Egyptian packaging company Express Plast has credited an expansion in its productivity to its investment in BOBST flexo technology.
The impact of which prompted managing director Ashraf Hassan to remark: “You could say we were a category D company in terms of our size and scope. But after we invested in the flexo machines, we moved to C, then B and now I would say we are category A. It been transformational for us.”
He added: “We have been operating for more than 35 years .But it is during the last two or three years that we have really made huge strides forward.”
Express Plast Co manufactures flexible packaging materials for a range of industries, including food and beverages, clothing, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. When customers began requesting more short runs, in shorter timeframes, with more diversity at the same high quality, the team knew they had to upgrade.
In 2018, Express Plast invested in a BOBST CI-Flexo 20Six, which gave them a printing speed of up to 500m/min and a web width of 1,300mm. The press features a smartGPS off-press set-up system and can be used to print films, foil, laminates, shrink sleeves, PVC twist wraps and more. And it paid off; for the new system reduced job change over times and waste during set-up to almost zero.
“Almost overnight, the flexo machine allowed us to produce new applications, increase our production capacity, and streamline our operations,” said Ayman Hassan, technical director at the firm.
He added: “This put us on a new trajectory.”
The company invested in more BOBST equipment in 2020 – a flexo printing press – the BOBST 20SEVEN CI.
Due to the pandemic, the Express Plast team were unable to view the machines in person – but decided to buy thanks to a live-streamed demonstration.
“We were one of the very first companies to buy a machine entirely based on videoconference,” said Hassan. “It was a bold move, but we had complete confidence in BOBST because by this point, we knew and trusted them.”