Bobst Group North America

With its gross domestic product expanding at a rate of 7.9 percent a year, India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies. The figures of between 12 and 14 percent for the printing industry are second only to China’s. India has around 150,000 print enterprises, and while most of them are in the north (Delhi) and the west (Mumbai), where there is a long tradition of printing, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata are also experiencing dynamic growth. Demand is expected to take off in the next five years, with advertising, packaging, labels and textbooks considered to be the sectors with the greatest potential.

CARLSTADT, N.J.—Compu-pak, Inc. a full-service finisher in the New York Metro area, recently expanded and enhanced its production capabilities with the addition of a new Bobst SPeria 106-E Autoplaten diecutter. “Due to the increase in demands for larger capacity runs and exacting capabilities from our present customer base in addition to requests from a new source of proposed customers, who also demand larger orders and quicker turnaround, we found it necessary to expand our capabilities,” said Compu-pak President, Rick Esposito. With its average order sizes growing from 15,000 to 25,000 sheets to 40,000 to 50,000 sheets, additional capacity was necessary to meet the growing

Is bigger, better? Not always, but bigger is getting better, especially when it comes to wide-web printing presses. Wide-web presses are a mainstay in the flexible packaging arena where many times, package size can dictate press size, especially when you throw in productivity and costs. But shorter and shorter production runs, combined with the ability of state-of-the-art narrow-web presses to run flexible materials, are providing other avenues for flexible packaging to be printed. In this environment, wide-web press manufacturers are responding by making their big machines “light on their feet,” with an ability to respond to the needs of the marketplace. packagePRINTING

Shrink labeling is a dynamic product decoration segment that is drawing renewed interest from consumer products companies and therefore, from package printers. Shrink labeling draws the attention of consumers with its unique ability to provide 360° product decoration and encompass today’s ergonomically shaped products. Extraordinary looking packages are incorporating shrink labels for a wide range of sizes and novel configurations. Because of the shelf appeal this labeling method can provide, shrink labeling has begun to grab attention away from other, more traditional labeling technologies. While many printers are considering or attempting entry into the shrink label market, anyone looking to get into this end

MILWAUKEE, Wis.—During the just-concluded IADD•FSEA Odyssey conference, Yvan Magni of Bobst Group made a presentation, in which he took an in-depth look at the many ways that carton design can impact production efficiency. Using specific examples, Magni stressed the importance of designers understanding all aspects of the manufacturing process and offered tips on not only design, but also diecutting and folder-gluer operation. Beginning with basic areas of the designers’ responsibilities, the session examined how early design decisions affect set up, production speeds, and waste. Basic design issues were identified including using proper corner relief, designing to avoid the creation of fishtailing on the folder-gluer,

ROSELAND, N.J.—Bobst Group North America will be exhibiting the latest in diecutting, foil stamping, and folding gluing technologies at the IADD•FSEA Odyssey in Milwaukee, Wis. During the May 2-4 event, Bobst will have representatives on hand at booth #317 and in the Techshop where the company will be displaying three of its machines—the SPanthera 106-LER Diecutter, SP 102-BMA Foilmaster, and the Mistral 110 A-2 CS Folder-gluer. Bobst will share information on the company’s current technology, along with techniques and trends for increasing productivity and profitability. Bobst representatives and equipment will be participating in the training sessions held throughout the three day event including: •

How do you see your product line today? In the last ten years we launched the first generations of the Alpina (1998), Pacific (2001), Mistral (2004) and Fuego (2004) lines. Customers who purchased the Alpina quickly realized that we had taken significant steps in simplifying the controls of the folder-gluer while, at the same time, improving productivity. Set-up times were reduced and production speeds were increased, while maintaining the reliability of the machine and the quality of the folded and glued product. Every model in Bobst’s folder-gluer product line has now benefited from this same approach. Our more than sixty years of experience in

NASHUA, N.H.—Comexi, Hudson Sharp, and Air Trim have joined Bobst/Schiavi and Profama as the major sponsors of the new Flexible Packaging Technology Center at CMM International 2007, June 4-7, in Rosemont, Ill. Designed to showcase the latest advancements in flexible packaging printing and converting, the new Technology Center will feature actual jobs being produced several times a day during the four days of the show. Preliminary plans call for plastic bags to be produced using the following equipment: • A new Bobst/Schiavi 10-color C.I. EF 50 press • Comexi’s 52˝ Nexus Solventless Laminator with Sleeve Option • Profama’s new Pratica 1200 slitter/rewinder • Hudson

Shorter runs—they are the reality for many package printers today. This reality can impact your slitters/rewinders by way of greater wear and tear, more frequent tool changes, and so on, but these are not the only packaging trends that affect the slitters/rewinders market. The myriad substrates available to converters alone impacts slitter/rewinder performance and construction. Thank the emergence of flexible packaging for the increased substrate requirements. All these factors will impact your business in terms of what equipment you buy—a typical rewinder versus a turret rewinder, for example—what you will do to increase the lifespan of such equipment, as well as what other types

BEDFORD, U.K.—Bobst Group (Business Area Flexible Materials) sold its 100th Titan SR8 cantilever slitter/rewinder to SAREBO BV, located in Son, about 100 km southeast of Amsterdam. The machine will be installed and commissioned in February 2007. The Titan SR8 has been a huge success for Bobst Group since its launch at Drupa 2004 in Germany. This success has been on a global basis with installations in many countries as far apart as New Zealand and South Africa and from the USA to Russia, India and China. The Titan SR8 has gained worldwide acceptance as an advanced, modular, high-performance, twin-shafted cantilever slitter/rewinder—not only by large,