One of Africa's largest manufacturers and converters of flexible packaging materials recently extended its commitment to Valmet's converting technology, with a €3M investment. Veepee Industries, of Nigeria, ordered a new Rotomec 4000-2 gravure press with electronic shaft technology and two Titan SR7 slitter rewinders for its plant near Lagos.
The Rotomec 4000-2 press will print 1,200mm wide webs in up to eight colours at 400m/min. Part of it was demonstrated on Valmet’s stand at Converflex, in June, when Veepee managing director and ceo Rajan Vaswani decided to buy the machine on the spot. “It will be the most modern rotogravure press in Africa for printing flexible packaging materials,” he confirmed.
The two Titan SR7 slitters were also demonstrated at the Italian exhibition. All three machines will be fully operational in Nigeria by February, bringing Veepee’s suite of Valmet machines to six – three Rotomec presses (two gravure, one flexo) and three Titan slitters
‘Lead times for delivery to our bigger customers are also getting increasingly shorter’, Vaswani stated, ‘so increased productivity from our Valmet converting equipment will help us achieve that aim – with better profitability and more satisfied customers. We are even now manufacturing our own printing inks to guarantee better quality and supply’, Vaswani proudly announced. ‘We have a 3-day turn-around for some of our largest customers if required, and sometimes we can even deliver in 24 hours’, he said.
Veepee employs 700 people and offers a ‘one-stop-shop’ for flexible packaging. Customers include such leading manufacturers as Nestle, Lever and Cadburys.