Business News
Chesapeake underlines environmental tack and efficiency with peripherals buy
Thursday 07. October 2010 - Chesapeake, a leading global supplier of consumer packaging, has invested in the latest technotrans peripheral equipment to support its commitment to "reduce all process waste and maximise reuse and recycling whenever possible". The products will be installed at its Leicester plant, focused on the pharmaceutical market, and its food packaging plant in Newcastle.
The Leicester plant has invested in equipment that enables the operation to reduce its chemistry requirements and to run alcohol free production. The plant completely eliminated alcohol five or six years ago and it was a prerequisite to any new press purchase. This year it has invested in a Komori LS 640 press which runs UV and features a technotrans beta c.220 circulation system, a glycol chiller and the beta.f filtration system.
“Our customers expect us to run alcohol free but to do so you need to be disciplined. A decent filtration system is necessary; it is important to keep your fount solution clean and clear of debris. It reduces the amount of dampening solution used and whereas we used to have to empty out the tank, flush it through and refill it once a week we can now do that about every two months. That takes about an hour a time so that adds up to a significant reduction in maintenance downtime,” says Alan Footitt, maintenance and print production manager.
In Chesapeakes Newcastle plant a glycol chiller has been fitted to the companys new highly specified Speedmaster XL 105-8+LYYL, an eight unit straight press with double coaters. Serving the premium food and confectionery markets, it is critical to produce work to consistently superb colour standards, optimising brand recognition.
Andrew Forrester, engineering manager at the plant, says: “Having consistent temperatures throughout a production run and from run to run means consistently good print results. Running a UV press without water cooling would be madness. It reduces the pressroom dust which in the food sector is critical. We use technotrans equipment extensively and the fact we have come back to them again reflects that we find its products reliable and a real asset to quality and productivity.”