The machines have been sold to Firstan's Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire site which produces around 500m cartons a year.
The two new Bobst folder-gluer lines at Firstan will be versions of the Expertfold 110. One will be configured for straight-line and crash-lock applications while the other incorporates multi-point capabilities. The lines will be installed separately, in November and January, to minimise disruption during the company's busiest time of year.
Paul Hartwig, production director at Firstan, said: "We always look to ensure that our technology is the latest to maintain a competitive edge. We produce large quantities of high added-value cartons for our customers, which means a lot of complex gluing – so we are investing in machines that will help speed up the make-ready of that type of work, guaranteeing the service levels that our customers expect. We looked at another manufacturer's machines, but the Bobst lines were the perfect fit for our business."
The deal comes as Bobst reported a strong 2013 for folder-gluer sales in 2013. Craig Moran, Zone Business Director for Bobst sheet-fed products, added: "We're not done yet as far as this year's sales of folder-gluers are concerned. We are at an advanced stage with a number of other packaging manufacturers, so it looks like confidence is returning to the market, especially where converters are making complex, added-value work and need the right equipment to produce it."
