Starting from humble roots in 2000, the extraordinary success of Flowe-Pac can be attributed to its unique approach of operating as a family-style business. Today, boasting a workforce of over 240 individuals and operating from a 9 000m2 facility owned by the company, Flowe-Pac stands as a multifaceted flexible packaging enterprise.
According to owner and founder Anthony McCleary, the company thrives on a culture of compassion towards its staff and an unwavering dedication to serving its customers. His hands-on involvement in all aspects of the business further underscores the company’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.
Flowe-Pac’s versatile product range includes plain or printed films and bags, tailored to meet a wide array of packaging requirements. Complementing their expertise in extrusion are four specialised departments: printing, bag-making, lamination, and slitting. In particular, Flowe-Pac’s commitment to staying ahead in the plastic packaging industry is evident through ongoing investments in state-of-the-art equipment and machinery.
Furthermore, Flowe-Pac upholds values of sustainability and ethical business practices by sourcing raw materials from fair companies. They support local suppliers, creating jobs in the community. ‘Commitment to fair trade practices enhances product quality and creates positive social, environmental, and economic impacts,’ remarks Anthony. This initiative aligns with their mission of operating with integrity and making conscious choices for business and local economy benefit. ‘We aim to set an industry example, inspire positive change for a more sustainable and equitable supply chain, contributing to the local economy and society. We encourage team members to embrace this decision for a better future,’ he comments.
In pursuit of enhancing its capabilities, Flowe-Pac enlisted Beswick Machinery this year to oversee the installation and commissioning of a BOBST VISION CI flexo press. Benefiting from the expertise of Beswick’s proficient team of technicians and engineering staff, the press installation is highly anticipated by all parties. Anthony underscores the company’s proactive approach to equipment maintenance, emphasising the role of the BOBST VISION CI will play in optimising overall efficiencies and minimising downtime.
Designed smartly for efficiency
According to Riaan Hopley, web fed product manager at Beswick Machinery, the press’s ergonomic design enhancements will alleviate strain and enhance user-friendliness for operators. He highlights that these improvements were pivotal in persuading the Flowe-Pac team of the investment potential of the BOBST VISION CI. Riaan elaborates on the press’s benefits: ‘It not only offers world-class printing quality and great local support, but the press is fast to set up and changeover thanks to its automated and patented SmartKEY and SmartSET features.
This combination of automated features reduces consumable and substrate waste to less than two web lengths to achieve saleable products on job start up.’
He explains that SmartKEY perfectly aligns the printing sleeves to ensure pin-point accuracy for the best pre-register results. Fully automatic bearing blocks open and close all eight sleeve shafts simultaneously for the quickest possible sleeve changeover and maximum rigidity. In addition, SmartSET, which includes the SmartVIEW inline inspection system, provides optimal web visibility at the CI directly after printing. It also includes easy access print deck controls for making minor adjustments during start-up.
The Bobst VISION CI press’s automated features provide greater control over the machine’s performance for all production lengths on a wide range of substrates. ‘Investing in state-of-the-art and intuitive technology like this not only helps improve operator safety, but provides new learning opportunities for staff, which ultimately adds value for our customers,’ comments Anthony.
Bruce Beswick emphasises that to design and manufacture the VISION CI, BOBST assembled the best R&D teams from Italy and Germany to bring this product to life. ‘The goal was to create a flexo press for converters looking to add a powerful and reliable production tool to their arsenal. With today’s brand owners growing increasingly uncertain of demand levels, trends are shifting towards much shorter run lengths, making the VISION CI an ideal investment choice. The Smart automatic features ensure repeatable processes consistently, minimal waste and ease of operation with maximum production speeds of 400m/min.’
Riaan provides further insights into the design improvements of the press. ‘The twin doctor blade chambers are lightweight and far more user-friendly, saving time for the operators during a changeover. He points out that the inter-colour dryers are equally light, making them easy to remove for cleaning. The bridge dryer features impingement and floating dryers to achieve the maximum printing speed of 400m/min. Running at such high speeds challenges QC processes and therefore the VISION CI is equipped with a 100% print defect inspection system that gives Flowe-Pac and its customers peace of mind that only top-quality product goes to market. Furthermore, the machine features a Corona treater and insetter function for additional print quality enhancement as required.
Anthony explains that the commissioning of the BOBST VISION CI press is expected to bring about significant enhancements in productivity and operational efficiencies within the company.
