A raft of new products launched by Bobst on 8 June

The Swiss packaging and label machine manufacturer Bobst unveiled its latest portfolio of products during the 8 June launch. This included the new large-format Expertline converting lines, a new rapid change-over attachment for its flatbed die-cutters, new and updated digital support systems, and advances in eco-friendly packaging.

“While it was impossible to predict world events of recent years, like the pandemic, global conflicts, and subsequent consequences for our industry such as shortages of materials and manpower, we did correctly identify the overall packaging industry trends,” said Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO, Bobst Group. Responding to a question, he said, ""The Russia-Ukraine conflict has impacted Bobst turnover to the tune of CHF 40-50-million.

In the folding carton segment, Bobst announced the new Accucheck Recipe Editor for folder-gluers. Introduced in 2020, the functionalities ‘in line inspection system’ with Accucheck, checks carton blanks for defects and guarantees complete quality consistency. The all in one Digital Master 340 and Digital Master 510 label presses were also launched in March. This press boosts the label production with 100% in line inspection as a closed loop, to the final embellished and finished labels across one unified workflow. In the corrugated board sector, the new Expertline – consisting of the Expercut 1.7 I 2.1 and the Expertflex – is a large format converting line combining flatbed die cutting and post print flexo process,

Bobst's sustainability mission
Bobst also outlined recent progress in its sustainability portfolio, including the launch of a new "high barrier flexible packaging solution" designed for recyclability.

BOBST – together with its partners – continues to make great progress. As part of the CEFLEX (Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging) initiative, we have recently introduced an exciting new high barrier flexible packaging solution designed for recyclability – a metallized, high barrier, mono-material, flexo printed new recycled polypropylene (rPP) pouch. It is the first surface printed pouch with a barrier, produced using rPP household collected recycled material on the market.

Bobst is working with sustainable packaging specialist Tipa on a paper-based, high barrier recyclable offering, called FibreCycle.

Finally, the company said it had successfully completed a pilot of the Digital Product Passports (DPP) initiative for a demo machine in Manchester. The scheme, run by cross-industry consortium R-Cycle, will now be extended to Bobst’s other product lines, like coating, laminating, or Ci Flexo printing.

Also, as part of Bobst's commitment to the cross-industry consortium R-Cycle and its mission to ensure the traceability of single-use plastics through Digital Product Passports (DPP), BOBST has completed a pilot at its Competence Center in Manchester, where a demo machine is R-Cycle ready. This project will now be extended to other product lines (Coating, Laminating, Ci Flexo printing, Gravure printing).

Digital and logistics
Meanwhile Bobst’s digital offering has been updated.

The company has released an upgraded version of its workflow management system, Bobst Connect, and has introduced a new helpline for non-connectable machines, where packaging suppliers are connected to engineers by video. Bobst estimated that around half of callouts will be solvable by streaming in this way.

A new recipe-editing program for the firm’s Accucheck folder-gluer quality control system will likewise allow users to create and edit recipes remotely within the Bobst Connect platform, sending them out to multiple Accuchecks on the production floor.

The company has revealed, too, the opening of a new Europe, Middle East, and Africa logistics hub with a 24/7 dispatch service and parts for all product lines.