Bobst Presents Packaging, Label Technologies at Bogota Roadshow Event

Eric Pavone, business development director, Bobst business unit web fed, addressing the audience.

BOGOTA, Colombia—On the first stop of the 2016 Latin America Roadshow—in Bogota, Colombia, in November 2016—Bobst and partners presented the latest technologies for packaging and label production all along the value chain, from raw materials to finished products to an audience of 110 delegates from the Colombian packaging industry.

The topics discussed during the roadshow reflected the market growing demand for better quality products, substrate functionality and process performance, as well as higher productivity which were dealt with from multiple angles in terms of both consumable and web fed equipment innovation updates. Expanded gamut (EG) and retortable packaging, in particular, raised a great deal of interest and promoted a good interaction with the participating delegates during the conference and the networking breaks, said Eric Pavone, business development director of Bobst business unit web fed.

“The Colombian flexible packaging and label markets are by far the No. 1 markets in size and growth in Latin America outside Brazil. The good level of press technology installed and entering Latin America in the last few years clearly position Colombia as a driving market for export despite the current high competition and market difficulties that presently characterize the Latin American market. Therefore, it is important for Bobst to increase our local presence in sales and service for the future in line with our strategy for the area,” Eric concluded.

The Bobst mid web, central impression (CI) flexo printing press

The presentations by Bobst and industry partners AVT, CGS, Coim, DuPont, Esko, Flint Group, Laem and MacDermid had a strong focus on these and other topics and new developments that were unveiled at drupa 2016. The technical aspects of the label and packaging production were complemented by an overview of the Colombian industry given by the president of ANDIGRAF, the Colombian Association of the Graphic Communication Industry, as well as by the speech of Quala’s Packaging Engineer, who relayed the market needs and trends from the perspective of a brand owner.

The event also provided the perfect opportunity for Bobst to introduce to the industry Jorge Lagos Caballero of Novaflex, the new sales representative of Bobst web wed equipment in Colombia. With its extensive industry experience and knowledge of the local market, Novaflex is best placed to assist Bobst to continue its growth across the full range of web fed products.

“We are pleased at the comments we received from participating delegates who showed appreciation for both the dynamics of the event and the topicality of the subjects covered. Solutions offered by Bobst over the years have always been well received by the local industry which is why we have developed an important presence in the South American region, including Colombia, where we have numerous installations,” explained Mansueto Bacim, regional sales manager, Bobst business unit web fed. ”Because our new printing and converting solutions—from the mid web central impression (CI) flexo presses through to the RS 6002C shaftless gravure press, to the unique digital flexo process for the narrow and mid web inline flexo presses, or the vacuum metallizing and coating developments, provide excellence in substrate functionality—we are taking to a new level the efficiency, flexibility and quality features that fulfil market needs—we look forward to extend our positive business results in the region,” he concluded.