W&H in-house expo exceeds expectations

- 650 visitors from 51 countries attend two-day event

 

- Demonstrations covered entire flexibles supply chain

 

Windmöller & Hölscher’s (W&H) in-house expo, “Competence in Flexible Packaging”, exceeded the company’s expectations, with 650 visitors attending from 51 countries.

 

Initial expectations were that around 500 attendees would visit the company’s Lengerich facility, close to Münster, Germany on November 14-15.

 

At the in-house expo, W&H showcased its latest developments almost a full year before K2013, and six months after Drupa 2012, to whet its customers' appetite.

 

Some 13 machines in extrusion (pictured, top) printing and converting were in operation and represented the company's full range of machinery for the production of flexible packaging. 

 

As a part of the product demonstrations, W&H ran stretch hood films with gussets for strengthened load stability on the Optimex blown film line, and a collation shrink film for packaging beverage bottles was produced on a five-layer Varex blown film line featuring a Maxicone P die.

 

The Miraflex and Vistaflex flexographic presses, as well as the Heliostar SE gravure press (pictured, below), demonstrated print capabilities.

 

But, according to W&H, the real “hero” of the event wasn't the machines, rather the products that were produced on them.

 

W&H managing director Peter Steinbeck said: ‘We wanted to make it clear that W&H doesn't only specialize in extrusion technology, but rather in the entire production process beginning with resin pellets and ending with the finished product.

 

‘Only by understanding the entire process is it possible to align the production of packaging to its maximum effectiveness. I believe we were able to effectively make this point.’

 

Steinbeck and Jürgen Vutz, W&H chairman, were both extremely positive about the two-day event.

 

‘The expo was a resounding success. We were overwhelmed by the large number of visitors, including many from overseas, particularly from Asia.

 

‘We believe that customers undertaking such a long journey to see live machine demonstrations have specific and sincere interest in investing in new technology. We are very excited about the response of the market in the coming months. ‘

 

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