At a recent open house at its headquarters in Switzerland, Bobst announced its latest innovations in printing, converting, services and performance to help converters and brand owners drive the digitalization of the packaging supply chain.

“The packaging industry is in the midst of a digital revolution, which is forcing every company to innovate, challenge their approach, think end to end and digital, and leverage networks and platforms to deliver new business models for their clients,” states Jean-Pascal Bobst, CEO, Bobst Group. “At Bobst, our industry vision, based on four key pillars – connectivity, digitalization, automation and sustainability – greatly supports this transformation. The new solutions announced today are the latest in a line of continuous innovation to help our customers thrive in this new reality all together.”

At the heart of Bobst’s digital vision is BOBST Connect, a constantly evolving, cloud-based digital platform that enhances and improves packaging productivity. As part of this portfolio, Bobst has launched Tool Management. The Tool Management solution offers enhanced control over TooLink equipped dies, integrating tool makers, tracking tool performance, feedback, maintenance, and orders. With an intuitive interface, it provides users with a multitude of data driven insights to bring tool management to the next level.

The Recipe Management for ACCUCHECK allows users to remotely prepare and set up an inspection recipe based on the artwork file, and to save recipes and retrieve parameters, anytime, anywhere, offering the beginning of the close loop solution. This feature is already being used successfully by Bobst customer Prealpi, helping them to improve setup times and quality control.

Bobst has also reinforced its automation and connectivity streams by acquiring 70% of the equity of Dücker Robotics, a global player in the use of robots in both loading and palletizing in the corrugated board sector, while offering opportunities in the folding carton industry. The company develops robotic systems for the most sophisticated converting machines.

Bobst has developed new products for different markets. The flexible packaging market is facing growing demands for more environmentally responsible materials and better recycling while maintaining high quality in printing, metalizing, coating, and laminating. Bobst’s latest products include:

• VISION K5 HS metallizer: New machine to be launched later in June. High performance and high-speed metallizing, designed to handle a variety of film types including heat sensitive, thin gauge and sustainable substrates. Includes the largest coating drum in the industry at 700mm. It is the ideal metalizing solution available for converters.
• NOVA MW LAMINATOR: New machine to be launched at the end of July. It is a super compact laminating machine with an ergonomic and user-friendly design, perfect for solventless lamination of all narrow web applications within the flexible packaging market. Moreover, it is the ideal lamination solution for the growing digital print market.
• VISION CI for paper applications: New machine to be launched in Q4 2023. A flexo printing press serving the ever-growing market for paper, with further capability for diameter and higher web tension. The machine can run 120g of paper at 400m/minute and includes features such as Bobst’s Extended Color Gamut (ECG) technology and SmartGPS to automate the start-up process.

Meanwhile, the labels sector is a truly multi-technology environment with both conventional and digital solutions. As converters face manpower shortages and demands for more sustainable solutions, Bobst is committed to delivering novelties for both – flexo and digital presses, enhancing user experience, ease-of-use, new automation features and faster quality inspection setup. The latest products include:

• Expanded Diecutting Portfolio: Bobst  has expanded its portfolio of die-cutting solutions to fit every converter need. In addition to semi-rotary die-cutting, Quick Change rotary die-cutting has been introduced, which provides a 50% time saving to change magnetic cylinders.
• In addition to the 370mm version, Bobst  has introduced a 530mm High-Performance semirotary die-cutter with automatic plate-change. Both modules include the Digi-Gap feature for even faster job changeovers.
• DIGITAL MASTER series update: An enhancement package is coming soon which includes new features, such as novelties for BOBST Connect, third party integration and new ACCUCHECK functionalities.
• Pantone validation: BOBST digital printing technology has been officially Pantone validated! This means Bobst ’s color management engine (DFE) and print results are validated by Pantone – giving customers complete peace of mind.
• New Bobst Sphere user interface (UI) for flexo and digital: A totally re-designed user interface, coming first to the DIGITAL MASTER series and inline flexo M6, and then gradual implementation to other platforms. It combines in one single point of control all flexo and digital processes to ensure Bobst ’s most user-friendly HMI yet.

Bobst is also deploying an active strategy on sustainability, one of the four key pillars of its vision. The company has joined the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), reflecting its commitment to urgent climate action. Bobst has clearly formalized the company’s targets and is evaluating decarbonization options for its operational activities to reduce its carbon footprint. Other key ESG-related activities include the ongoing development of recyclable substrates, the development of water-based inks, and the reduction of its machines’ electricity consumption by 10-20% by the end of 2024.

“At Bobst we pride ourselves on having a deep understanding of what our customers need, thanks to very close partnerships,” concludes Jean-Pascal Bobst. “These latest enhancements to our portfolio all resolve specific pain points that our customers have raised. And collectively, they take us closer to more automated, connected, digitalized and sustainable packaging production.”