ETHIOPIA – QuaLabels, a leading label and packaging manufacturer in Ethiopia, has acquired a shaftless gravure printing press from Bobst.
This acquisition will enhance QuaLabels’ ability to provide advanced labels to local and international brand owners in various sectors, including soft drinks, beer, snacks, and more.
The new gravure press boasts advanced features such as sleeve print cylinders for fast and efficient operation, precise web tension control, registration register control, and high-performance dual-technology dryers.
Additionally, it includes the TAPS fully automatic pre-register function, streamlining the setup process.
This investment marks a significant milestone for QuaLabels, distinguishing it from local competitors and supporting its growth in a competitive market. The press is the first of its kind from a European manufacturer to be installed in Ethiopia.
Brook Worku, QuaLabels chairman and CEO, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, “We are a dynamic company with strong ambitions, focused on long-term success, so we need to make investment decisions that offer sustainable growth with reliable support systems.
“It was evident that Bobst is the market leader with decades of experience in gravure printing. The current discussions about our expansion plans with new Bobst machines testify to satisfied customers.
“Putting the Bobst gravure press into operation means we are in the perfect position to accelerate our output with new high-quality solutions that meet our customer’s needs and comply with all legal requirements.”
Founded in 2016, QuaLabels supplies primary and secondary packaging for food and beverage, detergent, and confectionery markets.
The company operates a food-certified plant in Legettafo town, Ethiopia, serving clients such as The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Heineken, and Unilever.
In related news, Bobst is revolutionizing the gravure printing process with smartGRAVURE. This innovation adds elements of automation and digitalization, enhancing connectivity and sustainability.
Comprising both hardware and software, smartGRAVURE transforms the traditional gravure printing process from a highly manual operation to a fully digitalized workflow.
Aligned with Industry 5.0 principles and Bobst’s vision for the future of packaging production, this tool optimizes the operator/machine interface and the gravure process overall.
Key features of smartGRAVURE include automated color management using Bobst oneECG (Extended Color Gamut), digitalized setup and controls, and connectivity with Bobst Connect.
These features will increase productivity and output consistency, reduce downtime and complexity, and offer considerable sustainability benefits.
Delivering premium printing quality, smartGRAVURE elevates gravure printing to a seamless end-to-end process that no longer relies on individual operator skills.
This innovation secures the future of gravure, enabling printers to remain competitive in the packaging market.
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