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INTERNATIONALPA

PERBO

ARDINDUSTRYAUGUST

2009

R etail-ready and shelf-readypackaging are here to stay. So isthe desire to reduce the fibre

content of packaging while achievingsustainability standards set by variousorganisations. Retailers and brand ownersspecify RRP/SRP because it offers bigsavings; the box makers like the ideabecause it creates demand for newdesigns and an opportunity to create acompetitive advantage. This is exactlywhat leading German group Gissler &Pass GmbH has been doing for manyyears already. “Retail-ready and shelf-ready packaging solutions have beenchampioned by German boxmakers formany years,” explains Thomas Gissler,CEO. “With German retailers such as Aldiand Lidl looking to continually upgrade

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the appearance of their stores, theyturned to the packaging producers almosta decade ago, asking us to help thembrighten up the shopping experience fortheir customers. As an industry, weachieved that with multi colour decorativeprint, and economical shelf-readysolutions, meaning that the shelves couldbe attractively dressed quickly and at lowcost. As retailers have expanded, so hasthe need for retail-ready and shelf-readypackaging, and at Gissler & Pass, we areideally positioned to help all ourcustomers achieve excellent results withour tailored solutions.”

The company, which specialises in alltypes of decorative print from flexo pre-print through to litho laminated work, isone of Europe’s leading producers of high

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IN LOOKINGTO INCREASE

PRODUCTIONOFSHELF READY

PACKAGING SYSTEMS,THIS GERMAN

INDEPENDENT LOOKSTO A LEADINGO.E.M

FOR THE RIGHTSOLUTION.

A report by Daniel Brunton.

GISSLER&PASSOPT FOR

BAHMÜLLERTECHNOLOGY

quality printed packaging. Its customer listincludes many household names.Generating annual sales of €95 million,the company operates from four sites inGermany with its headquarters being inJülich near Dusseldorf. The other locationsare Kirchberg, Lorsbeck and Rodenberg.Site specialities are as follows:� Jülich – litho offset print and litholaminating;

� Kirchberg – production of displays andco-packing;

� Lorsbeck – corrugated board plant,with high quality flexo print capabilities;

� Rodenberg – corrugated board plant,with litho offset and flexo printcapabilities.

The company is a member of Alliabox, agroup of independent, privately ownedcompanies that create corrugatedpackaging ideas and solutions for Pan-European customers. The Alliance wasfounded in May 1995 and has productionsites throughout Europe and Scandinavia.“The growth of retail ‘power’ and ‘OwnLabel’ products has certainly put the ballin our court as packaging producers,”continues Mr Gissler. “One benefit ofbeing in the Alliance is that we are able toshare our experiences with fellowmembers, and this helps satisfy Pan-European customers. We are also seeing

significant growth in demand forshelf-ready and retail-readysolutions in the Netherlands andUK, so our experience gained inGermany helps our fellowmembers in the markets wherethere is rapid development.”

Expanding production

“Our continued growth overthe years is as a result ofcarefully thought outinvestment strategies,”explains Herbert Breuer, COO. “Weimplement a 10 year plan, which includesmachinery requirements as well as factoryexpansion and key personnel. The rapiddevelopment of shelf-ready packaginghas been catered for in our latest plansthat included two new gluing lines.Having carefully looked at what wasavailable in the market, we opted for theTurbox speciality gluer — we wereattracted to it due to its flexibility and itsability to handle many different boxstyles. The first machine was installed inJanuary this year at the Rodenberg site,with the second one installed at our Jülichfacility in early July. The Jülichmachine is equipped with theTopmatcher unit and once wehave run it for several months, wewill consider installing it on the

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INTERNATIONALPA

PERBO

ARDINDUSTRYAUGUST

2009

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“Having carefullylooked at what wasavailable in the

market, we opted forthe Turbox specialitygluer —we were

attracted to it due toits flexibility and its

ability to handle manydifferent box styles.”

INTERNATIONALPA

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ARDINDUSTRYAUGUST

2009

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other machine at our Rodenberg facility.”The company has a design team

consisting of 18 people. The addition ofthe Turbox has allowed them to reallydevelop some novel ideas. “We prideourselves on our innovation at Gissler &Pass, and we believe that the Turboxgluers will allow us to come up with someexciting new ideas,” comments MrGissler. “We have been impressed withthe way in which the machine is able tohandle such a diverse range of sized boxeswith ease — not just shelf ready boxes,but all manner of different box styles.Having said that, we realise that we needto further develop the market to allow usto fill the capacity of the Topmatcher –this is the reason we only opted to fit oneof the machines with the new system.Once we get capacity moving, we willconsider the second machine.”

“In the box business, our Turboxspeciality folder gluer has quickly becomethe technology of choice, producing newbox standards because of its productivityadvantages, total flexibility of machineconfiguration and its ability to handle anyboard grades — from heavy doublewallto the thinnest microflute,” explainsUlrich Wolz, Managing Director of theCorrugated Machinery Division ofGermany based Bahmüller GmbH.“Today, Turbox gluers produce thevanguard products innovative box makerssuch as Gissler & Pass need to have andwhich leading international consumerproduct companies require. And now the

Turbox produces multi-piece packagingthanks to the Topmatcher. Up to threeblanks of corrugated board, boxboard, ora combination of both, are converted tocreate new high value-added packagingat sustained production speeds.”

Mr Wolz continues, “In economicallychallenging times, industry innovators areinvesting for the next growth cycle— andthey invest in technology that will putthem in pole position.”

Bahmüller claims that the Topmatcheroffers accuracy of ±1mm, which isimportant for such specific box styles. Theunit is just 2.5m longer than the standardfeeder, and the same width, which isimportant as far as space is concerned.

Thanks to the fact that three differentsheet sizes can be glued together, there isa significant percentage of board that canbe saved in the process. Thanks to themodular design of the Turbox, theTopmatcher can be added to anymachinealready installed. “Followingthe launch of the Topmatcherin August 2008, over 80 percent of new Turbox lines soldare being specified with thenew unit,” confirms Mr Wolz.“Users state that sinceusing Turbox TopmatcherTechnology, they are able torun SRP style boxes at speedsof up to 10,000 kicks perhour.”

In recognition of theimportance of this new

The Turbox producesmulti-piece packaging

thanks to theTopmatcher. Up tothree blanks of

corrugated board,boxboard, or a

combination of both,are converted to createhigh value-added

packaging at sustainedproduction speeds.

At left, Ulrich Wolz with Thomas Gisslerand Herbert Breuer.

Mr Wolz of Bahmüller says“Ineconomically challenging times,industry innovators are investing forthe next growth cycle — and theyinvest in technology that will put themin pole position.”

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development Bahmüller received anindustry award recently. “To havereceived the Silver Award for BestInnovation at the recent FEFCO Congresswas an added bonus and recognition ofour product development, which is always

driven by customer demand,” stated MrWolz.

“We always expect the higheststandards of technology from ourmachinery suppliers and we have beenvery happy with the new speciality

At left, Herbert Breuer with Heiner Stelter (Manager of Rodenberg plant) and Thomas Gissler.

gluing lines from Bahmüller,” concludesMr Gissler. “From the first design of theTurbox, through to today’s machine,including the Topmatcher, we positionedour requirements and pooled our know-how and experiences with Bahmüller. Thispartnership resulted in an uncomplicatedimplementation of our gluer investment,resulting in increased productivity rightfrom the start. We see the new machinesas a key element of our continued growthfor the coming years and are excited bythe opportunities they offer us.”