Jammu, India-based Solar Printers has installed a BOBST AMBITION 76 A1 folder-gluer to expand it’s post-press portfolio.
“The machine is proving to be robust and technically sound. We can run specially designed cartons and complex, intricate jobs easily on the machine,” said Manoj Wadhera, Managing Director at Solar Printers. “We are based in a remote location and as a result, after-sales service was a big challenge for us. Bobst has a vast and quick after-sales service network across India.”
He continues, “Another important reason to choose Bobst was the great experience of its process engineers to provide life-time technical support in order to ensure machine performance. The brand value of Bobst will also help us to provide our customers with confidence in our ability to consistently provide high quality packaging.”
Left to right: Manoj Wadhera (Solar Printers) and Chandrashekhar Dhote (Bobst India).
Solar Printers was established in 1989 by Rakesh Wadhera. In 2001, the company installed its first mini offset printing press and in 2017, the Wadhera family diversified into packaging printing, alongside its existing commercial print production facility. Today, in the packaging unit, the company converts around 500-tonnes of board per month and the capacity is around 700 tonnes. A team of 70 people are employed, working 8-12 hour shifts per day. In anticipation of future expansion, the company has also acquired another 30,000 sq ft of land.
Bobst says that its Ambition is an intuitive, next generation multi-purpose folder-gluer, developed to create added value for packaging converters and equipped to help them to meet market demands today and in the future. The folder-gluer is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing workflows and operations and provides opportunities for production diversity and commercial growth. It offers fast, reliable feeding that is adjustable during runs and customers can choose to incorporate an optional blank aligner for enhanced folding precision. Able to handle most materials and box styles, it is pre-equipped with two complementary devices for crash-lock bottoms and 4 & 6 corner boxes. In addition, the folder-gluer delivers precise 180° pre-breaking of all boxes, regardless of substrate, at high speed. The long pre-break is ideal for perfectly flat glue flaps and an extra-wide lower left-hand belt to eliminate marking. Meanwhile, automatic belt tensioning ensures faster make-readies.
“Our anticipation for packaging was completely right and we were on the right track, but the nationwide lockdown delayed our plans and meant that we only began running the machines and production in October 2020,” Wadhera said. “Right now, we are operating two units – one dedicated to commercial and another for packaging. Our geography has enough potential. The government of Jammu and Kashmir provides relaxation on freight as well. We are serving our customers in Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and other neighbouring states.”
