The recently opened Global Innovation Center in Malmo, Sweden, is an initiative by Flint Group to provide an unrivalled test facility for the printing industry.  Set up as an academic environment in which every day commercial practices can be trialed and analyzed, the Center in Malmo, in southern Sweden, is home to a state-of-the-art water based research and development lab, which is run by Flint Group’s R&D Director, Rune Sjolin.  Flint Group’s printing center, with a fully equipped Soma CI printing press, is managed by Printshop and OEM Manager, Lars Keldebäk.

“With printing, especially in the packaging sector, becoming more globalised, converters are demanding a standard ink solution for their production plants, wherever in the world they are located.  This is far from easy to solve because of the high number of variables involved, from the technology used, to working practices employed, to the range of climate conditions at the different plants.  These are the reasons we have established this unique facility,” he explains.

Having taken reference from one of the world’s leading packaging printers, the decision was made to install a Soma CI flexo press to run the print tests in a controlled environment.  To ensure peak performance from the press, Keldebäk sought recommendations for his ancillary equipment, and Flexo Wash came out on top for anilox cleaning technology.  “We figured that if the equipment was the preferred choice for hard-working commercial environments, then it would be part of our programme of standardisation here,” he explained.

The Flexo Wash machine installed is a 991XL Anilox Cleaner, which the manufacturer’s Managing Director Lars Kongstad was pleased to supply on an OEM basis to Flint Group.  With good local support from nearby Denmark, Flexo Wash is keen to establish a two-way communication on how the washer performs under test conditions.  Commenting for Flexo Wash, International Sales Manager, Mette Laursen commented: “We think the establishment of the new GIC in Malmo is an inspired move by Flint Group, and are delighted to be involved with their pioneering work.”

“We opened in April 2017 and are still establishing our facilities and building our knowledge base, but I expect the facility to be fully booked by a mix of manufacturers, converters, r&d departments, and brand owners, all looking to see how they can improve performance and quality,” said Keldebäk.  The Global Innovation Centre (GIC) in Malmo is part of a group of technical development facilities run by Flint Group – having a centre in Trelleborg, Sweden and Rogers, Minnesota USA for narrow web, and in Stuttgart, Germany for sheet fed.  Flint Group says it is proud to offer these testing and training facilities to its customers around the world.

Set up to test paper and board only at present, the Centre will extend its capabilities into other substrates as its develops, and Keldebäk is confident that all who use it will quickly appreciate the benefit the Centre brings into today’s competitive market place.  And, from Keldebäk’s point of view, Flexo Wash is the type of hands-on entrepreneurial supplier that fits Flint Group’s profile well.  Concluding, Lars Keldebäk commented: “Our mission is to offer a full package to brand owners by creating an exclusive and independent test marketing and trial facility.  For this reason, we choose our co-supplier partners carefully, and Flexo Wash ticked the right boxes.  We aim to work with winners!”