Malmö, Sweden - Flint Group continues its innovation and leadership position with the opening of its Global Innovation Centre (GIC) in Malmö Sweden.  A new normal is now established in the industry where the highest standard of service and support for packaging printers is now a reality.

At the centre of this facility is Flint Group’s new 8-station SOMA printing press equipped with the latest web handling and both water-based and UV printing capabilities.  

Kim Melander, VP Sales EMEA & Global Strategy Paper & Board for Flint Group, says this, “We are extremely proud to announce this next achievement for our Paper & Board packaging inks business.  The centre has been specially designed to focus on the development of products that will shape the future of Paper & Board printing.

“The investment in our new state of the art SOMA printing press is a significant milestone and a clear demonstration that we are fully committed to invest in our industry and support our customers’ growth through an innovative development workflow.”

Flint Group’s brand new SOMA printing press is available for product benchmarking and customer trials.  The press is fully equipped with features such as the SOMA Ink Cartridge System, Falcon II Intelligent Job Setting, and Inkstorm auto wash-up, along with sleeves, aniloxes, and doctor blades manufactured by market leaders in the flexographic printing industry including Flint Group’s very own Flexographic Products Division.

Flint Group’s newest innovation centre is a hub of innovation and collaboration, having:

• The new SOMA Optima 850, 8-colour CI printing press.
• A 590 square meter space for press demonstrations with a sound proof collaboration room.
• Development and testing labs with advanced analytic testing and proofing equipment.
• An ‘Academy’ room which can hold up to 25 people and an adjacent free-thinking lounge area for mapping future ideas.
• A new GSE ink dispenser and Flint Group’s unique VIVO Colour Solutions toolbox provide the full integrated press room workflow
• A staff of experts with more than 300 combined years in the packaging industry and more than 170 years with Flint Group!

According to Paul Winstanley, Technical Director, Paper & Board EMEA, “With the GIC, Flint Group provides a unique customer centric R&D facility focused on developing ‘next generation’ products for our core global market segments.  This truly state of the art facility – with its innovative workflow, analytic tools and new contemporary printing press supported by our international technology team – has created a future template in product innovation and customer support.”

Mr. Stuart Duffy, Director Professional Services for Flint Group Packaging & Narrow Web, adds, “In June of 2016, Flint Group presented the market with its Global Colour Centre (GCC) in Poland and its solution-based competencies, VIVO Colour Solutions. The new Global Innovation Centre (GIC) in Sweden is a second step, and a calculated complement to the GCC in Poland.”

Mr. Duffy continues, “The demand for brand equity and integrity solutions by brand owners helped shape our strategy to create and deliver these two global Centres of excellence. Both facilities focus on innovation, service development, education, with experts who deliver crucial day to day technical support for customers.  Every element is targeted to ensure our customers’ businesses continue to develop and prosper.”

Mr. Melander concludes, “At Flint Group we are MAKING IT HAPPEN.  In this ‘new normal’ we are setting new standards for the industry to follow; we are raising the bar on everyday performance.  We are creating a new reality for success in package printing. For the benefit of our customers, we listen, we learn, and we lead.”