Pyramid Packaging hosts open house to showcase the Bobst Quatro

Kirit Modi, managing director of Horizon Packs, thanked the Bobst India team for a smooth installation of the FFG618 Quatro in February 2013.

In his speech to an audience of 40 delegates, he outlined five key trends in the brown box segment. The first trend was the importance of an automated packing line and a high-end equipment. The second trend, Modi highlighted was the the boost to the fruits and vegetables segment; and multicolour graphics. The third trend was the entry of modern retail and the therefore multicolour and photorealistic images. 

The fourth trend is the entry of modern retail and the new possibilities for printing on the brown outer surfaces. Modi stated the advent of international brands in the converting segment meant financial incentives and further development of the Indian corrugation industry. This would raise the quality bar. And finally, he said customers are seeking light-weight boxes with the highest quality at attractive prices for the growing market for large-sized packages and logistic display. 

The FFG618 installed at Pyramid seems to be poised to take on some of these challenges. It is a four colour flexo machine, which is also capable of slitting, scoring, folding, gluing and rotary die-cutting inline. It also has a posilock die-cut system and specialises in short orders.

According to Subhasis Roy, business director, Bobst SA, said, "85% of the RSC (regular slotted container) boxes in the corrugation segment tend to have single or two colours." But the samples on display during the open house indicate the  possibilities for  four colour jobs. This, as Roy commented is ideal for the beverage and vegetable oil industry. Today, in India, this is being rendered by the offset litho laminated route. Roy said, "But these kinds of jobs could be printed on a FFG route or offline post-print flexo route like the Bobst Flexo 160 Vision and the quality is almost comparable to offset."  

Roy added, "There is pressure on the corrugated industry by the end users to delivery good quality and better strength board and glued boxes and better graphics. With the advent of JIT and short order changes and automatic case maker/ case formers coming in the corrugated board industry, this will further push convertors to adopt better technology and automation in the process ''.

Roy seemed to suggest that the converters need to think out of the "brown box". He stressed on the cost component of the kit; as well as the price performance balance. In his presentation, he touched upto a cost analysis study conducted with Indian converters and Indian raw materials. He stated Bobst was keen to co-operate with Indian converters to better understand, "pricing structures, payback, monthly EMI, per unit cost, funding sources and finance schemes."   

The evening concluded with some of the top names in packaging sharing their views. Pankaj Shah of Supack said, he was impressed with what he saw. He stated, "The machine was running smoothly, the board was flat, the speed was 20,000 boxes per hour which could be increased. Plus there was no fish-tails and well-designed for the operators."

Packaging consultant, Anshuman Roy concluded his talk by stating, "The packaging must sell more than what it costs."

This is what the FFG618 Quatro at Pyramid Packaging seems to be doing.