Responding to the demand to produce small and medium-sized e-commerce boxes efficiently, BOBST extends the production possibilities of its EXPERTFOLD 165 in collaboration with BOURQUIN.

The increase of digital commerce and the desire to create sustainable packaging – adapted to the size and purpose of the content – has seen growing demand for small and medium-sized e-commerce packaging. To meet market needs and increase production efficiency for one of its long-standing partners, BOBST has created a dedicated configuration for the EXPERTFOLD 165 folder-gluer. This adds another string to the bow of this already extremely versatile corrugated and litho-laminated board folder-gluer.

BOURQUIN SA, based in Couvet, Switzerland, is a successful supplier of packaging solutions across the e-commerce, pharmaceutical and chemical, medtech, wine, brewing, industrial, watchmaking and graphic sectors. The company already produces reusable boxes for the e-commerce market in two passes, on its MASTERFOLD 230 folder-gluer in line with the SPEEDPACK, and its ALPINA folder-gluer. A first pass to apply the opening strips and self-adhesive tapes, and a second pass to do the folding and gluing operations on the box.

However, faced with the increasing demand for e-commerce packaging, BOURQUIN was looking for a way to optimize the production of small and mid-sized boxes. “We regularly discuss production challenges with BOBST, and we therefore approached them to find a solution for our need,” said Luis Manuel Luis, Production Manager at BOURQUIN’s Couvet site.

Eager to rise to the challenge and respond to this new market requirement rapidly, the BOBST engineers integrated the POLYVACUUM and GYROBOX modules to the EXPERTFOLD 165 folder-gluer. The BOURQUIN production site in Couvet became a beta site for the new machine configuration. “We signed the contract for the EXPERTFOLD in March 2021 and the line was installed in our plant at the end of 2021,” Luis Manuel Luis commented. After a period of tests in collaboration with BOBST, the new folder-gluer line is now fully integrated in the BOURQUIN machine portfolio, providing the company with the productivity and flexibility needed to meet current and future market needs. According to Mr. Luis: “The new production line has significantly increased our productivity by up to 80%. User-friendly, efficient and delivering first-class quality boxes – our expectations have been fully met.”

Today, the EXPERTFOLD 165 e-commerce configuration has been officially introduced into the BOBST folder-gluer range. “BOURQUIN and BOBST have a long and successful partnership,” said Sacha Bourgeois, RD&E Director for Folder-gluers at BOBST. “We are happy to help our customers to face their production challenges and grateful to be able to work with them on site. This close collaboration with our partners is essential to make sure we deliver the best results and bring innovations to the market which make a real difference.”

About BOBST
We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries.

Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, BOBST has a presence in more than 50 countries, runs 19 production facilities in 11 countries and employs more than 5800 people around the world. The firm recorded a consolidated turnover of CHF 1.563 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021.

www.bobst.com

GEW has announced the recent promotion of Vini Munzberg to the role of Sales Manager, Latin America. Based at GEW Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio, Munzberg will be responsible for all sales across the region, including Mexico. She will travel extensively and will have the support of an established network of GEW distributors throughout Central and South America.

Since joining GEW in 2016, Munzberg has used her bilingual skills to provide exceptional customer service and sales support to GEW’s Latin American customers and distributors. Her entire career has been within customer service and distributor management for Latin America.

Robert Rae, Managing Director of Sales at GEW, comments: “It is a pleasure to be able to give Vini this opportunity. She is well known to our Latin America customers, having spent five years in the GEW Inc. office selling spare parts and supporting customers and distributors with quotation requests. However, it became obvious Vini could do more and she thoroughly deserves this promotion to Sales Manager. Vini will travel extensively to Mexico where GEW sell direct to market and we look forward to meeting with customers face to face and promoting the benefits of GEW’s latest LED and ArcLED technologies. She will also manage our distribution partners across the South American continent and there will be renewed focus on improving our activity and services with customers through these channels.”

