Kennedy Smith becomes full Bobst house with latest investment

Packaging Solutions

Specialist carton manufacturer Kennedy Smith Press has invested in two, new die cutters from Bobst in a side by side installation to increase capacity and drive efficiency at its Scotland site.

The Novacut 106 E Autoplaten die cutter offers high precision cutting and minimises the need for manual intervention, driving efficiency along the processing line and ensuring consistent quality to optimise the return on investment.

This latest investment means Kennedy Smith is now a full Bobst house, having first invested with the company four years ago, with the Expertfold and Visionfold folding-gluing machines, now used exclusively throughout its Irvine, North Ayreshire site. The company serves the packaging and printing requirements of various industries including pharmaceuticals and food.

Michiel Molenaar, director at Kennedy Smith, said: ‘This unique dual Novacut installation will allow us to push the boundaries of what is possible for our customers. Our net output has increased significantly, whilst maintaining the overall quality of our products.

‘With this investment we are able to continue our on-going programme of growth whilst maintaining the fast turnaround speeds our customers expect of us. Brands and retailers require packaging that engages and responds to consumer demands, often at short notice, so there is a tremendous need for speed.’

He continued, ‘The innovative side by side installation provides us with a unique solution that allows our capacity, and therefore production speed, to increase within the footprint of the previous single machine. As the two die cutters share a platform, the layout also helps to foster a culture of teamwork amongst our operators, as they can work closely together and support each other. We have a fantastic relationship with Bobst, and its willingness to deal with any issue that may arise and find the right solution for us makes any issue surmountable.’

Able to process 8000 sheets per hour each, the die cutters feature a range of capabilities that have been incorporated to optimise machine uptime whilst delivering increased net output and highly accurate results.