Packaging company Vitrapack has expanded its flexographic printing capacity with the installation of a new 10-colour BOBST EXPERT CI press at its Belgian plant, as part of efforts to raise productivity and reduce material waste.
The latest press joins a line-up of existing BOBST equipment at the site, including an 8-colour CI flexo press commissioned in 2009 and two 10-colour 20SIX CI flexo presses installed in 2017.
All of these lines are fitted with the smartGPS registration and impression-setting technology.
Vitrapack co-owner and delegated administrator Jan Laeremans stated: “smartGPS technology truly sets BOBST apart from the competition. It delivers the high quality our customers demand with much less unwanted downtime in production.
“Our first BOBST press in 2009 and the two 20SIX presses have performed exceptionally well, so we had no hesitation in choosing another BOBST press, but we needed a wider specification. The new EXPERT CI has a capacity that is around 25% higher.”
The newly installed EXPERT CI press offers a 1300 mm web width, higher running speeds and full surface matrix intercolour drying to enhance process stability and minimise stretching of the substrate during printing.
Belgium-based Vitrapack operates from a 17,000 m² facility, employs 100 people and registered turnover of €32m ($36.9m) in 2024.
The business supplies flexible packaging to major food and selected non-food brands in Belgium, the Netherlands and France.
The company has been using flexographic printing since 1952 and added rotogravure printing in 1965.
Vitrapack’s collaboration with BOBST spans 20 years and has focused on automation, waste reduction technologies and ongoing technical support.
Alongside this, Vitrapack, its sister pre-press business Rask, and Co-ëfficiënt have worked together on print standardisation initiatives.
Co-ëfficiënt, now a BOBST solution partner, continues to offer data-driven consultancy services aimed at improving production efficiency and reducing waste.
Vitrapack's blend of advanced automation, process control and external consultancy has helped the company to progress its waste-reduction goals, including lowering CO₂ emissions, while improving set-up times and sustaining stable print quality.
As part of its ongoing investment plans, the company intends to replace one of its older flexo presses with another BOBST machine.
