When Comexi announced the appointment of Kamboo Marketing as its new agent for South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana, it wasn’t simply about swapping business cards. It was a statement of strategic intent.
Juan Manuel Miranda, Comexi’s area manager for Africa, captures the essence of this move: ‘Kamboo mirrors Comexi’s footprint, people and values – fitting for a family-owned company with 71 years in flexographic presses, laminators and slitters. We’re both built on long-term relationships and that alignment matters.’
That support isn’t a promise in theory; it’s a tactical rollout. According to Kamboo Marketing’s CEO, Hannes Kritzinger, the company is already investing in stocking critical Comexi consumables and spare parts across its three regional offices – Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban – ensuring faster response times and dramatically reducing customer downtime. ‘Service is only meaningful if it’s local, responsive and technically sound,’ says Hannes. ‘And that’s where our team of technicians really shines.’
Juan Manuel points out that Comexi’s decision was not made lightly. ‘It was the combination of Kamboo’s infrastructure, its technical team and its ethos that made the choice clear. Also, there’s a warmth to how they do business – it mirrors our own mindset. We’re still a family company and we look for the same philosophy in our partners.’
That philosophy runs through every layer of the new partnership. Russell Muller, national sales manager at Kamboo, underscores that sustainability is now the industry’s benchmark, not a badge of honour. ‘Converters want machines that aren’t just efficient – they need them to be responsibly efficient. Waste reduction, drying systems and energy consumption are under scrutiny. Comexi delivers technology that addresses this head-on.’
Indeed, sustainability is more than a marketing term in Comexi’s world. ‘There’s no turning back now,’ Juan Manuel insists. ‘Sustainability isn’t optional – it’s an operational necessity. Whether it’s adopting water-based inks, using eco-friendly laminates or engineering machinery that supports multiple upgrades, we’re driving those innovations in every market.’
A key component in this evolution is Comexi’s CTec technology and innovation centre in Girona, Spain – a testbed for substrates, inks, adhesives and advanced machine functions. ‘It’s one thing to claim you can run new materials,’ Juan Manuel explains. ‘It’s another to prove it in a live production environment. CTec (technology centre) is where our customers see their packaging tested, validated and optimised before they commit to major production runs.’
What truly sets Comexi apart is that its CTec is more than just a testing laboratory – it’s a fully fledged training academy designed for both current and future professionals in the flexible packaging industry. ‘We replicate the full production environment of a real converting plant, encompassing pre-press, flexo, offset and digital printing, lamination and slitting processes,’ Juan Manuel asserts. This immersive set-up supports a comprehensive, year-round training programme that attracts both Comexi customers and operators working with equipment from other manufacturers.
This new partnership might have only officially begun on 1 June, but it already feels seasoned – grounded in trust, shared ambition and a commitment to the people and planet it serves. As Russell concludes: ‘This isn’t about quick wins. It’s about staying power, staying relevant and staying responsible. And with Comexi, we’ve got the right partner to do all three.’
