The team of European Sales Managers (ESM) has gained a new member in Great Britain, Adriana Szvercsak. The ESMs have been managing sales in clearly defined markets since 2016: Armin Höttges has taken over this job in Germany in addition to his role as Managing Director of the Alliance. The following individuals are responsible for international business in their countries: Marc Daguzan (France), Martin Peral Rodriguez (Spain, Portugal), Nicolas Bossuyt (Benelux, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Scandinavia) and Simone Di Federico (Italy) and also since February 2017 Adriana Szvercsak (UK, Ireland).

Adriana is ideal for this role because she has many years of experience in the packaging industry in a wide variety of functions. She is currently working as Business Development Manager for our British partner Rigid Containers; previously she worked as Business Development Manager for DS Smith in Romania and before that as Commercial Manager for VPK Packaging in Romania. She also impressed the team with her customer-focused thinking, great commitment and qualities as a team player.

Daphné Deledicq has been working as Chief Innovation Officer since May and is based in France. She will mainly realise innovations for European customers that extend beyond the pure product level and take entirely new approaches because in addition to expanding our target markets, most recently in Scandinavia, and quantitative growth, it is also particularly important for us to offer innovative services.

Part of her responsibilities will be to develop, manage and facilitate innovation throughout the alliance and its member companies, streamline information technology and development processes with a strong customer focus, and in general nourish and encourage creative thinking on all levels in every country. Daphné Deledicq just completed an Executive Master’s Degree in Communication, Marketing and Digital Transformation at MediaSchool Group (France). Previously, she successfully piloted European projects in several fields: packaging design, communication, marketing, workflow tools, new business development and innovative ex-prisoners reintegration programs.

Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Adriana Szvercsak and Daphné Deledicq to their new positions.

Sandra Divison presents the first digital machine for corrugated board within the Cart-One Group. The consumer wishes to feel unique and pleased and wishes that brands follow its needs and requirements. With this digital technology Sandra can satisfy its customers who require an image or picture to enhance their packaging and differentiate their generic products. It’s an offer for marketers to react quickly to market trends with fully-customised packaging, to reflect the latest offers, promotions and fast-moving marketing campaigns.

The market trends and the demands in the packaging market are changing and we have to face new challenges. This results in new requests of the customers such as:

• increased required graphic quality
• reducing the life time of an artwork
• increased request for attractive shelf ready packaging
• increased number of promotions and management of the obsolete
• fragmentation of the productive batches
• reduced lead time – both on new projects and re-prints

The new digital printing machine “Nasikajet“ faces and solves these challenges. It falls within the “Sandra Digital“ project, created in 2014 by an R&D department study, by involving other areas of the company and the best suppliers on the market. Through high specialisation, research, development and innovation, the process has been studied carefully and in detail so that it is possible to apply a personalisation and optimisation push of each single piece made by Nasikajet.

This machine is a 1,890 lighting machine, long in automatic mode up to 2,800 m and in the manual mode up to 4,000 m. This ensures reproducibility of 96.8% of the entire pantone range thanks to the use of six colours, the maximum accuracy of the register among colours, a realistic quality, brightness and gloss of print at the highest levels. Set-up times are extremely fast, waste develops hardly and no time is wasted for producing printing plates because the print image is digital. That’s why the lead time is excellent.

Furthermore, the new technology has consolidated the Cart-One position as an avant-guard reality in the specialisation of the digital industry and has enabled to grow its personnel by employing specialised resources and allowing the work team to expand its knowledge and know-how in digital technology and in machinery. This investment allowed for the complementation of the range of offered packaging products and to push itself to the limit by printing even only one sheet.

Rigid Containers is delighted to report that it recently picked up an award at the European Flexographic Industry Association (EFIA) annual awards. The company was awarded Silver in the ‘Post Print Folder Gluer Uncoated’ category for a new packaging concept created for Twinings, the famous tea company. 

The job was printed using Antonine inks and created with unusual metallic effects. To achieve this, the production team had to run a process tone colour behind the gold to give it a real stand-out appearance. A maximum plate screen was also used to match the high quality anilox rolls on the Bobst Quattro flexo folder gluer.

"This is a great result for us and Twinings and shows what we can achieve on our state of the art flexo converting equipment," says Julian Freeman, Sales & Marketing Director. "I’d like to extend a special congratulations to the Bobst Quattro crews, who really are getting the most out of the machine, having already set a world record for the amount of boxes produced on a Quattro in a single eight hour shift. Well done everyone."

