Biopax has signed off its second Speedmaster XL106 at its plant in Belfast. Like the first press, the new machine is a six-colour double-coater mounted on a plinth to maximise efficiency on the food carton work that the company specialises in.
It has followed this with installation of flexo printing capability for producing paper wraps for on-the-go deli and quick-serve restaurants. The branded paper wraps are used to enclose a standard cardboard food container. Being able to supply these to UK customers, who have otherwise imported the material from the far east, is a substantial opportunity for Biopax. Around 500 million units are supplied a year. The wraps are designed to be recyclable and to offer barrier resistance to hot food, salad and sauces.
Sales and marketing director Liam O’Connor says: “The installation of our second Speedmaster XL106 press is an additional investment made by Biopax to double our upstream printing capacity. This is not a replacement press. It is important for Biopax and for our customers that we can display resilience and contingency within our operational capability.
“Having two printing presses with equal capability in terms of high quality print, optimum output and reduced set up and downtime will strengthen our contingency in the most complex part of our manufacturing process.”
The company, founded by Terry Cross, has sustainability at its core and is designed to help brands reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging. This will be the ethos as the business expands into production facilities in mainland Europe, India and China. It aims to produce food cartons from entirely sustainable materials using barrier coatings rather than physical barriers. The internal development team is working on a PE free lining for disposable beverage cups.
The company has developed its own colour management system built around GMG and Heidelberg’s Inpress Colour Control. This brings the press into colour faster, reducing waste and saving time as well as increasing output.
O’Connor says: “We have been delighted with the quality of colour density and print registration we have achieved on our first Speedmaster press over the past two years, so it was important to us that our next investment in printing technology is able to achieve similar levels of excellence.”
The press was delivered to the company at the start of October. It will be followed by further investment in capital equipment. As well as the twin press installation, there are two Mastermatrix platens, two Diana folder gluers, guillotine and a Suprasetter, amounting to a £20 million spend with Heidelberg UK. The company also runs a 430mm Nilpeter for label printing.
Cross says: “Biopax promises to deliver a long-term solution to the plastic problem in the packaging sector and by continually reinvesting in the best equipment we will be able to increase our capabilities and fast track the delivery of green packaging and allow the markets that we serve a more domestic product.
“In addition to this commitment, we are poised to embark on a significant expansion of our Springvale Business Park site in West Belfast next year, doubling its size to further support the changing needs of our customers. We will continue to invest whatever it takes to support the evolving needs of both existing and future customers.”
