Big, Bigger, Biggest
Wide-web presses can be imposing from a distance, but the closer you get, the more friendly they become.
August 2007 by Tom Polischuk
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Is bigger, better? Not always, but bigger is getting better, especially when it comes to wide-web printing presses.
Wide-web presses are a mainstay in the flexible packaging arena where many times, package size can dictate press size, especially when you throw in productivity and costs. But shorter and shorter production runs, combined with the ability of state-of-the-art narrow-web presses to run flexible materials, are providing other avenues for flexible packaging to be printed.
In this environment, wide-web press manufacturers are responding by making their big machines “light on their feet,” with an ability to respond to the needs of the marketplace. packagePRINTING talked to a number of executives from wide-web press manufacturers to get their view of industry trends and what their companies are doing to enhance the capabilities of their customers.
pP: How do you compete in the wide-web printing press arena? What makes your company distinctive?
Frank Passarelli, gravure product manager, Bobst Group—We are able to offer a full range of press models and at various levels of automation. Our presses are all designed to reduce job changeover times and to minimize the material waste. The full integration of the Bobst Registron automatic color-to-color register control equipment on all our gravure press models assures a very precise color-to-color register, but also keeps the web in register when ramping the press speed up or down.
Tom Jacques, area sales manager, North American Cerutti Corp.—Flexotecnica has been experiencing solid growth in key global markets—particularly in North America, Asia, and Europe—due to the consistent, reliable performance of its New Generation (NG) series of presses, launched in 2004. The NG series is distinguished by its ease of use resulting from the application of advanced electronic controls and its solid mechanical design, which has focused on optimizing operator motions and making each task ergonomically simple for multiple quick job changes per shift with minimal operator fatigue. Flexotecnica’s unique approach to customer care has been applied on a worldwide basis, which ensures that converters achieve the potential that the NG series offer them, year after year. By performing periodic check-ups of the presses in the field, Flexotecnica has helped converters maintain their presses in excellent working condition.
Rick Ruenzel, director of business development, Comexi—There are a variety of factors that make us a leader in the wide-web flexographic market. We are truly an international company with a presence in all major markets—and actively engaged in these markets. We have also made a significant effort to diversify our product offerings beyond flexo presses—e.g., slitter/rewinders, laminators, peripheral equipment—that allow us to provide complete solutions to customer needs and requirements. And we have always been highly integrated in our design and manufacturing capabilities—from the foundry to the finished product—so we can offer innovative, high-quality equipment to the packaging market.
Wide-web presses are a mainstay in the flexible packaging arena where many times, package size can dictate press size, especially when you throw in productivity and costs. But shorter and shorter production runs, combined with the ability of state-of-the-art narrow-web presses to run flexible materials, are providing other avenues for flexible packaging to be printed.
In this environment, wide-web press manufacturers are responding by making their big machines “light on their feet,” with an ability to respond to the needs of the marketplace. packagePRINTING talked to a number of executives from wide-web press manufacturers to get their view of industry trends and what their companies are doing to enhance the capabilities of their customers.
pP: How do you compete in the wide-web printing press arena? What makes your company distinctive?
Frank Passarelli, gravure product manager, Bobst Group—We are able to offer a full range of press models and at various levels of automation. Our presses are all designed to reduce job changeover times and to minimize the material waste. The full integration of the Bobst Registron automatic color-to-color register control equipment on all our gravure press models assures a very precise color-to-color register, but also keeps the web in register when ramping the press speed up or down.
Tom Jacques, area sales manager, North American Cerutti Corp.—Flexotecnica has been experiencing solid growth in key global markets—particularly in North America, Asia, and Europe—due to the consistent, reliable performance of its New Generation (NG) series of presses, launched in 2004. The NG series is distinguished by its ease of use resulting from the application of advanced electronic controls and its solid mechanical design, which has focused on optimizing operator motions and making each task ergonomically simple for multiple quick job changes per shift with minimal operator fatigue. Flexotecnica’s unique approach to customer care has been applied on a worldwide basis, which ensures that converters achieve the potential that the NG series offer them, year after year. By performing periodic check-ups of the presses in the field, Flexotecnica has helped converters maintain their presses in excellent working condition.
Rick Ruenzel, director of business development, Comexi—There are a variety of factors that make us a leader in the wide-web flexographic market. We are truly an international company with a presence in all major markets—and actively engaged in these markets. We have also made a significant effort to diversify our product offerings beyond flexo presses—e.g., slitter/rewinders, laminators, peripheral equipment—that allow us to provide complete solutions to customer needs and requirements. And we have always been highly integrated in our design and manufacturing capabilities—from the foundry to the finished product—so we can offer innovative, high-quality equipment to the packaging market.
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