Rae concludes: “Vini has such a friendly and positive personality; I have no doubt she will endear herself to our customers in Mexico and Latin America from the first interaction. She is also highly responsive and has good knowledge of our products and services, so I can be sure that customers will see an improved service and increased presence in this important market.”

Munzberg has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in International Business from Southern New Hampshire University. She was recently named to SNHU’s Honor Roll, in recognition of learners who excel at the University.

Vini Munzberg, Sales Manager, Latin America
GEW Inc., Unit X, 11941 Abbey Road, North Royalton, Ohio 44133, USA
T: +1 440 237 4439 | E: vmunzberg@gewuv.com | W: gewuv.com

About GEW
GEW is the market-leading manufacturer of both UV Arc and LED systems for the labelling, narrow web and sheetfed printing industries. The company has world-class production facilities at its UK headquarters, subsidiaries in the USA & Germany, and an extensive network of worldwide distributors.

GEW specialises in the design and installation of UV LED systems, having introduced its latest UV LED product, AeroLED, in early 2022. Representing the next generation for UV LED curing, AeroLED eliminates the need for a chiller and offers refined simplicity to bring the technology within affordable reach for all. LeoLED, released in 2019, is GEW’s water-cooled solution, delivering maximum power and UV dose for more demanding applications. LeoLED and AeroLED are both compatible with GEW’s renowned ArcLED hybrid system.

www.gewuv.com

Epson has restructured its product management and sales teams to further support its label solutions, including its ColorWorks® on-demand, desktop color label printers, thermal label printers and SurePress® digital label presses. This transition includes several staffing changes throughout the Epson label team.

With the new team structure, Victor Gomez has moved from product management to the sales team as director of industrial label products, supporting the SurePress digital label press and ColorWorks sales teams. Sean Gunduz is expanding his director of product marketing role to include both point-of-sale devices and now the on-demand label printer portfolio as well.

Andy Scherz is now the team leader for the on-demand label printer product management team and has brought three new members onto his team:

• Mark Middendorf, go-to-market product manager: Middendorf will be the Epson brand ambassador, working with the sales team and partners to grow awareness around Epson’s on-demand label solutions. Throughout his 24 year career, he’s served as global senior product manager for IBM, and most recently Printronix, focusing on industrial print solutions.

• Stevi Sterns, color label product manager: Sterns joins the team from Epson’s consumer inkjet group where she served as product manager for the past five years. In her new role, Sterns will support the ColorWorks on-demand color label printer portfolio, providing input into the development of product roadmaps and managing relationships with partners and customers.

• Ian Livesay, thermal label product manager: Livesay joins as the thermal label product manager from Epson’s sales operation team where he served as business analyst. Livesay will support the growth of the thermal label printer portfolio, helping to drive this new area of Epson’s label printer business.

“Gomez, Sterns, Livesay, and Middendorf all bring a wealth of specialized expertise, invaluable knowledge and compelling perspective to the Epson label team,” said Sean Gunduz, director, Epson America, Inc. “The new product management and sales team structure will help to better support Epson’s market growth over the next few years.”

About Epson Label Printers

Epson offers many solutions to meet label printing needs across industries, including:

• ColorWorks: The ColorWorks desktop color label printers are designed for businesses that require the flexibility of on-demand, color label printing in-house, helping to increase productivity and eliminate the costs and waste associated with pre-printed labels. The ColorWorks line is used by a range of businesses for applications for color labels: GHS-compliant labels, healthcare, pharmacy, retail, food and beverage, industrial labels, and more.

• Thermal Label: As a point-of-sale market leader, Epson’s thermal label printers, including liner-free solutions, offer improved efficiency in the way businesses serve customers. To meet ever-growing demand for digital orders, including buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) and delivery, Epson’s thermal label printers can help businesses adapt to the changing workflows of today’s retail and hospitality environment.

