fachverband Faltschachtel-Industrie e.V. has been representing the interests of more than 60 companies with over 80 production locations that manufacture about 860,000 tonnes of folding cartons per year, amounting to a production value of about EUR 1.86 billion. The members of the FFI account for roughly two thirds of the industry’s sales. The folding carton industry has about 9,500 employees from numerous professions, including such industry-specific ones as packaging engineers, printers, packaging technicians, packaging developers or media designers as well as commercial, technical and logistic professions. The industry is currently training about 700 apprentices and a tradition of being both a future-oriented and responsible employer. FFI supports its members by providing them with a wide range products and services; in doing so, it helps them to make sustained improvements in their competitive position.

The range of committees and information provided by FFI is unique anywhere in Europe. FFI works systematically on transferring know-how and increasing skill levels via information events and training seminars as well as via manuals, guidelines, samples and checklists.

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KIEV, Ukraine, Jan. 13, 2017 (Press Release) -Kyiv CPM finished the installation of flat-bed die-cutter for corrugated packaging Bobst Vision 160. This is a machine to making cutting for micro, single and double corrugated board. The line is equipped with robotic-prefeeder, breaker and robotic-palletizer. Installation of said about equipment allowed us to increase line productivity and to achieve project capacity.

Ukraine's Kyiv CPM successfully installs Bobst Vision 160 flat-bed die-cutter for corrugated packaging

01/22/2017 - 23:48

KIEV, Ukraine, Jan. 13, 2017 (Press Release) -Kyiv CPM finished the installation of flat-bed die-cutter for corrugated packaging Bobst Vision 160. This is a machine to making cutting for micro, single and double corrugated board. The line is equipped with robotic-prefeeder, breaker and robotic-palletizer. Installation of said about equipment allowed us to increase line productivity and to achieve project capacity.

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