Pakistan packaging giant invests in high-tech sheet-fed offset technology from KBA

Saima Packaging, based in Karachi, Pakistan, is a supplier of packaging for tobacco, food and beverages, FMCG and pharmaceutical products in Pakistan to clients including Philip Morris, Abbott Laboratories, Unilever and McDonalds. It processes around 21,000 tonnes of board and flexible substrates each year. It produces both rigid and flexible packaging on eight sheet-fed offset and two gravure presses. The substrates used range from paper to polypropylene and polyethylene, and run lengths vary between 200 and 1.5 million sheets. Its offering includes water-based coatings (matte and gloss), UV coatings (matte and gloss), printing and finishing on metallised board, embossing, window cut-outs and additional security features.

A KBA Rapida 105 with five printing units, coater and hybrid equipment has already been in operation at Saima Packaging for two years. Saima Packaging founder Muhammad Yousuf Tinwala has now signed for an 18,000sph high-tech Rapida 106 with 11 printing and finishing units. It is to be the first press with in-line cold-foil transfer in Pakistan, according to KBA. It also features fully automatic plate changers, CleanTronic Multi combi-washing system, CleanTronic UV, EES extraction in the delivery and more. The two intermediate drying units are configured with VariDry IR/hot air dryers, followed up with VariDry IR/hot air/UV dryers for final drying in the triple-extended delivery.

The DriveTronic feeder with dedicated drives, DriveTronic SIS sidelay-free infeed, disengaging of the unused inking units, an ErgoTronic console with wallscreen and the new TouchTronic operating concept are standard features of the press. Pre-setting data for fast job changeovers is supplied to the press via LogoTronic CIPLinkX.

The press will be delivered in January 2016, and Saima Packaging said it will facilitate short make-ready times, high productivity in in-line finishing and reduced energy consumption.