Finishing & Screen Printing

Benson Box buys its first Diana X115 folder gluer from Heidelberg

Monday 10. September 2012 - After an extensive testing and trialling process, Benson Group has selected the Diana X115 folder gluer for its Bardon plant which specialises primarily in food packaging.

“We have seen an increase in the complexity of gluing work in the last six months,” says Mike Owens, general manager of Benson Box. “This meant we had quite specific requirements and undertook extensive trials across the supplier base, analysing the results carefully. Our finishing department had a significant part to play in this selection process.
“We took a range of jobs to Heidelberg’s Hall 11 in Wiesloch, Germany, to check the Diana X115 could achieve the required speed at the right quality level. It could and we also liked the Autoset and memory features which will significantly reduce set up times. We should see a three-fold increase in output across the carton styles for which this machine was targeted. The Diana indirectly replaces an ageing Jagenberg.”
The company increasingly handles four-corner, six-corner and crash lock cartons. The retail industry and their designers are spear-heading the move to more complex packaging products putting companies with the most modern equipment in pole position.
The company has a number of folder gluers but this is the first folder gluer Benson Box has bought from Heidelberg. It has been a regular purchaser of Speedmaster press technology, most recently ordering a Speedmaster XL 106 at Drupa to follow on from the two Speedmaster XL 105s which have each output 46 million impressions a year.
“We work well together and we rate Heidelberg very highly in terms of service and responsiveness,” says Mr Owens.
The plant operates 24/6 and, from installation next month, the Diana X115 will be operating intensively to meet some seasonal product launch requirements of major customers. The operators who will take charge of the line are reported to be “excited at the arrival of a new toy”.
The output of the Diana X115 is such that the company will also add a semi-automatic packing line at the end to efficiently take work on to the delivery stage. The Diana X115 is a flexible, highly productivity machine which produces high quality results effortlessly.
The Diana X115 is available in many versions, offering high flexibility and productivity. It is a future-proof machine because of its modularity; users can add the Braille module or Inline Inspection, for instance. Handling a full range of material, it is ideal for both short and long run lengths with its short and efficient set up times and potential running speed of over 200,000 cartons per hour at speeds of up to 650m/min.