First highly automated Rapida 106 with double coating and cold foil for Saima Packaging

In January 2016 KBA-Sheetfed will be delivering a seven-colour Rapida 106 with raised press foundations, double coating facilities for mixed UV/conventional operation on board and plastics, and a cold foil transfer system to Saima Packaging in Karachi/Pakistan. The company founded and managed by the Tinwala family is today one of the country's largest producers of high-quality packaging.

When Muhammad Yousuf Tinwala first set up his business as a sideline in 1972, it operated from a shop measuring just four square metres. Printing became his principal occupation in 1975, and the past 40 years have seen the company grow into a major player with over 23,000m² of production floor space. Saima Packaging currently counts more than 450 employees, and there is still no end in sight to the growth. The company processes some 28,000 tonnes of board and flexible substrates every year. Saima is a top supplier for many well-known brand names, and market leader in packaging for the tobacco, food and beverages, FMCG and pharmaceuticals industries in Pakistan.

Ideal press for special packaging

A Rapida 105universal with five printing units, coater and hybrid equipment has already been in production at Saima Packaging for the past two years. The reliability and flexibility of the press, paired with the intensive support given by the KBA team both during the investment phase and in after-sales service, have delighted all concerned, and it was not least for this reason that Muhammad Yousuf Tinwala recently signed for an 18,000-sph high-tech Rapida 106 with 11 printing and finishing units. It is at the same time the first press with inline cold foil transfer in Pakistan. Further equipment highlights include FAPC fully automatic plate changers, the combi-washing system CleanTronic Multi, CleanTronic UV, EES extraction in the delivery, and connection to a central water cooling system. The two intermediate drying units are configured with VariDry IR/hot-air dryers, followed up with VariDry IR/hot-air/UV dryers for final drying in the triple-length extended delivery. The DriveTronic feeder with dedicated drives, the sidelay-free infeed DriveTronic SIS, disengaging of the unused inking units, an ErgoTronic console with wallscreen and the new TouchTronic operating concept are already standard features of the press. The presetting data for fast job changeovers are supplied to the press via LogoTronic CIPLinkX. For Yousuf Tinwala the new press is a key to short makeready times, high productivity in inline finishing and reduced energy consumption.

Saima Packaging produziert Verpackungen aus Karton und flexiblen Materialien. Dafür stehen je acht Bogenoffset- und Tiefdruckanlagen zur Verfügung. Die eingesetzten Bedruckstoffe reichen von Papier bis zum Polypropylen oder Polyethylen. Die Auflagen bewegen sich zwischen 200 und 1,5 Mio. Bogen. Im Bogenoffset bietet das Unternehmen seinen Auftraggebern aus der Markenartikel-Industrie durch das breite Farbspektrum und die hohe Veredelungsvariabilität den gewünschten Mehrwert. Auf der Kundenliste stehen Namen wie Unilever und McDonalds. Wasserbasierende Lackierungen (matt und glänzend), UV-Lackierungen (matt und glänzend), Druck und Veredelung auf Kunststoff und metallisiertem Karton, Prägen, Fensterstanzungen sowie zusätzliche Sicherheitsmerkmale sind Tagesgeschäft. Dafür ist die neue Rapida 106 mit ihren sieben Farbwerken, Doppellack- und Kaltfolien-Ausstattung ideal.    

Saima Packaging produces both rigid and flexible packaging, for which eight sheetfed offset and eight gravure presses are available. The substrates used range from paper to polypropylene or polyethylene, and run lengths vary between 200 and 1.5 million sheets. In sheetfed offset, the company offers its brand-name clients the desired added value in the form of a broad colour spectrum and an endless diversity of finishing options. The list of clients includes names such as Unilever and McDonalds. Water-based coatings (matt and gloss), UV coatings (matt and gloss), printing and finishing on plastic films and metallised board, embossing, window cut-outs and additional security features are daily business for Saima Packaging. And the new Rapida 106, with its seven printing units, twin coaters and cold foil transfer, is the ideal press for the job.  

Pioneer in terms of ecology and quality

When it comes to ecology, Saima Packaging is setting the standards in Pakistan: All ink canisters are recyclable, and 95% of the solvents used are similarly returned to the recycling system. The company's premium substrates consist of recycled paper for 95% of the production, and the top priorities throughout the production process are reduced resource consumption and minimised wastage.

Another important criterion for Saima Packaging is compliance with the highest quality standards. Corresponding tests are performed at every stage of the production. Modern quality labs with the latest measuring equipment permit exact monitoring, and the quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2008. In addition, Saima meets all food safety requirements specified in ISO 22000 and holds corporate supplier accreditation from important clients such as Unilever Pakistan and McDonalds Pakistan.

Whether a job entails 100 folding cartons or 1 million printed sheets, Saima Packaging supplies finished and fully converted packaging products on a just-in-time basis, and in doing so attaches particular importance to long-term partnerships with its clients.