KBA China ensures comeback in Chinese flexo market

Shanghai Zidan Food Packaging & Printing ordered an EVO XD CI flexo web press from KBA-Flexotecnica after an intensive selection process. The flexo experts at Zidan based their decision primarily on the innovative press’ technical winning features. KBA China’s great dedication to this project proved successful in the end. The Chinese sales and service company that belongs to Koenig & Bauer Group delivered a large-format Rapida 142 sheetfed press to Zidan Food Packaging & Printing in 2012 and has an excellent reputation with Chinese packaging printers. For KBA-Flexotecnica the order signals a successful comeback in the Chinese market which still holds considerable growth potential for flexo printing compared to gravure that dominates today.

Zidan Food Packaging & Printing is a leading supplier of sophisticated packaging in the Chinese market and was founded in 1996 by the Zijiang Group. The Group made a name for itself in flexo printing very early on and sets the standards in China with regard to this printing process. Zidan’s main products include food packaging, folding carton, corrugated packaging, shopping bags and even packaging for toys. Internationally renowned enterprises, such as KFC, McDonald’s, Kraft, Phillips, Sony, GE and GM, are just some of its longstanding customers. The company is keeping a close eye on offering the highest level of quality coupled with sustainable, environmentally friendly production as it paves the way for growth.

Zidan owns an extensive press fleet in order to fulfil its customers’ challenging demands. Along with a Rapida 142 installed in 2012, the packaging experts ordered a high-tech Rapida 106 medium-format press with nine printing units and a coating unit at Print China in Dongguan in April 2015. The company previously used web presses for flexo printing from another manufacturer. Zidan aims to expand its capacities for fast-food paper packaging with this recent order for an EVO XD from KBA-Flexotecnica.

The decision in favour of an eight-colour EVO XD CI press with coater was made after in-depth technical comparisons to a press from another German manufacturer and visits to see the press in action in Asia and Europe. The new EVO XD which was launched only a few years ago is currently the most installed press from KBA-Flexotecnica. A key unique feature compared to competitors’ presses is its highly efficient drying system co-developed with a team of experts from Milan University. The press thus meets even the highest demands in terms of quality with a high web speed of 500m/min (1,641ft/min). Its innovative operating concept facilitates minimal start-up times when changing jobs. The patented auto impression (AIF ) and user-friendly register control keep start-up waste to a minimum. Lu Weida, general manager of Zidan: “We are following our strategy of achieving the highest level of quality using a sustainable production process with this new press. We are convinced that we made the right choice by ordering the EVO XD.”

The new EVO XD is expected to come on stream at Zidan in the first quarter of 2016. Together with field technicians from Italy, local service staff from KBA China who have already been thoroughly trained in this printing process will be involved in the installation. KBA China’s experienced service team will be on-hand following commissioning to ensure that Zidan and all new flexo customers receive fast and professional service on-site. KBA China already has a longstanding good reputation with offset users.