The Bobst vision is shaping a new reality where connectivity, digitalization, automation and sustainability are the cornerstones of packaging production. Bobst continues to deliver best-in-class machines, and is now adding intelligence, software capabilities and cloud-based platforms, to make packaging production better than ever.

Brand owners, small or large, are under pressure from local and global competitors and changing market expectations. They face many challenges, like shorter time-to-market, smaller lot sizes and the need to build consistency between physical and online sales. The current packaging value chain remains very fragmented where every phase in the process is isolated into silos. The new requirements require all key players to have an end to end view. Printers and converters want to remove waste factors and errors from their operations.

Bobst aims to lead a profound and timely transformation of the packaging industry, where the entire production chain will become more agile and sustainable. It has built this transformation around four main pillars – connectivity, digitalization, automation and sustainability.

Across the whole production workflow, more fact-based and timely decisions will be made. At Bobst has a vision for the future where the entire packaging production line will be connected. Brand owners, converters, toolmakers, packers, and retailers will all be part of a seamless supply chain, accessing data across the entire workflow. All the machines and tooling will talk to each other, seamlessly transmitting data through a cloud-based platform orchestrating the entire production process with quality control systems.

Bobst is offering printers and converters new services to optimize equipment performance, increase the overall plant productivity and avoid unexpected downtimes for maximum efficiency and agility. It wants to automate plants and job workflows with smart systems able to perform key operations, which will increase quality and save time, manpower and costs.

Last, and one of the biggest challenges ahead, Bobst says that it will drive sustainability further, delivering environmentally friendly packages with barrier protection and recyclability able to meet the demands of brand owners and consumers.

To connect its customers to a digitalized and automated workflow, while at the same time providing best-in-class machines and a great service experience that enables the vision to become reality, Bobst Connect will become a key component of the one-stop platform. Bobst Connect will help orchestrate the production process from the client’s PDF to the finished product and quality report.

“The digitalization of printing processes is the most visible element of progress in the packaging industry,” said Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO Bobst Group. “The coming years will likely see a major acceleration of digital printing and converting. While the solutions are becoming available, the biggest challenge for printers and converters is not the individual printing machines, but rather the entire workflow, encompassing converting.”

“At Bobst we have a fully automated and controlled workflow from file to the final label, pouch or box, and this vision answers brand owners’ and converters’ needs. With the innovations completed to date and others to come from Bobst and other industry partners, we are moving in the right direction,” added Jean-Pascal Bobst. “Our vision is simple, bold and ambitious with the objective to shape the future of the packaging world, with passion and proximity to our clients.”