SRF books its fourth Bobst metalliser
Following the purchase of a third Bobst metalliser for its Thailand factory last year, Gurugram-headquartered SRF has invested in a fourth machine for its factory in India.
19 Mar 2025 | 374 Views | By PrintWeek Team
The Expert K5 3650-mm will be up and running next year. This purchase further cements SRF’s relationship with Bobst which began over 20 years ago.
The new wide-web machine will be used for the production of metallised BOPP and will be fully equipped with unique Bobst innovations: AluBond, AlOx GEN II and the Hawkeye Pinhole Detector.
The Expert K5 is designed to run large diameters at high speeds. The Bobst renowned winding mechanism produces virtually wrinkle-free film and the Expert is the highest productivity metalliser in the world for the packaging industry with the lowest production costs available in the market.
The AluBond and AlOx GEN II processes will allow SRF to produce both opaque and clear sustainable BOPP films with high oxygen and water barriers. The Hawkeye Pinhole Detector works to detect any defects in the film during production alerting the operator and ensuring no interruptions to production.
The Expert K5 will be built to the highest standards at Bobst’s primary vacuum metalliser production site in Manchester, United Kingdom. In addition to this site which has been in operation for nearly 40 years, recently the Bobst vacuum metallising division has expanded due to growing demand with a second site in Pune, India where the recently launched Vision K5 HS machine is produced by BOBST experts with the same high standards as the production site in the UK.
Prashant Mehra, president and CEO and Hari K Singh, executive vice-president and head of global operations, said, “We are delighted to have signed the contract to purchase our fourth machine from BOBST and to further strengthen our relationship. When our new Expert is installed in 2026 it will allow us to increase our capacity of metallised BOPP in India.”
SRF, established in 1970, has grown into a leading, diversified chemicals conglomerate with over 9,000 employees, 16 plants across 4 countries and exporting to over 100 countries worldwide. The packaging films business has operations in four countries providing flexible packaging solutions to a wide gamut of applications ranging from food to non-food both in the category of fast-moving consumer goods and industrial products.