Offset Printing
BOBST apprentices prove their skills with new machine installation at state-of-the art Competence Centre
Thursday 13. August 2020 - A team of apprentices have put the skills they have acquired into practice after successfully installing a new NOVACUT 106E die-cutter into the Competence Centre at Bobst UK & Ireland headquarters, Redditch. The machine will be used by BOBST for customer demonstrations, as well as training for operators and engineers in future months, and will be available for sale later in the year.
Tom Watkins and James Stout are set to complete their four-year mechanical engineering apprenticeship within weeks to become field service technicians, while Lewis Davis is about to start his final year of an electrical apprenticeship. The trio installed and commissioned the die-cutter under the supervision of Paul Stevenson, Technical Service Manager.
Paul said: “We regularly change the machines located at the Competence Centre which ensures we always have the latest generation of technology to showcase the large portfolio of BOBST capabilities and provide customers with the option of training away from their own site.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, the team normally responsible for installing the machines was very much focused on attending emergency call outs and offering remote support to customers. This provided the apprentices with a great opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned, and I am pleased to say that they have performed to an excellent standard. They each showed great attention to detail and a determination to ensure the installation was fully complete and the machine ready to operate, for when we begin to welcome customers and visitors back on site here in Redditch.”
After completing their apprenticeships, Tom, James and Lewis will undertake further training on BOBST machines at the Groups manufacturing plant in Mex, Switzerland.
The state-of-the-art Competence Centre at Redditch enables customers to attend training sessions in a focused and controlled environment, without the added pressures of continuous production. Product specialists deliver off-the-shelf training related to die-cutting and folding-gluing, as well as bespoke training solutions suited to an individual or a specific business need.