Bobst's new plant, which spans over 14,000 square metres (1.4-lakh sqft), will serve as a hub for the company's localised manufacturing efforts, catering to the needs of the Indian corrugated and flexible packaging industries. The company hopes it will also strengthen its presence in the Indian market.

The decision to establish the new plant in India comes as Bobst seeks to capture the expanding market, which has seen growing demand for automated end-to-end packaging solutions. The new plant is part of Bobst's broader strategy to localise production and strengthen its presence in key markets. Venugopal Menon, the zone business director of the printing converting unit for the Indian subcontinent at Bobst India, emphasised the importance of maintaining high-quality standards while also adapting to the unique needs and capabilities of the Indian market. 

Cyril Ruiz-Moise, general manager and regional business director for the Asia-Pacific region at Bobst said, “The Indian market is moving rapidly, and Bobst is committed to staying close to the market and its needs. We felt there was a need for more accessible machines that could cater to smaller and emerging segments, in addition to the high-end, sophisticated equipment we have been offering.” 

To address this gap, Bobst acquired a South Korean company called CnS, a manufacturer of flexo printer slotters and flexo folder-gluers. It is now known as Bobst Korea. There will be two ranges of FFG flexo folder-gluer lines — Nova and Vision — in the formats 1024 and 1227 mainly to produce brown regular slotted container boxes and simple die-cut corrugated boxes. 

The Nova range of FFG machines will be manufactured in India starting in 2025 with a plan for the manufacture of the Vision range by late 2026. Bobst Korea also offers flexo printer slotters in the 1024 and 1227 formats and the Jumbo size which will be manufactured at Bobst Korea. 

Ruiz-Moise said that the Bobst Korea (erstwhile CnS) products are now being integrated into the Bobst portfolio and will be manufactured at the new Pune facility under the Bobst branding and fully serviced and supported by the Bobst service organisation. 

The new plant in Pune will also produce Bobst's vacuum metalliser — the Vision K-5 range, with half of the facility dedicated to this specialised equipment to produce metallised film. The company has already sold three vacuum metallisers. Menon said, "The first vacuum metalliser has already been produced and shipped this year, and the first Nova FFG line that was entirely produced in India is expected to be ready by April -May next year." 

The parts, modules and components required for producing the FFG and metalliser will be partially imported depending on their criticality and complexity and the rest will be partially sourced and manufactured locally. “When Bobst localises a product in India, it never becomes a discounted product, but rather a very good compromise,” explained Ruiz-Moise. “We gain on proximity, labour costs, and the knowledge of our local teams, who can better understand and service the machines,” he added. 

The new facility is initially expected to employ around 100 people. The R&D and process support will continue to come from the older plant in Pirangut to ensure the seamless integration of Bobst Korea machines into the Bobst brand. 

Menon said, “As the Indian packaging industry continues to evolve, Bobst's investment in the Pune facility underscores its commitment to the market and its confidence in the country's growing manufacturing prowess. With the new plant, the company aims to solidify its position as a leading provider of innovative and high-quality packaging solutions in the region.”