• SurePress: The SurePress digital label press portfolio is engineered to meet the production, quality and service and support demands of label converters, specialty printers and vertical manufacturers.

For additional information on Epson’s label solutions, visit www.epson.com/labels.

Midlothian, TX – Ennis, Inc. (the “Company”), (NYSE EBF), today announced its acquisition of School Photo Marketing in Morganville, New Jersey. School Photo Marketing provides printing, yearbook publishing and marketing-related services to over 1,400 school and sports photographers servicing schools around the country.

Keith Walters, Chairman, President & CEO of the Company stated, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to bring School Photo Marketing, their employees, and their customers into the Ennis family. This addition brings with it many exciting possibilities to service this new channel with products produced through Ennis manufacturing operations.”

School Photo Marketing operates through a similar wholesale manufacturer-distributor-end user channel as Ennis currently operates. School Photo Marketing specializes in serving photo labs as well as school and sports photographers by expanding their reach and becoming an invaluable asset to their business. 

Upon closing, operations will continue to operate as School Photo Marketing in their current locations.

About Ennis
Since 1909, Ennis, Inc. has primarily engaged in the production and sale of business forms and other business products. The Company is one of the largest private-label printed business product suppliers in the United States. Headquartered in Midlothian, Texas, the Company has production and distribution facilities strategically located throughout the United States to serve the Company’s national network of distributors. The Company manufactures and sells business forms, other printed business and commercial products, printed and electronic media, presentation products, flexographic printing, internal bank forms, secure and negotiable documents, envelopes, tags and labels, advertising specialties, adhesive notes, plastic cards and other custom products. For more information, visit ennis.com.

Caledonia, IL – KTI, a world-class manufacturer of automatic splicers, turret rewinders and other web converting equipment has recently completed installation of their ZL Series Automatic Butt Splicer for Papercone Corp. located in Louisville, KY. 

Papercone Corp., a manufacturer of specialty envelopes and soft packaging, designs and builds their folding lines in-house.  Papercone needed to add capacity, so they approached KTI for a solution that will allow the benefit of shaftless technology and butt splicing as opposed to lap splicing.  KTI proposed the ZL Series Automatic Butt Splicer because it offers many features that can simplify and optimize their processes. 

The ZL Series Automatic Butt Splicer is the perfect fit for Papercone Corp. as it is designed specifically for use with light paperboard and similar materials.  There are a number of configurations available to accommodate various web widths and materials and the integrated festoon allows for splicing at full line speed. The operator-friendly, single-method splice preparation assures reliable diagonal butt splicing with no overlap. 

Papercone Corp. plans to run TerraBoard, their eco-friendly 100% recycled content material. The ZL Series Automatic Butt Splicer was chosen for its additional capacity and innovative shaftless technology. The Butt Splicer’s two cantilevered roll positions feed a continuous supply of material into the press. The integrated storage festoon eliminates the need to stop while changing rolls, saving time and material waste. 

Through years of experience working together, Papercone Corp. knows the KTI product line to be reliable, a big reason they chose KTI for this application. Papercone Corp. currently has six KTI machines running in their distribution center making the ZL Series their 7th KTI machine.   

“KTI has provided us with great solutions for our varied needs in the past.  They have worked very well for us over the years”, says Tony Darnell, Project Engineer at Papercone Corp. 

Steve Reynolds, Regional Sales Manager for KTI added “Papercone Corp. has been a good customer to us.  We take pride in providing robust, reliable machines that can help them achieve their goals and increase their capacity.  We look forward to continuing to grow our relationship and offer them the excellent after-market support KTI is known for.” 

The ZL Series Cantilever Butt Splicer is available in web widths up to 50 inches (1270mm), roll diameter up to 72 inches (1828mm), splice speed up to 1000FPM (304MPM) and runs 12 inch (304mm) cores.  Standard features include PLC touch screen controls, automatic zero speed butt splice at process line speed, diagonal butt splice with no overlap, two-sided tape, automatic roll side lay and bi-directional unwind capability.  Optional features include in-register splice system for pre-printed webs, core chucks for alternate core sizes.  All KTI equipment is remote diagnostics ready. 