The pack also helps Twinings to reflect its quality brand values following a change in its packaging format. A spokesperson from Twinings comments: "Twinings is a premium brand offering quality blends delivered in exceptional packaging. In a recent packaging upgrade, where Twinings moved from a printed flexible bag to a printed corrugate for our wholesaler market, there was a concern that we would not be able to achieve the desired print result on an uncoated board, especially regarding the quality of the Twinings gold logo. This challenge was successfully met by Rigid Containers."

Peterson’s Display plant in Sarpsborg (Norway) has recently installed two new plotters. These are the ideal equipment for production of both displays and smaller production runs for corrugated packaging. The digital printer that was installed last year, completes the inhouse capacity to produce highclass displays and packaging against ultra-fast delivery times.

Finest plotting technology

In June Peterson’s display plant near Sarpsborg took delivery of two new Elitron Kombo TAV-R plotters, a totally automatic die-less cutting system for packaging and displays with a working area up to 3200mm x 2200mm. This recent model comes with the latest technology to increase overall performance.

Thanks to two cutting heads per plotter instead of one, output capacity almost doubles compared to traditional plotting tables. In addition, a fully integrated loading system with elevating platform reduces loading times, whereas the take off system is fully automated. Patented software is used for the reading and recognition system.

The new plotters are put in line with the recently installed HP 15500 UV digital printer, to combine excellent plotting and printing results.

Faster production, better quality

Having inhouse plotting and digital printing capacity offers real added value for our customers. It’s the ideal equipment to create new packaging and display innovations, which allows the customer to experience and asses a live version of the required product. And of course it’s perfect for producing a high quality finished product, covering displays, POS material or packaging solutions in smaller runs, against ultra-short delivery times.

BBP provides you with creative and customised displays all over Europe

The production of individual display solutions are in a day’s work at our specialised BBP plants in Europe. We can design and produce your individual display solution. Whatever the product, our display solutions are always geared to the needs and requirements of our customers. For example, point of sale (POS) floor displays are designed to market your product through eye-catching graphics and structural creativity. Our European team has years of experience to help your company launch your retail floor displays into the marketplace. We will work closely with your marketing department and advertising agency to develop innovative ways to increase sales during product promotions or launches.

When can we begin with your unique customised display solution?

Please do not hesitate to contact our Innovation Service Team and ask for your display in your country: innovations@blueboxpartners.eu

In a highly competitive, globalised industry such as ours, a team of people that is skilled, motivated and committed to the work they do, is what differentiates organisations. That’s why we at Grupo Hinojosa understand that investing in high quality training for our own team is a key factor if we are to provide a more competitive and high-value service to our customers.

After much thought, setting both general and specific objectives and designing content and methodology, in July we launched a training programme, ‘Management Development, Hi Talent’, tailor-made for our Group by one of the world’s most prestigious business schools, ESIC Business & Marketing School.

The training programme takes approximately 15 months, and is addressed to the managers of our twelve plants, our sales managers and production managers. Its purpose is to improve the cohesiveness of our management team and to cascade down and raise awareness of our Group’s cultural values.

The programme is structured into different units that give an overview and in-depth study of business issues from different functional perspectives such as finance, marketing, strategy and talent management, all of them key areas in their day-to-day work. These training sessions are alternated with working sessions that are facilitated and audited by a consultant and that allow us to objectively establish where we are as a Group, to know where we come from and where our present reality is leading us.

To complete the training, various outdoor activity days are held so that participants can work as a team and strengthen the values that we hold at Grupo Hinojosa: excellence, customer focus, trust and a positive mindset, through different dynamics that reinforce the cohesiveness of our team.

This specific training offers benefits both for our employees and for Grupo Hinojosa as a company. It is an investment in our ability to face future challenges with the maximum chances of success and to continue holding our position as leaders in the packaging industry.

The Canarian box plant Papelera de Canarias S.A. has been supplying major Canarian companies and cooperatives in agriculture, fisheries and industry since the 1960s. Since October 2016 the company has been operating under the Klingele Group (to which it has belonged since 1961) with the name Klingele Embalajes Canarias. By making this change, Klingele is responding to the growing demands of Canarian companies to establish a stronger international position. A well-known brand in combination with the European synergy effects will provide essential support to Klingele Embalajes in strengthening their competitiveness on the Canary Islands and beyond.

Strong brand presence of Klingele on the Canary Islands ever since the 1960s

Papelera de Canarias started producing packaging made of corrugated board even before the boom in the tourist industry in the 1960s. Hernán Cortés, a farmer who focused on growing tomatoes, and Werner Klingele, the former head of the Klingele Group, supported the company from the very beginning. So a very close bond was already established between the name Klingele and Papelera de Canarias back then.

