EDINBURGH-based Thomson Print & Packaging is reaping the rewards after bringing folding carton converting fully in-house, facilitated by the installation of a BOBST NOVAFOLD 110 folder-gluer.
The folding and gluing of printed blanks is an activity the firm previously outsourced. Following the move into new premises that afforded the company the space to look at extending its in-house capabilities, the decision was made to invest in the NOVAFOLD 110.
The packaging manufacturer specialises in bespoke print and packaging, principally serving Scotland’s whisky industry with printed and folded cartons and labels. Non-contact food packaging applications are also handled by the company. In the case of whisky, this is often for short runs of 5,000-10,000 cartons. It already offered printing, hot foil stamping and some die-cutting services.
Production director Michael Thomson said, “In our previous facility, we were restricted for space so weren’t able to invest in new carton finishing equipment. We knew there were elements of folding carton production that as a business, we needed to add. Folding and gluing was part of that and needed to give us complete control over the quality of the packaging we produce.”
This has seen all elements of folding carton converting brought in-house. In the case of folding and gluing, this was an area the company had no previous experience, requiring it to seek a supplier partner able to help the company deliver on its plans.
The BOBST NOVAFOLD 110 folder-gluer is said to deliver ‘consistent and superb’ end-product quality. It is able to produce a wide range of box styles, in different materials, at speeds of up to 300 metres per minute.
“Being new to folding and gluing ourselves, we made clear the level of service and support we would need when speaking to potential partners,” Mr Thomson added. “BOBST has lived up to this requirement and helped us get to grips with the process.
“Our operators have found the machine easy to operate, supported by on-site training and follow-ups. When we have had questions, BOBST has been on-hand to guide and advise, even in the most basic of examples. Having never operated a folder-gluer, one of the first questions we asked was, ‘what glues do we use?’ By understanding our business and type of work we do, BOBST was able to give us the right advice.”
Lee Alton, BOBST UK’s area sales manager for northern England and Scotland, commented, “When a converter is looking to add totally new capabilities to their output, it falls upon us as the chosen key supplier to step up and guide them through the process. Here, we were able to not only supply the customer with the machine that is perfectly suited to its needs but also help them get the most out of their investment.
“ROI is critical to any print and packaging business, and providing the service and support Thomson Print & Packaging required has proved to be as valuable and rewarding as the installation of the machine itself.”
The NOVAFOLD 110 installed at Thomson Print & Packaging is equipped with a blank aligner and a four and six-corner module. These were described as necessary inclusions for the type of work Thomson Print & Packaging is putting down the line. While the blank aligner ensures an ‘accurate’ folding process along the line, reducing production waste, BOBST revealed the four and six-corner module allows for more precise control of the box folding with ‘shorter and easier’ setups.
Michael Thomson added, “Not only were they necessary but were needed for single-pass operation and installed on a machine with a footprint that could fit into the space allocated for it on the factory floor. The BOBST NOVAFOLD 110 fitted this requirement perfectly.
“We have increased our customer satisfaction by bringing folding converting fully in-house and are onboarding new business that we previously weren’t in a position to secure. Thanks to the investment in this equipment, we have been able to secure our position in the market as a trusted supplier and open ourselves up to new opportunities.”
