Flint Group has opened a modernised manufacturing and laboratory facility for packaging inks segment in Westmead, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.
Image: Flint Group opens manufacturing and laboratory facility for packaging inks segment in South Africa. Photo: courtesy of Flint Group.
Situated near Durban on the Eastern side of South Africa, the new 12,000m² automated ink production facility and technical laboratory will serve major customers in the region and across Africa.
Flint Group India and South Africa managing director Upal Roy said: “Flint Group, who acquired Continental Printing Inks and Eagle Ink Systems in 2015, has been a leading supplier of inks to the South African market for more than 20 years.”
Flint’s new facility features the latest automated manufacturing equipment and an advanced testing laboratory, making it firm’s one of the most advanced facilities across the world.
Flint has started transition to the new manufacturing facility in late 2018, and the operation is fully functioning and supplying packaging inks’ customers with solvent-based products from January this year.
The production of water-based products will be commenced at the same site by the end of this year.
The Westmead facility manufactures bases for supply to its blending sites in Johannesburg, Cape Town and East London, in addition to the production of finished inks for supply to the Durban market.
Flint Group Africa general manager Bob Allan-Reynolds said: “It was clear that we were outgrowing our current manufacturing facility and in late 2017 we started to explore the region for a suitable location.
“We acquired a plant in Westmead and started the process of customising it to meet our requirements. This was a fantastic way to modernise our operations and deliver consistent and high quality products to our customers.”
Flint Group Packaging provides advanced products and services to the packaging converters across the world.
The segment supplies complete product portfolio of flexographic and gravure inks for packaging printers, and they are formulated for use in solvent-based and water-based applications.
Its products can be used in mid and wide web flexible packaging applications, including pouches, wrap around, shrink sleeve, and other surface and lamination print jobs.