Siegwerk Invests in New Laminator

Siegwerk recently added a Labo Combi 400 laminator to its Technical Center for the business unit Flexible Packaging. The new machine adds state-of-the-art laminating capabilities to the existing testing skills at the European Center of Competence.

Siegwerk is one of the first printing ink manufacturers to operate its own laminator for product development and testing purposes. This will enable Siegwerk to offer packaging print providers even better solutions tailored to their specific requirements.

“Internal resources for testing lamination processes and the influence of printing inks on the performance of laminates is highly important for us. It helps to enhance our ink solutions specifically for packaging print providers and to further reinforce our technology leadership,” said Dr. Hanns Martin Kaiser, head of technology Flexible Packaging EMEA at Siegwerk.

“The new equipment enables us to conduct considerably more extensive ink development tests internally prior to start the qualification process at customers’ facilities. This leads to better ink performance and saves both our customers’ time and machine capacities,” added Dr. Kaiser. At the same time the opportunity to simulate lamination processes under industrial or customer-realistic conditions enhances the company’s problem-solving skills.

With the purchase of nordmeccanica group’s Labo Combi 400, Siegwerk has invested in an industry standard for technical center-scale tests. At a web width of 400mm, the equipment operates at a maximum speed of 250m per minute and can handle solvent-free, solvent-based as well as water-based adhesive systems on all standard substrates. The machine features two corona treatment units and also meets all other European market requirements.

Many co-suppliers, like manufacturers of adhesives or films, as well as some convertors also use the same laminator to conduct their own tests. This makes parameter comparisons easier and results reproducible and transferable. Siegwerk is now better able to share application-related information, coordinate customer-specific solutions with other suppliers and therefore add forward-looking innovations to its portfolio of ink solutions.