The company has invested more than 25 million euros in their installations, having a current production of 2 million boxes per day

Castellón – Delivering any type of corrugated cardboard container and packaging “wherever and whenever the client needs it” is the objective of Grupo La Plana in order to consolidate their leading position in the corrugated board market. This is possible with Grupo La Plana CEO and Managing Director Juan Ignacio Piquer’s introduction of the new EFI Nozomi C18000 digital printing technology in their factory in Onda (Castellón).

The managing director explained that the newly installed technology is the natural development of Grupo La Plana’s aims to offer clients “greater customization of their products and flexibility to address consumption trends.” Grupo La Plana not only manufactures its own board according to the needs of the client, but the company can also design, produce and deliver any type of board container and packaging just in time, reducing the production costs and the packaging stock of any industry.

Piquer and Grupo La Plana opted for EFI’s new printing technology as the Silicon Valley-based printing technology company is helping to lead the transformation of from analogue to digital imaging in the corrugated packaging space. Using EFI’s technology will allow Grupo La Plana to conduct quick tests and prototypes, as well as customised campaigns with digital technology of industrial printing directly on corrugated board, simplifying the production process while reducing time and costs.

Grupo La Plana’s new printing centre has been operative since February and its versatility provides more rapid and creative solutions to the packaging supply chain. The 1.8-metre-wide printer prints up to 75 linear metres per minute, or up to 10,000 890x890-mm boards per hour. Moreover, the Nozomi C18000 works with six colours (CMYK, orange and purple), offering sharp grayscale images that compete with offset and high-quality flexographic printing.

For Piquer, the introduction of this innovative digital printing process gives designers the power to bring their creativity to the container, thanks to the quality of the resulting images.

Permanent investment

Piquer points out that Grupo La Plana’s pioneering nature and their firm decision on technological innovation has been based on consolidating their presence in the Mediterranean Arc over the past year, as well as in the centre and the North of Spain.

The firm has invested in total more than 25 million Euros in the extension of their production centres, which will enable the production to be increased by 50% and introduce the latest technology of the sector in their installations. The company had 109 million Euros in turnover in 2018; the company manufactured 2 million boxes per day on average last year.

“We are aware of the fact that our product has been introduced into the distribution chain of our clients,” says Piquer. “Consequently, we cannot only confine ourselves to its selling as mere providers, but we also try to provide a solution for new product and service needs. We are always ready to investigate and collaborate closely with customers” with the presence of Grupo La Plana technicians in the packing plants in order to adapt products and improve efficiencies.

According to Piquer, the introduction of the Nozomi C18000 represents a clear commitment to the digital technology in order to expand the business, turning packaging into a marketing tool that provides solutions to the market with new selling points, such as the customization, so Grupo La Plana’s always have top-of-the-line packaging. EFI’s Industrial Printing vice president and general manager, José Luis Ramón Moreno, states that he is “enthusiastic about undertaking this journey” with Grupo La Plana, noting that Grupo La Plana presents a perfect example of a strong commitment to quality, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

www.laplana.com