For more information on the ZL Series Automatic Butt Splicer from KTI visit www.ktiusa.com. 

About KTI
KTI, originally founded in 1985, is under the ownership of Quantum Design Inc. and shares its home with several product lines including CTC, Quantum Roll Sheeters and Quantum Design Control Systems. KTI currently has over 3,500 machines installed in 24 countries being utilized by printers and converters in the tag and label, printing, envelope, packaging, business forms, newspaper and folding carton industries. For more information on KTI or Quantum Design, please visit www.quantumdi.com or call (815)885-1300 today.

Machesney Park, IL – KTI, a world-class manufacturer of automatic splicers, turret rewinders and other web converting equipment, recently completed the installation of a PS Series Lap Splicer at Allegheny Envelope in Roaring Spring, PA.

Born in 2020, Allegheny Envelope began manufacturing operations in January of 2021 with one envelope machine.  Over the past 22 months, they have added 3 more and currently have 40 employees.  With the recent acquisition of a Smithe SW, the company is seeing rapid growth.  The envelope industry had seemingly slowed down in recent years, but Rob Herman and his partner, Bob Paltrow, saw a different vision and utilized the knowledge of employees, the experts living in Roaring Spring, PA area, which was once a booming envelope hub.   

Allegheny Envelope plans to run Poly Styrene Patch material on the new Lap Splicer.  The PS Series is a great addition to Allegheny’s production creating efficiencies and reducing waste.  The machine is designed to feed a continuous supply of material into the process line allowing for splicing at full line speed without stopping the line to change rolls.  With the small footprint of the PS Series, this lap splicer can be easily integrated into most web fed envelope lines.   

Robert Herman, Owner of Allegheny Envelope, says “We have utilized KTI previously and have always had a great experience. Our representative, Robin Sherlund, went above and beyond with this order and made the purchasing process very simple.” 

“It’s nice to see a new order supporting the envelope industry,” says Derek Wheeler, VP of Sales at Quantum Design.  “Activity from envelope producers had slowed over the years, so it has been encouraging watching as the industry has evolved over the past several years.  Our equipment is still a great addition to any envelope production line and we are excited to join Allegheny in their success and growth and look forward to supporting them for years to come.”

The PS Series Lap Splicer handles web widths up to 12 inches (304mm), roll diameters up to 20 inches (508mm), roll weight up to 150lbs (60kg), splice speeds up to 500FPM (152MPM) and can run a 3” (76mm) core size.  Standard features include PLC touch screen controls, an integrated festoon that allows splicing at full line speed, cantilevered spindles with pneumatic core chunks, automatic press stop for web break or no splice prep, and bi-directional unwind capability.

A 90 degree turn bar with web positioner is an optional feature available for the PS Series Lap Splicer.  Like all KTI equipment, the PS Series is remote diagnostics-ready. 

For more information on the PS Lap Splicer from KTI visit www.ktiusa.com. 

About KTI
KTI, originally founded in 1985, is under the ownership of Quantum Design Inc. and shares its home with several product lines including CTC, Quantum Roll Sheeters and Quantum Design Control Systems. KTI currently has over 4000 machines installed in more than 24 countries being utilized by printers and converters in the tag and label, printing, envelope, packaging, business forms, newspaper and folding carton industries. For more information on KTI or Quantum Design, visit www.quantumdi.com or call (815) 885-1300 today.

Through continued innovation and collaboration with brand owners, Ahlstrom has identified specific technology enabling highly developed base papers – the key to solving the barrier requirements in flexible packaging, while still utilizing the inherent end-of-life benefits that paper has to offer. Ahlstrom has the unique set of capabilities and wide breadth of technical applications to allow them to develop some of the strongest performing base papers available.