Originally operating as a paper mill, the company had to change its strategy due to the constant water shortages and high energy costs. The production was converted into a factory for the production of sheets and boxes made of corrugated board. Klingele also developed very dynamically in the domestic market in Germany and supported its Canarian subsidiary with know-how and technologies in its capacity as a shareholder. Papelera de Canarias also benefited from its good knowledge of the Spanish market, where the Klingele Group was already very active at that time.

Exports safeguard the location – Africa, a market of the future

The market potential on the Canary Islands is limited and so the future of the companies operating there lies in further growth abroad. Klingele has already been exporting from the Canary Islands to the nearby coast of Africa for more than 40 years. Close ties exist with Mauritania in particular, where the company has two production plants and an annual turnover of € 3.5 million. The Group also exports to other African countries, particularly Senegal.

"Exports to markets of the future are an important strategic cornerstone that strengthens the local production location and therefore safeguards jobs and prosperity", confirms Martín Tabares de Nava Durbán, Managing Director of Klingele Embalajes Canarias and Country Manager for Blue Box Partners. "In an economic environment in which local businesses continue to grow each year, we need to find these new sales channels and make the necessary investments to meet customer‘s quality requirements. The name change to Klingele Embalajes Canarias is an important step for Papelera de Canarias on their path to becoming an international success with a well-known brand name." The location of this factory in the Canary Islands also allows dealings with the European producers who have an establishment in the Islands and who have entered into a contract with the BBP Alliance. "This meets the dual objective of trading where very few competitors are able to do so as well as reaching certain pan-European clients with whom commercial relations have already been in place for many years", complements Martín Tabares.

For more information about Klingele Embalajes Canarias have a look at the new website www.klingele.com/embalajes and get in touch with us.

On May 16th at the Istituto dei Ciechi in Milan, the "Best Packaging 2017 Oscar" award ceremony was held. This is a very famous Italian contest that for 60 years pays attention to the responses that large consumer companies and packaging suppliers provide to the demands of the consumers.

Over the years, through the award winning "Best Packaging 2017", it is not only possible to reconstruct the history of innovation, the evolution of the industrial world and design, but also globalisation, the evolution of consumption and the ever more mindful and constant consideration to the environment.

This year, the main topic was Quality Design where the jury was on one hand called to evaluate technology, environment and design and on the one hand packaging design quality, communication dimensions harmonisation, structure and functionality. In addition, all innovations that give easy access to the product and its use have been included in the evaluation, through a clear and effective communicative-structural articulation and a careful quality of the expressed information, according to the "design for all" concept.

Among the 19 candidates for the "Best Packaging 2017", the Italian Institute of Packaging, awarded Cornerless® as best innovation in the environment section.

The innovative tray found the jury‘s approval for this sector because Cornerless^® is an excellent eco-design example in a well established market as the corrugated cardboard. Compared to traditional trays it is more competitive and sustainable. It allows important savings of raw material, while leveraging the entire inner surface and maintaining high performance. The innovative corner provides sturdiness, ease of stacking and handling. It is particularly suitable for automatic packaging lines because it has no obstructions that hinder filling.

Cart-One is proud and very pleased of this important milestone and the successes of the first product patent that has also enabled and increased the the know-how in machinery and equipment.

VPK‘s Paper Machine 6 (PM6) in Oudegem has undergone an extensive upgrade. Stock preparation, production speed and the winder have all been updated, resulting in lots of benefits for the Belgian paper production.

Three phases completed: better stock preparation, higher production speed, new winder

The PM6 upgrade started with the first step in the production process: stock preparation. Residual pieces are now separated more efficiently after pulping the raw material, which leads to an increased number of fibres and allows us to make purer paper, making us more sustainable when it comes to handling our raw materials. As well as the PM6, the other two paper machines on site also benefit from this improvement.

In a second phase, the paper machine itself was upgraded. New drive motors have been installed in the drying section, the sieve table has been extended and the guide system has been automated, leading to an increase in production speed without any effect on the drying capacity. This has resulted in additional output and a maximum speed of 900 m per minute.

The third phase of the project has also recently been completed: the installation of the new winder. It has now been placed in front of the paper machine rather than next to it, making handling safer and more efficient. The new winder does take up extra space, however, so its installation required structural renovations on the site. T​he existing production hall has been expanded by 750 m², and the new winder is currently being put into operation.

