Weekly Digest: Lecta adopts high-end graphics application technology, SmurfitKappa expands digital printing presses

29 Jun 2018 --- This week in packaging, Lecta extended its portfolio of Metalvac products with Metalvac G paper designed for high-end graphic applications, Joma Nature launched a range of spice grinders and Securibox ranges made from plant-based resources and SmurfitKappa supported its use of digital print in the corrugated packaging industry with a new range of HP presses. The Marchesini Group has fully acquired Schumaker, following a spate of acquisitions by the company and United Caps reports that it is making significant progress on its growth initiatives.

In brief: Launches and certifications
Lectahas extended its portfolio of Metalvac products with new Metalvac G paper, an extensive range of high substance papers especially designed for high-end graphic applications and premium packaging. The papers are suitable for offset, UV offset, flexography, silkscreen printing, hot metal and water-based glues. The new Metalvac G paper is featured in the latest sample collection Graphic Applications & Packaging under the slogan “Let It Shine.”

Joma Plastics Engineering, alongside its sub-brand Joma Nature, has “rethought conventional packaging solutions” to offer a select range of spice grinders and Securibox range, produced exclusively from purely plant-based, renewable resources. The spice grinders, Joma states, have been used by all leading food manufacturers for spices and spice blends, while the Securibox aims to provide the highest level of protection for powders, tablets and creams.

SmurfitKappa is continuing to use digital print across the corrugated packaging industry and is boosting its capabilities by installing eight HP Scitex corrugated presses across its European sites. Smurfit Kappa has installed Scitex HDR technology corrugated presses – the HP Scitex 11000, HP Scitex 15500, and HP Scitex 17000 – in sites in Belgium, Denmark, France, Portugal, Poland and the UK with additional installations scheduled for sites in the UK and the Netherlands. The ability to stand out on the shelf is enhanced by the graphic flexibility and quality of the new HP printers, the company state.

In brief: Mergers, acquisitions and expansions
The Marchesini Group has fully acquired Schumaker, a company from Gorizia specialized in building stickpack packaging machinery for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics market. Marchesini’s acquisition of Schmucker came after that of Dumek, a company specialized in designing processing machines for cosmetics, of Vibrotech, working in the field of infeed and positioning systems for automated industrial processes and of SEA Vision, a leading manufacturer of inspection systems used in the pharmaceutical anti-counterfeit sector. Schmucker follows last month’s acquisition of 80 percent of Creinox, a company in Ariano Polesine (Rovigo) that works with stainless steel, especially to product containers and tanks for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries.

United Caps, an international manufacturer of caps and closures, announced it is making significant progress on its growth initiatives. The company has completed an extension of its R&D facility in Messia, France, to meet the demands of business growth and deliver faster time to market for customers. It also recently acquired Spanish closures company Embalatap and has added bioplastics-based Greener closures and new anti-counterfeiting measures to its portfolio.

By Laxmi Haigh