Atlantis-Pak, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of sausage casings, has installed a Mark Andy Performance Series P7 flexo press in its label printing department in Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
The new Mark Andy, which joins three European manufactured presses, already accounts for 40% of total label production at the plant.
Established in 1993 as the first company in Russia to manufacture plastic casings, Atlantis-Pak now employs 2500 people, sells to more than 90 countries worldwide, and occupies a production site of 19 hectares. It operates 36 printing presses in addition to its label production department, which was opened in 2000.
In 2016 the company began searching for a new flexo press, and after print trials at two leading European manufacturers, as well as at Mark Andy’s facility in Warsaw, Poland, the decision was made to buy a P7.
The head of sales management for label production, Yuriy Perepletchikov, explained: ‘There was no question after the print trials that the P7 was best suited to our work. Its modern design makes it very ergonomic for the operators and the short web path reduces the amount of substrate waste during changeovers.’ Following visits to existing Mark Andy users and open discussions with them about operational issues, the order was placed, and the press delivered in 2018.
The 13in (330mm) Mark Andy P7 includes 10 UV-flexo units, a screen print unit, turn bar and cold foil capability.
‘We felt that the Mark Andy made better use of servo drive technology than the other two presses we trialled. It ran faster with better quality across the range of paper and film substrates we use here, and we like the opportunity it gives us to add value,’ Mr Perepletchikov concluded.
