Adhesive manufacturer Supertape has reported a 20% increase in production uptime following its investment in two Bobst printing presses, the Digital Master 340 and Master M6.
The investment forms part of a 36-year relationship between the two companies and was made as Supertape sought to streamline its label production operations, improve efficiency and respond to customer demand for faster, more flexible production.
Following the acquisition of a label company, Supertape reviewed its existing production setup, which consisted of five flexo presses and one digital toner machine. The company determined that consolidating operations onto two Bobst presses would offer a more efficient use of space and energy while increasing production capacity.
Maintaining consistent quality was also a key consideration, particularly given Supertape’s involvement in food packaging. Both presses use TPO-free, UV-curable inks designed to meet international food safety requirements.
Bobst provided training to Supertape employees following the installation of the new equipment, helping them become familiar with the machines and their operating processes.
The Digital Master 340 is a modular, all-in-line label press that combines digital and flexo printing capabilities. It offers a resolution of 1200 DPI and includes the option of digital white.
Leander Dekke, production manager at Supertape, said: “With the new Digital Master 340 we were able to change a lot of previously manual labels to digital, which obviously gave less changeover times, less cost in plate – and with AccuCheck we are able to identify quality issues really fast.”
AccuCheck, Bobst’s inline quality assurance software, is installed on both presses. The system monitors production for defects, allowing potential quality issues to be identified during the printing process.
Mr Leander said: “It helps us to keep the costs down and the quality up.”
Supertape also uses Bobst Connect, a digital platform that provides access to production data and machine monitoring. The system enables the company to monitor its equipment remotely.
The second investment, the Master M6, is a centralised, digitalised flexo press featuring DigiFlexo automation. Its inline finishing capabilities have allowed Supertape to bring more of its label production processes in-house.
According to Mr Leander: “The Master M6 gives us a lot of ability to help out with the tape production. While many companies make use of third parties in labelling, the enhancing and inline finishing capabilities of the Master M6 have enabled us to do everything in-house. It gives us enormous advantages on delivery time and cost-efficiency.”
Since installing the two presses, Supertape has increased average production uptime from 50% to 70%. The company reports printing speeds of between 90 and 100 metres of labels per minute.
The increase in production capacity is intended to support customer requirements for shorter lead times and more adaptable production runs, while maintaining quality standards.
Herbert van Arkel, commercial director at Supertape, said: “Working together with Bobst for more than 36 years, and now with the new investments, will give us a new future in the label industry. We are sure that our relationship will last for the coming decades.”
Bobst sales manager Phil Baldwin said: “It is always a privilege to work with a company over the span of so many years, and we’re proud of continuing to develop our long-term partnership with Supertape. Its work in adhesive labelling is truly cutting-edge, and as such it needs the type of machinery that can be customized while retaining that core of quality and speed. We’re excited to see where our presses can take them, now and in the future.”
