B&T Tec completes Swiss retrofit project

B&T Tec GmbH has completed a comprehensive retrofit of a customized LeoMat die-cutting, delaminating and relaminating system for a Swiss customer, demonstrating the economic benefits of modernization over new equipment investment.

The Glückstadt-based company completed the six-week project on schedule, including full control system renewal, servo drive replacement and frequency inverter upgrades. The modernized 21-year-old system underwent successful commissioning and factory acceptance testing with customer personnel before delivery.

'Retrofitting is often the most economically sensible approach for older machines where mechanical components represent the majority of investment value,' explained Peer Boysen, B&T Tec managing director. 'In smaller label processing converters, this share typically reaches around 60 percent.'

The mechanical portion increases further with additional equipment, including die-cutting, laminating or relaminating units, making targeted retrofits particularly cost-effective compared to new machinery purchases.

For the Swiss customer, acquiring a new customized system would have incurred significantly higher costs, particularly in the specialized machinery sector where tailored systems command premium pricing. The retrofit also eliminated growing production risks as spare parts for the original control system had become virtually unavailable and repairs were no longer economically viable.

The comprehensive modernization brought the existing system to current technical standards while ensuring long-term operational reliability at a fraction of new equipment costs.

'With this retrofit, we not only brought the existing system up to the latest technical standards but also ensured long-term operational reliability—all at a fraction of the cost of a new machine,' Boysen added.