Papelera Nacional S.A. was originally founded in Ecuador in 1961 to produce kraft paper. It is now one of the market leaders, with annual production figures of 180,000 metric tons.
In 2010, the company made the decision to also start producing corrugated board to make boxes for the banana, flower, shrimp and tuna export industries, as well as many others. Nowadays this segment accounts for 120,000 metric tons of corrugated board produced with the help of the three BOBST machines the company has. Excellent market prospects have led Papelera Nacional to confirm the order for a new BOBST FFG 1228 NT, which should be installed in April 2019. The new acquisition means the company aims to achieve figures of 145,000 metric tons by 2020.
Engineer Gonzalo Velasquez, Chief Executive of Papelera Nacional, explains why BOBST was the only option when setting up the new corrugated board department: “Thanks to BOBST, we can offer great printing quality and high levels of productivity – that was just what we were looking for when launching the project to really make us stand out from our competitors. We chose BOBST for the quality and safety of their machinery and, of course, for the excellent technical service they have always provided to us.”
BOBST machinery
Papelera Nacional currently operates three BOBST FFG machines: two FFG 1228 NT and an FFG 924 NT. Engineer Gonzalo Velasquez explains how “they are extremely productive machines, which we use during the conversion process, i.e. when we convert the corrugated board sheets into finished boxes. We use single-wall C flute and double-wall C and B flute board. With our current configuration, we are able to produce up to 27,000 boxes per hour.”
Papelera Nacional’s Chief Executive goes on to explain why the company continues to invest in BOBST products: “Well, there are lots of reasons. One is the excellent experiences we have had with the products themselves: our staff already know the brand and trust in its quality and productivity. Having just one supplier also means we only need to keep one single supply of spare parts and only need one maintenance service provider. On top of that, we are more than happy with the machines we already have. Changes in size or printing are fast, and we can even compete with companies that use pre-printing without any major issues. Ink consumption is satisfactory, and the machinery handles the boxes for bananas to perfection, which is ideal as this type of box accounts for 75% of our business. This is why we will continue to count on and trust in BOBST.”
MultiFold
Papelera Nacional manages to achieve excellent levels of productivity from its BOBST machinery with the help of its MultiFold solution. “We work with both DualFold and TriFold. This means that for each sheet of board that enters the printer, two or three boxes come out – as a result, we can duplicate or even triplicate our production speeds. On top of that, MultiFold not only increases productivity, but also improves the quality of the final product thanks to the rotary die-cutter, which optimizes manufacturing quality while still maintaining the standard BOBST specifications.”
FFG 1228 NT is the mobile version of the BOBST range featuring the DDF 'No Crush’ Feeder. It is the ideal solution for medium-sized and large packaging. On the other hand, FFG 924 NT is a mobile machine designed to produce all types of box from RSCs (Regular Slotted Cases) to totally die-cut, high-definition boxes – three types of box in one machine (also available on FFG 1228 NT).
Both machines offer one-pass printing flexo, folding, and gluing. They both have an independent drive, vacuum transfer, excellent register – thanks to the non-stop vacuum transfer up to the die-cutting section – and low ink consumption, thanks to a peristaltic pump. They also have additional space for waste ejection after stripping, and both allow perfect presentation of the packaging, eliminate angel hair, and help to optimize folding quality and the packer filer line efficiency of the end user.
For Engineer Gonzalo Velasquez, there is no doubt that selecting BOBST machinery was the best choice. “With BOBST machines, we know we will get strong, robust devices which offer good productivity and high print quality. This means we can manufacture boxes with a quality and service unique on the market. Add to that our reliable delivery dates, and you can see why we have a lot of clients that trust in us – especially when you understand that many of them work in the export business and so rely on timely, high-quality deliveries.”
But, in the words of the Chief Executive of the company, nothing would be possible without its labor force: “I don’t doubt for a second that we have the best technology on the market thanks to our BOBST machines, but it is our operators that get the best output from the machines thanks to their dedication and performance. This combination of machinery and staff is what makes us strong and puts us way ahead of our competitors.”
Mariano González, President of Papelera Nacional S.A.
Papelera Nacional
Papelera Nacional is one of Ecuador’s leading paper and board manufacturing businesses, and has an estimated 2018 turnover of US$180,000,000. 600 employees work for the company in three shifts and provide excellent levels of efficiency and productivity. Engineer Gonzalo Velasquez says this is possible “thanks to the continuous training of technical and operational staff, fair pay, a variable pay scheme and having BOBST machinery with a quarterly maintenance contract.”
The engineer does not rule out Papelera Nacional continuing to make further investment after completion of the current expansion project, which includes the fourth BOBST machine, improvements in the corrugator machine and expansion of the finished product storage area. “Our company continues to make new investments, and I’m sure this won’t change after the current improvements. We work in a very demanding market that is undergoing constant change, and we cannot afford to get left behind.” With 34 years of experience in the corrugated board industry, 13 at Papelera Nacional, and as President of the Association of Caribbean, Central and South American Corrugators (ACCCSA), there can be no doubt Engineer Gonzalo Velasquez knows exactly what he’s talking about.
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