Rigid investment meets growing demand for corrugated packaging

Packaging Solutions: Positive About Print

Rigid Containers has installed the latest Mitsubishi Evol at its Wellington site in the South West of England, to ensure it can continue to meet the growing demand for sustainable printed corrugated boxes.

The Mitsubishi Evol is a high performance, quick set box maker, capable of running at speeds of 350 blanks per minute. Once printed and die cut the boxes move to the highly accurate folding and gluing section for manufacture according to each customer’s specifications.

The Mitsubishi Evol joins the Bahmueller Turbox folder gluer, Bobst Dro six colour rotary die cutter and BP Agnati Quantum corrugator and forms part of over £4 million invested to deliver an advanced operation at Wellington.

Capable of printing in up to four colours, the new machine meets the growing demand for high impact box designs across a wide variety of goods within the consumer, food and drink, pharma and e-commerce sectors.

By using the latest inking system technology less than 6.5 litres of water per wash up is required, delivering sustainability benefits through its energy and water savings in the manufacture of boxes.

The Mitsubishi Evol can handle a complete range of sheet sizes from just 250 x 690 mm to a maximum of 950 x 2555 mm, so a complete range of finished box sizes can be manufactured for customers.

Paul Barber, UK operations director at Rigid, said: ‘The installation of the Mitsubishi Evol was the next logical step in our investment programme at Wellington and ensures we can respond to the latest retail and e-commerce demands for sophisticated, sustainable printed packaging.’

With its ability both to be easily recycled and made using recycled content, corrugated cardboard packaging is helping more and more companies promote, protect and enhance their products while also satisfying the requirements for packaging sustainability, both in-store and for e-commerce goods delivered direct to home.

Already in full operation, the Mitsubishi Evol was installed on schedule and in budget, with a time lapse video recording the successful installation.

‘I have been exceptionally pleased with how well the machine has performed from the start,’ said Paul. ‘The level of accuracy during installation meant that the very first boxes being run through the machine were all saleable.

‘This is a real game changer for Wellington and ensures we can deliver the highest quality printed corrugated packaging for all our customers.’