Bobst extends presence in China

Bobst Changzhou is the company’s second production facility in China. An event on May 16, ‘China 4.0 - Beyond your packaging future’, will mark the formal inauguration, followed by two days of open house events on May 17-18. On May 18, demonstrations and presentations will be held in English, alongside Chinese.

The new site is a state-of-the-art greenfield facility located in Changzhou in the Jiangsu province of China, and is dedicated to web-fed printing and converting technologies for flexible materials.

Bobst described the opening of the new plant as a major step in the next phase of the development of its activities for the Asian flexible packaging industry. It also signals the group’s enduring commitment to the highest Bobst manufacturing standards in its delocalized production plants, and to the development of gravure printing and lamination technologies dedicated to the region’s specific requirements and industry practices, while continuing to consolidate its leadership in Asia.

Sebastien Geffrault, business director of the Bobst web-fed business unit in Southeast Asia, explained: ‘The success in the region of the RS 5002 gravure press and the CL 750 laminators owes to the fact that they combine the unrivalled quality of Bobst engineering, and the reliable and efficient manufacturing experience and capabilities of Bobst local plants. ‘The other factor, which is a distinctive feature of Bobst technology worldwide, is the flexibility of the equipment in terms of options such as the inking system and the drying, that can be customized for geographically located consumable types and process preferences.’

The commitment to provide options that integrate the requirements of the packaging industry in Asia is also exemplified by the Competence Center that is part of the Bobst Changzhou facility. Operated by an experienced team of Bobst engineers and specialists, the center will provide full support and advice to Asian clients throughout gravure printing and lamination trial runs, in addition to being the location for the joint development of process improvements with other suppliers of equipment, devices and consumables, and for R&D and testing of Bobst’s own equipment.

Lubin Lu, business director of the Bobst web-fed business unit in Greater China, said: ‘Leading companies choose leading technology and converting companies that choose Bobst will gain an advantage on competition because our leading technology is developed exploiting not only the advantages of our group’s global synergies but also in cooperation with local competences. This means that we can deliver converters equipment and services that are ready for the future of the industry.’

Nilesh Pinto, business director of the Bobst web-fed business unit in India, continued: ‘This is an important event for the whole of Asia because the new structure in place will further enhance the advantages of our technology and innovations. This is why we are inviting customers from India and Southeast Asia to attend the inaugural open house on May 18, when the overview of Bobst printing and converting technologies and the demonstrations of the gravure printing press and the compact multi-technology laminator will be held in English alongside Chinese.’