Bobst enhances Castle Colour’s operational excellence

Packaging Solutions

Bobst has enhanced UK packaging manufacture Castle Colour’s operational excellence with the installation of a Bobst Expertfold 80 folder-gluer.

Paul Densley, operations and technical director at the Norwich based company, said: ‘To stay ahead and compete with the rest of Europe, it is important to work smart. By utilising the latest operational techniques, we are maximising efficiency and delivering the best solutions for our customers.

‘Prior to the Expertfold 80 folder-gluer being installed, Bobst delivered a comprehensive training programme at our facility. We really appreciated the input and are now running the business with highly skilled, quality staff and modern business and operations practices. The mindset change, as a result of the training Bobst delivered, was outstanding.

‘We are as thrilled with the machine as we were with the training – its potential is huge and has already provided a 50.7% improvement in our folder-gluer running speed compared with our old line. We are now running two day shifts and achieving up to 400 metres per minute or 60,000 per hour on the machine with ease, creating at least a 50% capacity uplift. The Expertfold 80 has delivered more than the team anticipated in terms of sheer running speed and efficiency savings.’

The Expertfold 80 is Castle’s second Bobst folder-gluer and sits alongside two Bobst die cutters. With its integrated detection system and barcode reader, it is one of the most flexible machines on the market, letting converters fold and glue up to 3000 box styles. The Accufeed feeding system ensures every box enters the machine in perfect alignment and the system is focussed on cutting make ready time while reducing waste. It handles both corrugated and synthetic materials and delivers the consistent accuracy and quality demanded by today’s packaging industry.

Craig McGowan, Bobst area sales manager, added: ‘One of the benefits of training the Castle operators, prior to any new machine investment at the site, was that we understood their process flow, any production issues and opportunities for improvement, as well as the skill sets of the operators.

‘It is great to see a company really think through its investment plan and understand what it needs to do from a people and process perspective, long before they get the kit on the factory floor.

‘So many times we see companies invest without truly thinking through how they can maximise the opportunity they have with their new technology and then not achieve the full potential of the investment.’