“Paper substrates can be engineered to exploit the inherent value of cellulose itself,” explained Zack Leimkuehler, Vice President Business Development for Ahlstrom. “Cellulose by itself is a very good barrier, and highly developed base papers can deliver barrier properties.”

Paper is an ideal material for flexible packaging applications, and already has a broad field-of-use from good flexibility and folding characteristics to printabilty. Paper is easily sealable and glueable, laminating well to other structures. In addition, paper functions effectively through challenging converting processes.

Through their research, Ahlstrom has continued to advance its base paper development to achieve barrier properties which are fundamental to unlocking the sustainability benefits paper can bring to flexible packaging applications. Base paper development and optimization dramatically improves paper performance in barrier properties.

“The base papers we have developed and continue to advance, are the best to create flexible packaging with combined barrier technology,” Leimkuehler continued. “The end-use packaging applications we have commercialized are the first in the world to exhibit all the necessary attributes needed to replace traditional plastic-based structures. We have already developed and launched the ability to solve the substitution for PFAS with our proprietary FluoroFree® technology, demonstrating grease-barrier equivalent to that of historic performance. As an example, using this knowledge we have unlocked the potential of replacing plastic-based components in a traditional pet food bag with materials that can maintain freshness and storage while providing a curbside recyclable solution.”

“We are well positioned to push the boundaries of what fiber-based flexible packaging can do,” said, Robin Guillaud, Executive Vice President Sustainability, Innovation, and Marketing. “A constant process of base paper innovation, product development and design is in Ahlstrom’s DNA and enables us to respond to the needs of our customers, which in turn are affected by end-user behavior. This enables flexibility throughout the value chain and speed-to-market of sustainable packaging solutions and continues to position Ahlstrom as the preferred specialty sustainable packaging supplier in the marketplace.”

To learn more about Ahlstrom’s development journey, view their white paper at: https://www.ahlstrom.com/Media/articles/highly-engineered-base-papers

Ahlstrom in brief
Ahlstrom is a global leader in combining fibers into sustainable specialty materials. Our purpose is to Purify and Protect, with Every Fiber, for a Sustainable World. Our vision is to be the Preferred Sustainable Specialty Materials Company for all our stakeholders. We serve five growing and distinctive end markets, which form the basis for our five divisions: Filtration, Food & Consumer Packaging, Healthcare, Building Materials, and Technical Materials. Our pro forma net sales 2021 for continuing operations amounted to EUR 2.6 billion and we employ some 7,000 people. Read more at www.ahlstrom.com

Tarsus Group, organizer of the Labelexpo Global Series, has announced the opening of registration for Labelexpo Mexico 2023.

This will be the first full Labelexpo exhibition to run in Mexico. It takes place between 26-28 April 2023 at the World Trade Center Mexico City, a world-class venue in the heart of Mexico City. Entry is free for registered attendees.

Labelexpo Mexico 2023 will be Latin America’s largest dedicated label and package printing show, featuring leading global suppliers of label printing and converting equipment and consumables. The show will feature a strong educational element of workshops and master classes.

Commented Tasha Ventimiglia, Labelexpo Mexico 2023 event director, ‘The event has been created following unprecedented visitor attendance at previous Mexican label summits and reflects the demand from Mexican converters for cutting edge label and package printing technologies.’

Jade Grace, Labelexpo Global Series portfolio director, added, ‘In recent years, the market in Latin America, and in particular Mexico, has grown strongly, This makes this one of the most exciting developing label and package print markets in the world, and we look forward to welcoming converters from across the Americas.’

Labelexpo Mexico 2023 is supported by Mexican label associations Acoban and Anpack.

