Itasa installs Bobst CO 8000 silicon coater

Spanish siliconized paper and film manufacturer Itasa has installed Bobst CO 8000, solventless thermal coating machine at its new production facility in Queretaro, Mexico to increase the quality of coating and drying at high speed and web handling capabilities.

Bobst CO 8000 silicone liner machine at the production facilities of Itasa, Querétaro, México

‘This machine was custom built for Itasa, and it is easy to see that great care has been taken to ensure the right match between our needs and the capabilities of the equipment,’ said Jaime Espinosa, general manager at Itasa’s Mexican plant. ‘We will benefit hugely from the quick reel changes, quick set-up times, precise tension and speed regulations, as well as a high level of electrical and mechanical availability.’

‘We are very proud that Itasa is amongst the biggest players in the commercial silicone coaters space, but it is a competitive industry and we can never stop investing and looking for the next innovation. That’s why we turned to Bobst.’

The machine is configured for solventless thermal silicone coating on paper and film and features Bobst technology for process integration and workflow. These include an in-line flexo printing unit with a print repeat up to 1200 mm, a sleeve system for fast job changes on both anilox and print cylinder, integrated ink viscosity control and dedicated floatation dryer suitable for both water-based and solvent-based inks.

The CO 8000 has been developed for converters looking for high-performance production lines. Film manufacturers can benefit from added-value products, such as barrier coatings for flexible packaging films. In the paper industry, silicone and adhesives coatings are mainly used in the production of industrial tapes, labelstock and hygienic products.

‘One of the key changes that we have seen in customer requirements in recent years is the increased focus on optimized coat weights, automatic inspection and minimization of surface defects, lay-flat properties, and more stringent release force tolerances,’ added Espinosa. ‘The CO 8000 helps us to fulfil these needs. In addition to the flexible concept of the coating unit, and the construction quality, we were particularly impressed with the seamless integration of the flexo printer. We also took into consideration Bobst’s technological capabilities and service infrastructure.’