- 8 colour and double coater to be installed in early 2022
- High speed package for production speeds of up to 20,000 sheets per hour
- Low maintenance package
- Unrivalled colour and quality systems
Watford, 21.06.2021
Harrison Packaging has become the first U.K. company to invest in a highly specified Rapida 106X, the largest investment in the company’s history. The press, an 8 colour with 2 coating units will be installed into their Stockton on Tees factory in late January 2022, an exciting year for Harrison Packaging as they celebrate 140 years in business, making them the oldest independent carton manufacturer in the U.K.
Harrison produces packaging products for a diverse range of customers and brands in several markets including beauty, healthcare, food and beverages. The company has recently invested in new die cutting and CAD equipment and has already committed to new CTP equipment for delivery this Summer. They are heavily committed to programmes for sustainability and manufacturing excellence alongside an increasing focus on the development of the Harrison team.
The company invested in Rapida 105 technology in 2008 when they purchased a seven plus coating press and they have now returned to purchase the brand new Rapida 106X which was released during Virtual Drupa in 2020. The press has been specified with the aim of increasing capability and providing significant technical and commercial advantages. It is capable of printing with both conventional and UV inks along with water based and UV coatings.
The team at Harrison visited a number of major press manufacturers prior to the pandemic and performed extensive tests along with a detailed analysis of their existing and future requirements. They also listened to advice on emerging trends in the packaging industry before making the decision to partner with Koenig & Bauer again.
Speaking about the investment Managing Director, Mike Baum added ‘This was the most involved investment process we have ever undertaken and after a diligent comparison between equipment from a number of reputable manufacturers, our team decided that the Koenig & Bauer option would enable Harrison to take the biggest step forward at this point. The new technology the press boasts will ensure that our print process becomes faster and more agile, delivers greater efficiency and produces much less waste, all critical in us providing a sustainable future for all those associated with Harrison.
He continues 'Initially, the press will replace an existing 6 colour B1 press, although when the press reaches the levels of output we expect, we anticipate removing another of our older presses. Our 5-year plan is one of significant growth and this press will create sufficient additional capacity to ensure Harrison maintains the levels of flexibility and response we have become known for. We are very excited to see the new machine installed and look forward to working with the team at Koenig and Bauer to maximise the potential for this ‘game-changing’ press’.
Groundbreaking Features
The Rapida 106X boasts a radical new design with sleek black printing units, new touch screens and LED press status alerts for the operator and is equipped with a whole host of labour-saving features and technologies to ensure only the highest quality of print is produced. The press has a top speed of 20,000 sheets per hour and incorporates a host of features aimed at reducing downtime.
Heavyweight Performance
The machine can handle stock up to 1.2mm thick and additionally for nonstop running is equipped with an extensive logistics package for both the feeder and delivery and a press raise. To aid feeding at the highest speeds, the press is also equipped with Koenig & Bauer’s unique Sensoric Infeed System (S.I.S.).
Make Ready Automation
For rapid changeovers, the plate changing is fully automatic, with coating formes changing semi automatically. Colour Control is via Koenig & Bauer’s QualiTronic ColorControl inline colour measurement system with a brand new ErgoTronic Console equipped with LED, D50, or D65 illuminants.
Quality Controlled
To provide an extra level of quality to the work produced on the new press it is equipped with QualiTronic PrintCheck, which enables comparison of the printed material to an ‘OK’ sheet. Each sheet produced is compared against the original during running and the operator receives an early warning of any defects found by the system.
Data Captured
To ensure production is kept at the highest levels, the press software package includes LogoTronic Professional. Signals are taken directly from the press which then provide the basis for production monitoring for each job produced. This provides an overview of press performance and allows the press to receive and send JDF/JMF data from pre-press and back into a management information system. Colour reports, maintenance management and the press colour library are also hosted within this system.
Koenig & Bauer U.K. Director of Sales Chris Scully states: ‘We are delighted to have Harrison Packaging as our first customer in the UK to purchase the Rapida 106X and to have them as a returning customer. Like ourselves, they have a long history and have continued to innovate as a business. This is the biggest investment in their history and they have invested in technologies and know how that will set them apart from their competitors’. He continues ‘The Rapida 106X not only looks fantastic but it has been designed to provide our customers with the ultimate in performance and quality, alongside unrivalled labour and waste saving features’.