Vitrapack installs new BOBST Flexo press to increase output, trim waste

BELGIUM – Vitrapack, a Belgium-based flexible packaging producer, has added a 10-color BOBST EXPERT CI flexo press to its operations at the company’s 17,000 square meter facility.

This installation aims to lift production rates and lower material use in printing processes.

The equipment integrates with existing BOBST machines on site, such as an eight-color CI flexo press from 2009 and two 10-color 20SIX CI models added in 2017. 

All feature smartGPS technology for registration and impression settings.

Jan Laeremans, co-owner and delegated administrator at Vitrapack, commented in a statement: “smartGPS technology truly sets BOBST apart from the competition.”

“It delivers the high quality our customers demand with much less unwanted downtime in production.”

He explained that the company’s early BOBST presses proved reliable over the years, prompting the selection of this wider model.

The EXPERT CI provides about 25 percent more capacity than previous units.

Key specifications include a 1,300 mm web width, elevated running speeds, and full surface matrix intercolor drying.

These elements support greater process stability and reduce substrate stretching during runs.

Vitrapack employs 100 staff and achieved a turnover of US$36.9 million in 2024. The firm delivers packaging solutions to prominent food brands and select non-food clients across Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.

Since starting flexographic printing in 1952, Vitrapack expanded into rotogravure in 1965.

The company has maintained a 20-year partnership with BOBST, centering on automation tools, waste-cutting methods, and consistent technical assistance.

In parallel, Vitrapack collaborates with its sister pre-press firm Rask and Co-ëfficiënt on efforts to standardize printing practices.

Co-ëfficiënt, a current BOBST solution partner, supplies data-based consulting to raise efficiency and curb excess output.

These combined approaches have enabled Vitrapack to meet waste-reduction targets, including drops in CO₂ emissions, alongside faster setup periods and consistent print results.

Looking ahead, the company plans to swap out one of its legacy flexo presses for yet another BOBST unit as part of continued upgrades.

In a related development, earlier this year, Etiplast committed US$1.2 million to a new flexo press, allowing the producer to handle higher volumes of quality labels while advancing eco-friendly methods. 

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