Sri Lankan printer standardizes manufacturing with Martin Automatic

The new Martin machines, which will be installed at the company’s production facility in Colombo, will be the fifth and sixth since managing director Sathis Abeywickrama first decided to fit an LRD to his Nuova Gidue Combat press in 2005.

Flexiprint was founded in 1993 to supply the added value tea bag and envelope market that was growing rapidly in Sri Lanka at the time. Preferring flexo to gravure printing, for its better ability to handle a variety of work, and in the process becoming the first tag converter in Sri Lanka to use water-based inks, Flexiprint began printing with an eight-color, seven-inch Propheteer, and won an FTA Print Award in its first year of operation. Five more Propheteers followed as production increased to keep pace with demand, before the company switched to 14in Gidue lines to improve productivity and quality. It now has six Nuova Gidue presses installed.

Abeywickrama said: ‘We were the first in Sri Lanka to install an LRD, and the first with an MBS, and this has all been based on Martin Automatic’s reputation for reliability in hardworking commercial environments. 

‘We convert around 4,000 metric tonnes of paper and board each year, and our in-line production system is geared towards zero waste.’

As the company moves from strength to strength – it is currently enjoying a 12 percent year-on-year growth and now has the capacity to produce 80 million tags each day – Abeywickrama points to an export business that has grown to make it market leader, with a major share of the Dubai and Saudi Arabian markets, as well as a growing share in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Yemen and Papua New Guinea. 

Claiming a reduction in waste of 20 percent or better, and less downtime on press since the Martin Automatic equipment was installed, Abeywickrama describes them as ‘unbreakable’ with minimal requirement for service and none for spare parts. 

Abeywickrama said: ‘We believe Martin roll handling is the best on the market and its MBS and LRD machines allow our Nuova Gidue presses to reach their full potential.’