ALPHARETA, GA–Converters, brand owners, business partners and the printing/converting trade press—a contingent of 250+ people—turned out for two days of grand opening festivities at BOBST’s new, 28,000 sq. ft. Competence Center. Events, staged April 15 and 16 included live machinery demos, insightful talks, and a host of networking opportunities.
With its significantly expanded floor space—some 5X larger than its predecessor–and multiple solutions installed, the Alpharetta Competence Center is fully prepared to cater to the specific needs of customers and prospects across North America. As a newly established innovation hub, it will lead the local market and drive developments toward a successful and sustainable future.
“The inauguration of the new Competence Center in North America is a shining example of our enduring dedication to bringing BOBST’s solutions to customers across the world,” commented Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO. “I believe this type of strategic investment is crucial to nurturing close connections with our local customers. This facility will provide them with first-hand access to our innovative solutions, set the stage for in-depth technology trials, and help forge great relationships with our dedicated BOBST teams.”
At what amounted to a formal press conference on the first day, Bobst and a team of senior executives explored industry challenges, market trends, and changing brand owner demands in addressing the pain points felt by converters in the labels and packaging segments.
Empowering performance is how the CEO described his firm’s focus at present. Bobst explained that innovation stands at the forefront of the campaign to “shape the future of the packaging world in a sustainable way.” All moves focus on four pillars of the business: digitalization, automation, connectivity, and sustainability. “To make this happen, you have to invest in application management for labels, flexible packaging and folding cartons,” Bobst explained. “We’re focused on bringing this vision to reality.” Elaborating on the point, he stated, “Our decision to establish this Competence Center was based on our vision. This is a major milestone for Bobst North America.”
“We really want to be very customer-centric in our approach to capture the needs of the market and prove we have a solution for all the industries that we serve,” added Bobst. He emphasized the drive to boost end-to-end efficiency—operators to product, product to end-of-life—and promised a “new era of performance,” tied in part to the advent of “zero-fault packaging.”
When it comes to application management, Bobst indicated that quality, efficiency, control, sustainability, proximity and profitability drive the five-step workflow: prepare, produce, react, maintain and optimize.
“One of our mottos is to do more with less,” added Emilio Corti, head of sales, business unit sheet-fed. “With the machines we have here, you don’t need two machines, you can run your jobs in one pass on one machine – which requires one person. And we all know how hard it is to find people today.”
Xavier Bonamour, application manager, flexible packaging, pledged that executives are working to better understand printing and applications and then translate all knowledge gained into technical solutions. Substrates are being addressed. Color management is taking on prime importance.
Leading the media on an initial tour of the facility and all it offers, Michael Cox, Competence Center manager, exclaimed, “Bobst Connect is the heartbeat of everything we do here.”
Additionally, Matteo Cardinotti, head of narrow/mid web, commented, “We’re designing machines that are easier to be operated, more consistent due to automation, and another answer to quality control. We see a big driver of hybridization where you’re combing printing and converting, but it’s also automation and robotics. Our goal is to come up with a complete solution, and all of that is covered in the connectivity aspect. We guide companies to optimize production and drive their performance levels.”
Showcased on the second day was the BOBST “One Complete Solution” for flexible packaging, a portfolio of end-to-end workflows that optimizes production by connecting each step via the BOBST Connect platform, from prepress through printing and converting to the finished reels. Visitors saw the concept in action as a VISION CI flexo press and NOVALAM S 550 solventless laminator ran live jobs.
BOBST also highlighted its digital printing portfolio. Running live jobs was the All-in-One DIGITAL MASTER 340 platform and the DIGITAL EXPERT 340 pure digital label press. Both impressed visitors looking for innovations that provide sustainable and productive label production.
The DIGITAL MASTER 340 is a fully modular, digitalized and automated All-Inline solution, from printing to embellishment, die-cutting and quality control with the BOBST ACCUCHECK closed-loop system. Printing at a speed of up to 100 m/min with 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution in four or six colors plus optional digital white, it leverages the power of BOBST’s proprietary Digital Inkjet Technology. Built on an upgradeable architecture, the press can be delivered in the exact configuration customers need now and then evolve on site over time as their demands change.
