Chris stresses the importance of building relationships, while being fluent in a number of African languages has proved beneficial when liaising with factory staff and customers. Great communication and being able to adapt to developing market trends are both key to the company’s ongoing success.
Multiprint currently operates various Mark Andys, including an eight-colour 2200F combination UV and water-based ink press as well as a newer 2200H eight-colour combination UV and water-based press with in-line cold foiling capabilities, turnover bar and translation module, installed by Label & Printing Systems (Sarepco).
‘The turnover bar gives us the capability to print on the front and back of the label,’ explains general manager, Hennie Pretorius. ‘It also allows us to desensitise the adhesive on the labels for special applications. In conjunction with the translation module it enables us to print butterfly labels.’ A butterfly label is two labels printed on top of each other which opens up like a four-page booklet.
Productivity and quality
The latest installation of a GEW e-Brick UV system into the Mark Andy 2200F eight-colour combination press is another prime example of Chris Bobbert’s desire to lead the way with product quality and service.
Supplied and installed by Sarepco, the system offers an energy-efficient e-Brick power supply with integrated lamp. It’s a fully electronic system with a user-friendly colour touchscreen control. An easy-open cassette system gives fast lamp change.
CAPTION: An efficient-energy supply is achieved with the introduction of the latest GEW e-Brick UV system on the Mark Andy 2200F.
Compared to a conventional system, the GEW system is said to offer a 30% energy saving with 20% more total UV energy. ‘The benefit with the GEW UV lamp system is long term. It is more reliable,’ Hennie adds.
In addition to the Mark Andy printing presses, a Newfoil 3000 unit takes care of hot foiling and sequential marking. The finishing section is populated by Rotoflex slitting and rewinding equipment.
Multiprint’s core business is to produce high-quality self-adhesive labels and tags, printed on paper, filmic and Tyvek; wraparound banners and barrier tapes on polypropylene and polyethylene; and printed packaging tape on polypropylene and vinyl.
Investment in CtP a saving grace
Chris stresses that his investment in CtP has been another saving grace.
In 2006 he made a substantial investment in CtP in an effort to improve productivity and turnover (PPM Nov 06, p65).
He currently operates with a Creo/Kodak Thermoflex narrow platesetter with Prinergy software for direct imaging of the plates and a Cyrel Fast System to develop/wash-out the plates. Both were supplied by Antalis.
‘We have perfected the art of quality and service – we don’t mess around,’ Chris insists. ‘To be successful everything must start in the art room, if you have a backlog here, you are lost.’
Chris sees his biggest growth market in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. He has already secured a number of lucrative printing contracts for prime quality over-the-counter (OTC) product labels as well as indirectly supplying full-colour labels for Woolworths. Other core sectors are plant and agricultural tags.
Having started his career in the corrugated industry with Nampak, and now moving forward in the flexo industry, Chris maintains that much of his success in the last 36 years can be attributed to the ability to change business strategy when needed, especially during tough economic times. ‘I’m passionate about printing,’ he enthuses. ‘Much of our work is with big ad agencies for companies such as CTM and Pedigree. Now flexo competes with other printing systems and I have really enjoyed watching that transition.’ He’s certain that flexo-printing is now the most versatile printing process in the world, something he believes 90% of his competitors don’t realise!
Chris Bobbert is determined to continue providing a service over and above what’s expected and is focused on exploring niche markets to build Multiprint Labels’ profile. With his language skills being put to daily use, he’s embracing the market’s rapid changes and challenges. ‘Hey, if I ever decide to leave printing, maybe I can have a future in politics,’ he shrugs with a wry smile.
Multiprint Labels
T +27 011 4501330
New challenge for Hennie Pretorius
HENNIE Pretorius, general manager at Multiprint Labels, is taking on a new and challenging management position, as operations manager at Lithotech Labels.
Having joined Multiprint in 2004, his primary responsibilities have been label production, factory staff management and raw material purchases. He has also implemented a number of workflow and print quality practices over the last five years.
CAPTION: Hennie Pretorius, general manager, has enjoyed a five-year career at Multiprint, implementing cost-effective and efficient work practices.
Hennie takes enormous pride in his work and strives for top quality every time. ‘A good printed job makes me tick,’ he explains. ‘That’s what I enjoy the most.’
His printing career began at AM International in 1980 as a technician, followed by a successful sales career at Photra, using his technical skills to demonstrate a variety of prepress equipment, DTP image setters and scanners. Then he joined Infoform (part of Lithotech) running the repro division in Pretoria.
Hennie has enjoyed a variety of roles in the printing industry and opened his own repro company before returning to a printing and sales environment at Print & Pack and more recently as general manager at Blitz Printers in Tzaneen before teaming up with Multiprint. He’s looking forward to the fresh challenge ahead.
