Specialist print and packaging manufacturer, Simply Cartons, has invested in a second EXPERTCUT 106 PER Autoplaten® die-cutter and MASTERFOLD 110 A3 MATIC multipurpose folder-gluer following a strong period of growth.
The two machines follow the installation of an EXPERTCUT 106 PER Autoplaten® in 2018, shortly after the company opened the doors to its new 31,000 sq ft production facility in Nottingham.
Paul Elston, Director at Simply Cartons, said: “We deliver unique and novel solutions to our customers, but this can only be achieved if we are operating efficiently and with the best equipment available for the job. After looking at several alternatives for the folder-gluer, we felt the BOBST MASTERFOLD 110 A3 MATIC and a second EXPERTCUT 106 PER offered the best overall solution to help us fulfil our wider business ambitions.
“There is a tremendous need for reducing downtime in the industry,” he commented. “At the same time, quality and efficiency cannot be compromised. It became crucial for the future success of the company that we could achieve on all these points and remain competitive.”
The carton manufacturer works with leading brands and retailers in health and beauty, confectionery, beverage, food and gifting. Since its first BOBST investment, the company has focussed on developing new business opportunities thanks to the greater flexibility, capacity, quality and efficiency that the EXPERTCUT delivers.
The newest assets have only served to enhance the company’s capabilities further, providing customers with even better service, faster turnaround times and ensuring they have a supplier which has full control and understanding of its manufacturing processes. Since the installation of the second EXPERTCUT 106 PER the finishing department is now producing the output previously achieved by four machines with just two.
“Together, these three machines have made a significant impact across the whole business by reducing costs, improving quality and productivity,” said Mr Elston. “They have all done exactly what we wanted them to do; enabling us to react at peak times and improve our lead times, which enhances our overall customer service performance.
“We now have much greater control over the whole process, through die-cutting, embossing and gluing. Having that level of control has enabled us to develop a deep understanding of our machines and their capabilities. It means we get the very best performance from them and are able to deliver packaging solutions of superb quality time and again.”
Capable of processing 9,000 sheets per hour, EXPERTCUT 106 PER Autoplaten® offers a range of features to maximise line efficiency and output quality. It incorporates BOBST SMART FEEDER II technology for non-stop feeding and the dynamic POWER REGISTER 3 system, which registers the die-cutting to the print on the sheet, rather than the sheet edge, making it ideal for jobs where there is embossing or a critical print design. By integrating these two systems into one machine, feed related production stops are cut by up to 75%, resulting in reduced downtime and improved net outputs.
MASTERFOLD 110 A3 MATIC empowers flexibility by offering a remarkable level of automation to deliver non-stop production. Operating at speeds up to 600m/min, it also offers unrivalled versatility by way of being able to process more than 3,500 folding styles. Its minimal set-up time has enabled Simply Cartons to produce jobs that were completed in two passes in just one, thanks to its modular configuration. In addition, the folder-gluer’s easy-to-use MATIC system is able to store up to 5,000 jobs, enabling superb quality control and job repeatability.
Lee Alton, Sales Manager, BU Sheet Fed, added: “We work closely with our customers to ensure they have the right machines for their business and see a return on their investment. Simply Cartons was impressed by what was being achieved with the EXPERTCUT and naturally wanted to build on the success it was bringing to the business. We discussed what was needed and how we could enhance efficiency not just on a single line but across the production floor. The combination of the MASTERFOLD and EXPERTCUT was a winning solution for them.”
Operators at Simply Cartons have received training from BOBST instructors to ensure they can achieve optimum machine performance and have access to BOBST’s specialist technical support team to maintain uptime.
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