SÜDPACK has invested in a new high-performance flexographic printing system at its Competence Center in Kłobuck, Poland. The new machine went into operation in September, bringing advanced automation, enhanced print quality, and optimized production workflows to the company’s flexible packaging operations. The system is designed to process a wide variety of flexible packaging materials for the food industry as well as non-food applications, enabling SÜDPACK to align its flexographic printing capabilities more closely with diverse customer requirements across Europe.
Key machine capabilities:
- Installed at SÜDPACK’s Competence Center for flexographic printing in Kłobuck, Poland
- Handles flexible packaging materials for both food and non-food applications
- Processes extra-wide webs with long repeat lengths at high speeds
- Supports both large volume and short print runs efficiently
- Features a star-shaped printing-unit configuration for superior print quality
Advanced Print Quality and Production Performance
The new flexographic printing system uses a star-shaped configuration of printing units, with high-precision mounting of the printing-unit shafts. This arrangement delivers consistent print quality even during complex jobs run at high production speeds. The machine’s capacity for extra-wide webs, long repeat lengths, and elevated speeds means that large print runs can be completed quickly and efficiently. Equally important, fast changeovers make short print runs economically viable, giving SÜDPACK the ability to respond to varied order sizes without compromising on quality or turnaround.
An optimized workflow shortens lead times from the pre-press stage through to the finished product. This enables SÜDPACK to act on short-notice customer requests with greater agility. The standardized printing process reduces potential sources of error, ensuring consistent and reproducible print images across entire production runs and on repeat orders. The machine is also described as Industry 4.0-ready, with connectivity to Internet of Things and enterprise resource planning systems that facilitates data sharing and lays a foundation for further workflow optimization.
Workflow, automation, and digital features:
- Two integrated high-speed robots enable fully automated job changeovers at the touch of a button
- Cylinders for up to four subsequent orders can be prepared in advance while the machine continues running
- RFID identification helps operators correctly match carrier cylinders, anilox rolls, and sleeves
- IoT and ERP connectivity supports data sharing across production systems
- Ergonomic design eliminates the need to lift heavy adapters during manual sleeve changes, with intuitive operator guidance provided throughout
Automation and Responsiveness to Customer Needs
The two independent high-speed robots integrated into the system are central to reducing operator workload during job changeovers. Because cylinders for upcoming orders can be staged while the current job is still running, preparation time is maximized and changeover periods are shortened. RFID technology adds a further layer of process security by ensuring printing components are correctly matched before each run. Operators benefit from safer, more ergonomic manual sleeve changes, as the system provides guidance and removes the need to handle heavy adapters.
Through this investment, SÜDPACK is advancing both automation and digitization within its flexographic printing operations at Kłobuck. The company states that the resulting improvements in process security and transparency are intended to create more room for value-added activities, strengthening its ability to provide customers in Europe with high-quality printed flexible packaging solutions more quickly and flexibly.