Mega Label opts for Martin Automatic technology

Malaysian converter Mega Label has invested in Martin Automatic MBSC/STR machines for a Gallus ECS 340 press, installed by its engineers with the remote help of US technicians.

L-R: Nicky Tan, product development manager; Edmund Chan, group general manager; Moon Gan, senior commercial manager of Mega Label with new Martin Automatic MBSC unwind splicer

Mega Label, established in 1987 as a small print shop with one printing press and six employees, has grown to become one of the country’s major players in the narrow web market, with a variety of letterpress, flexo, digital and screen presses and a staff of more than 200.  

The company supplies the food, pharmaceutical, clothing, and health care sectors from its modern 6,000 sqm plant. In 2011, the company opened an additional production facility in Selangor, Malaysia to cope with increasing demand and shorten delivery times, and in 2012 set up a plant in Cambodia to fulfill the growing need for textile labels.

One of the keys to the company’s success has been its policy of personnel development and equipment investments.

‘Our target is to improve efficiency by replacing the unnecessary heavy work of our operators with automation, and in this sector of the market, there is no better manufacturer than Martin Automatic,’ commented Edmund Chan, group general manager at Mega Label. ‘Its non-stop systems de-stress our operators by managing reel changes of material, allowing them to focus on other important tasks. This is a great boost for morale.’

The first Martin Automatic technology at Mega Label, installed in 2018, was an MBSC non-stop unwind/splicer and an STR automatic transfer rewinder, fitted to a 10-color Gallus ECS 340 press.  

‘We save around 5-10 percent of the material and 5-10 minutes per roll change – and these make significant contributions to productivity and therefore profitability, and it also has a beneficial effect on the environment,’ said Chan.

Mega Label ordered a second set of MBSC/STR machines in 2020 for its latest Gallus press, another ECS 340 – the only problem was that the Covid-19 pandemic had spread worldwide by then, and travel had become virtually impossible.  

To ensure all practical details were covered, a pre-installation video conference was arranged to review all drawings and instructions so that both parties were comfortable with their respective tasks. 

‘Mega Label’s engineers are very competent, and we had our technicians on stand-by throughout the installation, said Travis Yang, Martin Automatic’s regional sales manager for Asia. ‘The fact that it all went smoothly and quickly speaks volumes for the functional and pure design of Martin equipment, which combines a robust working capability with easy handling.’