Diecutters and gluers for new carton operation

Firstan in Cambridge, UK, has ordered three Bobst Visioncut diecutters and an Expertfold gluer, which will be installed at Firstan's new 80,000 square feet plant in Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire.

The three Visioncut's are 106 LE versions, which are size 3b diecutters (ISO: size B1) and will replace Firstan's current duecutters.

Each Visioncut features Bobst's optical lateral register system, which uses a camera to register the sheet edge, or the print itself, to the diecutting tools, so reducing stops in production and improving diecutting quality.

Each Visioncut also features Bobst's Quick Change for job change-overs.

The Expertfold folder-gluer is a 110 CS version for straightline and crashlock carton folding and gluing.

The machine is claimed to run at 450 metres per minute and features computer setting, Bobst's blank aligner for set-up with zero waste, and its flipper ejector for maintaining product integrity and quality at full running speed are included.

The new plant will become operational next January and the line will add additional capacity to Firstan's folder-gluer department.

Paul Hartwig, production director of Firstan, said: 'The new plant will give us more space, a better workflow, and improved facilities for our staff.

At the same time we are going to take the opportunity to increase throughput in both cut and crease, and in folding and gluing.

With customers requiring shorter and shorter runs, efficiency has become even more important, especially in terms of change-over times.

The new Bobst equipment will reduce our set-up times significantly and will also allow us to increase running speeds.

He added: 'We looked at the entire package we needed - the equipment, the tooling, the training, and the support, before we decided on a supplier.

Bobst offered us a real partnership that will see us well into the future.

Already some of our staff have been over to Switzerland to see the machines in action, and Bobst have put together a substantial pre-installation and post-installation training programme for us.

We intend to get every drop of production possible out of these new machines.

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