Interflex installs 10-color Rotocon flexo press to expand South African label packaging capacity

SOUTH AFRICA – Interflex has installed a new Rotocon RFP 450 10-color flexo press at its South African facility, enabling the label converter to produce shrink sleeves, unsupported films and board up to 400gsm while consolidating multiple print and finishing processes into a single pass.

The press, configured with running speeds of 150–200 m/min on film, supports the converter’s high-volume production model, with CEO Eric Singh stating that the company’s model is built on volume runs of hundreds of thousands into the millions. 

The investment expands Interflex’s capabilities into higher-value packaging applications, consolidating processes that previously required multiple passes or external finishing, with inline sheeting and die-cutting integrated into the press configuration. 

The machine can print, laminate, foil, varnish and die-cut in a single pass.

Two-Year Studio Plan and Strategic Upstream Integration

The investment is part of a broader strategic vision, with Singh looking upstream toward greater involvement in the value chain. Interflex’s two-year plan includes developing an in-house studio capability for both design execution and intellectual property ownership, enabling the company to participate earlier in brand concept stages. 

The new press enables Interflex to enter previously inaccessible markets, including shrink sleeves and roll-to-roll operations, with some customers opting to receive printed roll formats without die-cutting. 

This strategic shift positions Interflex to offer more comprehensive packaging solutions, strengthening its competitive position in South Africa’s label and packaging sector.

Two-Decade Partnership and Local Support Strengthen Growth

For more than 20 years, Rotocon has supported Interflex’s growth, from its first rewinders in the mid-2000s to the new RFP 450 press. 

Rotocon Durban branch manager Akhmuth Sayed has been part of that journey from the beginning, initially on the engineering side before moving into customer-facing roles. 

The relationship has matured alongside Interflex’s growth, with Rotocon’s local service capabilities providing a competitive advantage amid global supply chain instability, particularly in die and tooling manufacturing. 

The press will be demonstrated at the company’s stand 719 at Loupe Americas (formerly Labelexpo), alongside a non-stop unwind with butt splicer and slitter/rewinder finishing system for a fully integrated label production line focused on productivity and automation.

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