To register visit www.labelexpo-mexico.com

Kennesaw, GA – Founded as a commercial printer in 1947, J.S. McCarthy, Augusta, ME, is experiencing unprecedented growth in its folding carton business. The company, needing a faster and more reliable press to keep up with its increased production, recently purchased a new Speedmaster XL 106 from HEIDELBERG. The new XL 106, which runs at 21,000 sheets per hour and is the fastest rated sheetfed offset press in the world, will be the first of its kind to be installed in the United States.

The Fastest Press in the World

J.S. McCarthy has seen “extreme growth” in its folding carton business since deciding to go “all in” with packaging five years ago through $20 million in infrastructure and equipment investments. According to Jon Tardiff, CEO & President of J.S. McCarthy, the company is expecting a 50% revenue increase from folding cartons during the next 2-3 years. J.S. McCarthy, who produces paperboard packaging primarily for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic markets, will install its new Speedmaster XL 106 late next year to replace an older press of competitive technology. Its current press is no longer a “viable back-up” for the company’s 2018 Speedmaster XL 106 that runs 24/7 producing all the company’s folding cartons. “We’re in a position where we basically have one press driving the entire plant. The new XL 106 is going to help us digest all this new growth,” said Tardiff. The record-breaking speeds and reliability of the new XL 106 will significantly increase J.S. McCarthy’s throughput, which is essential due to the plant’s space limitations. The company, who recently added onto its plant and is planning another addition for 2023, is looking to the XL 106 to help “get large jobs through the plant as quickly and as productively as possible,” said Tardiff.

HEIDELBERG recently introduced the higher speed option for its industry leading Speedmaster XL 106 platform. By increasing the printing speed to 21,000 sheets per hour, the XL 106 is now the fastest press in the world and is projected to produce upwards of 100 million impressions annually with higher net output than the 18,000 SPH model. J.S. McCarthy anticipates ramping up its production to 50-70 million impressions, based on its current average run length, within the first year with a goal of reaching the press’s maximum output in the future. To achieve higher speeds and net output, HEIDELBERG has optimized over 200 components throughout the entire system, from feeder to delivery. The improved components and advanced Speedmaster technology, like new intelligent User Experience (UX), autonomous Push-to-Stop technology, and AutoPlate Pro, help to significantly cut down on makeready and waste – contributing to J.S. McCarthy’s overall efficiency and sustainability goals. Additionally, this is a carbon-neutral press, which means CO2 emissions that are generated during press production are compensated for by purchasing climate protection certificates (Gold Standard). Further sustainability efforts from the company include having its plant 100% wind powered and being FSC® certified.

50% Productivity Gains

J.S. McCarthy first made the switch to HEIDELBERG’s Speedmaster technology in 2018 with the purchase of an XL 106-4+LYY-P+4+L. The machine replaced two older presses of competitive technology and when installed, increased the plant’s productivity by 50%. The machine, which is less than four years old, has already acquired 200,000,000 impressions and runs consistently at its top running speed of 18,000 sheets per hour. Since installing its first Speedmaster, Tardiff and J.S. McCarthy have not looked back: “HEIDELBERG continues to show its overall value through its proven technology and the ‘day in and day out’ productivity we see with the number of sheets to the floor we get every day,” said Tardiff. Upon installation of the new XL 106 next year, a UV model which will also include Prinect Inpress Control, the company expects even higher productivity gains than its first Speedmaster due to its higher speeds.

About J.S. McCarthy
Since 1947, J.S. McCarthy has offered customers top-notch service, leading-edge technology, and high-quality products. As one of New England’s oldest and largest commercial printers, the company has been on the forefront of industry innovation, listening to what its customers need and providing them with solutions that make their businesses more successful. Strategically acquiring new technology throughout the years with an eye towards quality and meeting customer demand, J.S. McCarthy uses its commercial printing background to offer high-end folding carton packaging. Its investments in technology are matched by its investment in human resources. J.S. McCarthy is a 100% employee-owned company, where each and every member of its team has a vested interest in customer success because it directly relates to their success as business owners.