As a manufacturer supplying machinery to the food and pharmaceutical industries, Koenig & Bauer Flexotecnica is permitted to continue working despite the current lockdown in Italy

• Customer service is guaranteed
• Use of modern remote maintenance solutions to respond to service calls
• Spare parts are available

The Italian government has classified Koenig & Bauer Flexotecnica as a system-relevant manufacturer. This means that the company is permitted to continue working at its facility in Tavazzano near Milan, despite the nationwide lockdown which currently applies. The reason for this decision: Packaging for food and pharmaceutical products is deemed an essential factor in the efforts to maintain reliable supplies to the population.

“We take our responsibility as a partner to the food and pharmaceutical packaging industry very seriously. And we have implemented all necessary precautions to safeguard the production capabilities of this enormously important industry,” says Claus Bolza-Schünemann, president and CEO at Koenig & Bauer.

Luigi Maggliocchii, new CEO at Koenig & Bauer Flexotecnica since February, adds: “Our top priority is to protect the health and safety of everyone involved. We are observing all precautionary measures with utmost strictness, to ensure that no-one is exposed to unnecessary risks.”

The spare parts warehouse is operating, and spare parts can be dispatched from stock in the normal manner. Due to the current general restrictions, however, delivery times may be longer than usual in some cases.

In this situation, modern remote maintenance techniques have acquired particular significance. PressSupport 24 – a service hotline which is accessible 24 hours a day – is available to receive calls from customers. Thanks to the augmented reality capabilities of the AR-DataGlass technology, the service specialist at Koenig & Bauer can follow exactly what a local technician can see, and that in real time. In this way, troubleshooting is greatly simplified and the important productive time of the printing press is increased accordingly. “Through the use of remote maintenance technology, we are able to provide a fast and simple solution to over 80 per cent of the service calls we receive – without any delays for a technician to visit the site in person,” Bolza-Schünemann explains.

The now global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses particular challenges when it comes to safeguarding supplies to the population. Safe packaging – not least for the food and pharmaceutical industries – plays a key role.

Machines from Koenig & Bauer are able to print on practically every substrate. Whether folding cartons for foods and medical products, corrugated boxes, flexible packaging made from plastic films and paper, beverage cartons, cans for tinned food, or glass and plastic containers for pharmaceuticals: All these products help to ensure that food reaches the consumer in safe condition, that it remains fresh for as long as possible, and that medical supplies can be distributed reliably.