Roy highlights competitiveness of box making

In a 30-minutes presentation, Roy highlighted key aspects of offline converting solutions were explained keeping in mind technical complexities of multistep processes as well as viability of investments in the context of a developing economy like.

According to Roy, "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." 

During a video clipping of a FFG box making, Roy demonstrated how a machine was running at 20,000 boxes per hour. But the machine can produce RSC boxes upto 26,000 boxes per hour. FFG618 is a 1.8 metre width machine and can handle quick changeovers upto 12 in one shift.

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 stressed that entrepreneurs should look at cost analysis study based on Indian labour costs and Indian raw materials. He implored the delegates to better understand, "pricing structures, payback, monthly EMI, per unit cost, funding sources and finance schemes."