Vitrapack has strengthened its production capabilities with the installation of a Bobst Expert CI flexo press. This investment is expected to help the Belgian packaging producer manage shorter lead times, handle a broader range of job requirements, and ensure consistent print quality, all while minimizing waste levels.
Operating from a 17,000-square-meter facility, of which 14,500 square meters is covered, Vitrapack employs a team of 100 employees, and reported an annual turnover of €32 million in 2024. Vitrapack has a long history in printing, with flexo dating back to 1952 and rotogravure since 1965. It supplies major global brands in the food sector, as well as part of the non-food market, serving customers in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.
Vitrapack’s partnership with Bobst stretches over nearly 20 years during which time the packaging specialist has leveraged Bobst technologies to great advantage, notably the many automation and waste saving features. Bobst was also chosen for its strong technical support, which has proven invaluable throughout the years. The philosophy of Jan Laeremans – co-owner and delegated administrator at Vitrapack – to carry out as much preparation as possible outside of machine production time was followed when the first Bobst 8-color CI flexo press with smartGPS system was purchased in 2009. With the fully automatic smartGPS system for registration and impression settings, productivity increased significantly since these processes were performed offline. It also minimized substrate and consumable waste during start-ups and job changes. A substantial investment program in 2017 resulted in the installation of two 10-color 20SIX CI flexo presses with a web width of 1050 mm, complemented by a CL850 laminator. Both flexo presses were also equipped with the smartGPS system.
The positive experience with smartGPS technology was one of the core reasons why Vitrapack again chose Bobst for its next flexo project. This time, the choice fell on the 10-color Expert CI, a press designed for process consistency and exceptional productivity. With a web width of 1300 mm and a higher print speed, output has increased significantly.
“smartGPS technology truly sets Bobst apart from the competition. It delivers the high quality our customers demand with much less unwanted downtime in production. Our first Bobst press in 2009 and the two 20SIX presses have performed exceptionally well, so we had no hesitation in choosing another Bobst press, but we needed a wider specification,” said Laeremans. “The new Expert CI has a capacity that is around 25% higher.”
Vitrapack’s recent investment in the Bobst Expert CI flexo press was not just about upgrading equipment; it marked further important steps to address macro trends such as sustainability and customization, while at the same time optimizing print quality. Vitrapack, Rask (the pre-press and repro sister company of Vitrapack) and Co-efficient have together, thanks to their complementary Expertise, laid the foundation for the standardization of flexo printing. Today, Co- efficient continues this as a Bobst solution partner, providing data-driven consulting services to optimize production and reduce waste.
“Thanks to Co-efficient’s Expertise and support, we achieved a very high improvement in OEE and a substantial reduction in the press time and waste required for ink and color adjustments. As a result, we also use much less ink and generate significantly lower volumes of residual ink,” said Jan Laeremans. “Their Expertise is crucial in refining our color matching processes to ensure precision and consistency with minimal waste.”
The focus on color accuracy and process control supports Vitrapack’s broader zero-waste ambitions. With advanced automation and smartGPS technology on all Bobst presses, job changeovers can now be completed faster than ever with minimal substrate waste – delivering both environmental and economic benefits.