Panther Print GmbH, a Panther Group company headquartered in Wustermark, Germany, has used a BOBST 96S central cylinder, CI flexo printing press to print more than a million sqm of liner in 24 hours — setting a new world record. Mastering the various printing processes requires a lot of expertise and the Panther Print team’s world class performance proves they have it.
Specifically, the Bobst 96S printed 1,174,000 sqm of liner in one day. That’s an average of 489 m/min, or 48,917 sqm per hr, meaning the machine was almost continuously running close to its maximum output of 600 m/min, including roll and job changes. One of many challenges was the internal logistics.
Tension was in the air and the scent of printing ink filled the hall in Wustermark as the new world record approached. In general, the technology and solid construction of the Bobst 96S gives the user everything needed to achieve the highest quality and productivity in four shift flexo pre-printing. But anyone who wants to fully probe the limits of such a high-performance machine, with its extra-large print width of 2.8m, needs ambitious, well-trained employees — and Panther Print is proud to have them. Printing is the entire team’s passion, which the world record impressively underlines.
The Bobst 96S was installed at Panther Print in 2010 and is equipped with eight inking units on the central cylinder and a separate varnishing unit. Its high level of automation in the setup process and tool handling, fully automatic print cylinder storage, and automatic splicing at speeds up to 450 m/min, allow for fast job changes. A highlight of the machine is the Bobst smartGPS system. This innovative offline system for registration and impression setting uses the latest RFID technology and significantly reduces both machine setup times and waste. The resulting reduction in ink, material and energy consumption makes packaging production more sustainable and improves the ecological balance of the products made in Wustermark.
From the Panther Group’s perspective, flexo pre-print’s strength can be seen in its especially high screen width on coated liners. The company also uses the 96S to print on the thinnest Kraftliner and Testliner papers with a weight of only 35 gsm and observes sustainability principles by being suitable for even thinner papers. Thanks to this capability, Panther Print can produce between 150-200 million sqm of optimal quality liner and has received many awards for its performance, including the DFTA Award, Germany’s highest honour for print quality.