Investing in the future

The Paper Machine 6 produces approximately 180,000 tonnes of fluting and test liner between 110 g/m² and 215 g/m² every year. Since the upgrade, we are now aiming for a capacity of 200,000 tonnes. An investment with competitive benefits for the environment, our employees and our customers:

• More sustainable use of raw materials
• Safer and more efficient work
• Total capacity expansion of 10%
• General improvement of quality, including quality of winding

As part of our policy to offer our clients services that help them to be more competitive, in 2017 Grupo Hinojosa is consolidating its ambitious "Premium Pledge" programme. This initiative includes a set of tailor-made tools and strategic solutions that these clients can use as they grow their business.

The scheme was launched in 2016 when we made our first pledges, with a specialist team offering ongoing personalised customer services; transparency with indicators to evaluate, measure, plan and analyse the current situation of their businesses; and innovation and consultancy through an on-site packaging advisory service at the client’s facilities.

This year, the project is 100% operational, now that the training workshops have also been rolled out. This tool, along with all the others, offers exclusive advantages to our clients, helping them with their day-to-day operations and their results.

Premium technical training

Technical training is one of the key elements underpinning the Premium Pledge strategy, and it has already been launched, with "Premium Workshops" for our top clients. Grupo Hinojosa has developed a series of workshops which, on completion, award participants with a professional expert’s diploma in packaging.

The full programme is made up of 8 workshops, one every three months, over the course of 2 years. These workshops are given by institutions and industry experts and they have been tailored to each topic, using examples and case studies to focus on the products manufactured by the participating clients. The topics range from technical subjects such as the properties of the materials, to themes relating to logistics or the influence of global trends on consumer habits and trends in packaging.

The 50 plus companies from wide-ranging industries such as food and drink, graphic arts, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, that have joined our Premium Pledge programme, are already benefitting from an exclusive service that sets Grupo Hinojosa apart from its competitors and strengthens our position as a strategic partner for our clients’ businesses.

"The Premium Pledge allows us to provide a unique service, transferring our expertise in this industry and making it available to our clients. This means that we are strengthening our relationship with the client, based on trust, closeness and experience", say sources at Grupo Hinojosa.

Research and Development (R&D) constitute a crucial basis for the innovative ability of companies and entire economies. Our R&D expertise also plays an important role for our customers in Europe, because better packaging designs ultimately support their business. This year the BBP R&D team, which initiates and coordinates international development contracts and projects, met at the annual "Innovation Day" in Rotterdam. The BBP partner VPK opend its doors to 31 technicians from across Europe. During the three-day event, the presence of the BBP Managing Partner and Spokesman of the BBP Board Jean-Paul Macharis, BBP Managing Director Armin Höttges and the new Innovation Officer Daphné Deledicq was appreciated.

Innovation day: Knowledge exchange platform

The primary task of the R&D centre is to initiate the development of new packaging solutions proactively. This way we can better support the processes of our customers, even at the international level. Furthermore, we assist our customers during product development for their European target markets and in harmonisation projects.

An important function is to provide an active transfer of knowledge from the Blue Box Partners into new product developments. One of the platforms intended for this is the annual European "Innovation Day". During the event, the participants of the four partners presented i. e. new packaging developments and highlights, packaging optimisations or innovations, patented packaging solutions, 3D software, digital printing on corrugated board or laboratory testing methods and workflows.

The BBP R&D specialists are looking forward to provide you with an adequate consulting service. Please have a look at our website for our Innovation Management Service.

RDM Rotterdam – the hotspot for innovation

The event was very well organised and presented by Özlem Arslan (R&D Manager). Besides a factory tour through the VPK plant in Raamsdonksveer, a boat trip through the world’s largest ports Rotterdam and a "Who wants to be a millionaire" game concerning the corrugated board sector, the Innovation Day was rounded off with a visit to the RDM wharf at the harbour. The RDM’s Congress Centre was an ideal location to continue the meeting for the knowledge transfer of the R&D technicians because it’s equipped with all the latest technology. RDM Rotterdam in the heart of the port area, is the hotspot for innovation in the port: this is where the manufacturing industry of the future is taking shape. Shipbuilders once worked there on world-famous vessels like the SS Rotterdam – now a range of exciting private-sector, education and research initiatives work there on a range of innovation. At RDM, over 40 innovative companies have access to cutting-edge facilities and can easily team up with partners in education and research. This acts as a major booster for new innovations. Therefore, the innovative and technical atmosphere at RDM, was a successful analogy to our "BBP innovations".