Reflex Labels invests in two Martin Automatic unwind/splicers

Reflex Label Plus, a division of the Reflex group, has its own website and its own focus—applying innovative techniques and processes to combination printing for the food, pharmaceutical, health and beauty, and beer, wine and spirits markets. At the Barwell site paperboard, films, and other substrates are brought together to create trays, sandwich packs and other value-added food packaging products.

The first production line is an eight-color EF-520 press from Dutch manufacturer MPS, and a second nine-color EF-520. The purchases were part of an investment program across the whole Reflex Group that included more than a dozen presses. This included a top of the range Mark Andy P7.

The MPS lines at Barwell were equipped with two non-stop unwind/splicing systems from Martin Automatic. One is a Martin MBX butt splicer that unwinds paperboard, typically 150-450 micron, from the rolls as large as 1828mm (72in) in diameter.  Additionally, each press was specified with a Martin MBSF splicer. Initially supplied to feed 12-18-micron PET and OPP films, the splicers’ multi-substrate abilities to run paper and light board stocks will be crucial as Reflex looks to manufacture differentiated products.

‘Obviously, we bought them for continuous running, and our material waste has reduced to nearly nothing,’ said Shaun Boult, production manager at Raflex Labels Plus. ‘With the excellent registration capabilities of the MPS presses, we throw out just the one product with the splice in it. It’s easy equipment to learn how to use, easy to train our operators in 30 minutes and they’ve got it, and they can concentrate on the other parts of the line. I highly rate them.’

Although the package printing operation is connected to the labels section, it is run as an independent entity. In addition to food-on-the-go product lines like sandwich packs, Reflex Labels Plus is looking at new products focused on sustainability. ‘Sustainability is big here. We’re all about promoting products for less landfill, easier recycling, and total compostability,’ added Boult.

Speaking for the Reflex Group, CEO Ian Kendall commented: ‘The biggest thing we look for at Reflex is customer support, and I cannot fault Martin in this respect. They are always quick to respond, and their equipment is reliable and consistent, everything you need for continuous production.’