The DIGITAL EXPERT 340 roll-to-roll compact and easy-to-use label press is built on the same robust platform as the DIGITAL MASTER series. Operating at up to 100 m/min, this press can be built to incorporate a flexo unit to manage even the most complex substrates and applications. As the next evolution of pure digital machines from BOBST, it also features 1200 x 1200 dpi inkjet cluster technology.
Taking connectivity and digitalization to the next level, BOBST is introducing several new solutions that support a closed-loop workflow ecosystem–-from PDF to twin PDF–to boost productivity, ease of use and sustainability. A range of new BOBST Connect and prepress features allows label converters to streamline job preparation and reduce reliance on the skills of the operator, leading to faster job completion, while creating a more efficient production floor.
In separate conversations with FLEXO, a trio of North American business leaders, actually at times based out of the Competence Center, spoke to the purpose of the new property and its impact on the business.
Ken Brown, product and business development narrow web and mid web., reiterated corporate wide embracement of a customer centric philosophy sensitive toward converters large and small. “Right now. one of the most dynamic things is modularity—order it or alter it—the ability to add additional capabilities as you go. …The greatest demand is for speed and it is vital for high production and driving cost down. …The All in One has opened opportunity to bridge the chasm between digital and flexo–very short run to high volume. To the converter, hybrid print economics make more sense. The All in One is experiencing 3 to 4X digital adoption rates.
A high percentage of printers are looking at wider presses—more real estate, more work—20-in vs. 13-in. business changing rapidly.”
Brown noted, “The Competence Center allows customers to see, test and benchmark technology as they produce their work on our assets. It’s a phenomenal place to show what our true abilities are. Plus, the facility affords training and education for clients changing strategies in digital and flexo. And, we can use it to teach service personnel as we grow our base and teach them to better support our customers.” Asked what lies ahead, he responded, “In the future I see—more connectivity, more organization, more automation—analytics and data that focus on what a machine is doing, as well as what is needed downstream.”
For his part, Mark Fleming, narrow web and mid web director of service in North America, cited a “Most compelling market emphasis on inkjet customers looking for solutions beyond just digital or just flexo. All in One customers are having a challenge finding reliable operators. We understand what’s happening and we have it covered. Ease of use addresses operator challenges.”
In continuing its service-oriented tradition of 130 years, Fleming said BOBST is investing in the market and the Competence Center is a prime example. “Here, we talk about all the possibilities—the capabilities of the equipment that can get overlooked in the field. Customers see new features and we can collaborate and bring it to them. They ask good technical questions. We have the right answers. Seeing equipment prior to on-site delivery eliminates anxiety. Speed and efficiency drives buying decisions.”
He observed, “The Center establishes possibilities and brings them from what they are doing today to what they want to and will be doing tomorrow. It’s about collaborating more, networking, camaraderie, finding the common good. Flexo is such a growth engine.”
Chris Marshall, area sales manager looked to market pressure from retailers and package buyers that increased SKUs, spawned more set ups and, shorter run lengths and hastened faster turnarounds, as the operating environment that has cemented in place and is destined to stay. “Customers are looking for innovation to bring down set up times and eliminate waste as much as possible,” he decreed. “Primary features in high demand are Smart GPS, plate registration–automation in general. Converters want and expect machines that can do work automatically.”
“This facility will focus on training, closing the skills gap in our industry and dialing in technology. We have to let machines do the work that printers would have learned as apprentices. We must engage younger customers and show them this industry represents a viable career. Spending time in front of the customer at this Competence Center supports those objectives.”
In the Atlanta Competence Center, Bobst has prioritized space for collaboration with key industry partners. Avery Dennison, AV Flexologic, BST North America, Flexo Wash, Flint Group, Label Traxx, Miraclon, tesa tape and Sun Chemical.