Bobst holds Label and Packaging Technology Open Day in the UK

Bobst is targeting deeper penetration into the UK’s narrow and mid web market after hosting an open house event at its newly renovated facility in Redditch. 

The Bobst Label and Packaging Technology Open Day 2025, held in late January, provided an opportunity for the machinery manufacturer to highlight the full scope of its capabilities for narrow and mid web printing, and specifically where they are suited to the needs of UK converters. 

During the event, printers and supplier partners learned about Bobst’s technologies for labels and flexible packaging production. This focused on the Master M6, an automated flexo line designed for short-run mid-web flexible packaging printing but which has been widely adopted for labels. 

A live demo of this press at the Bobst Competence Center in Firenze provided an example of how integration with the Bobst Connect platform and utilization of in-line automation features can minimize set-up time and waste and execute job change to maximize throughput of saleable prints. Printing a flexible packaging job in CMYK+GOW, the press automatically got into full register. An interface has been developed that allows set-up and recall of tension and other process steps, alongside other job recipe parameters already covered, such as number of colors, registration, camera position, sleeve size and more.

Application technology director Daragh Whelan led the demonstration of this technology from the Bobst site in Redditch, UK. At the same time, his colleagues Koen Vlieghe, business unit director - NMW, and Steve Lakin, area sales manager - labels, UK, outlined the scope of Bobst’s offer. 

Vlieghe said: “The narrow and mid web markets are ones we are heavily investing in. We want to be the market leader, and our wealth of high-end technologies position us perfectly to achieve that. With high-speed flexo lines, inkjet presses and all-in-one platforms, we have built a portfolio tailored to the needs of converters that is suited for today and tomorrow. Whether seeking greater efficiency in their operations, embracing technology to overcome staffing issues or seeking out compact solutions to provide all-in-one capabilities, our machines deliver this and more, complemented by the required level of support and service to support the market.'

This is reflected in a product portfolio that includes the Master M6, as well as all-in-one digital-flexo platforms and semi-servo shaft presses for high-volume process work.

Whelan noted that, while around two-thirds of the Pantone book can be hit using process colors when using Bobst’s proprietary oneECG technology, such a press is still a highly valuable commodity for many printers seeking to maintain business performance.

'Our portfolio is extensive, and Bobst has got a product for every market and every customer, depending on their level of investment,' said Lakin. 'The build quality of Bobst presses is second to none, and with our ongoing investment in the whole process, from pixel to print, we’re able to support UK printers in the continued evolution of their operations with cutting-edge technologies that are ready and available immediately to improve productivity, reduce waste and tackle the many other pain points converters are experiencing.'

Phil Baldwin, technical sales manager, North Europe, said: 'Bobst is known as a market leader in gravure printing and die-cutting for wide-format packaging. Now we are growing as a supplier to the narrow and mid web market, with UK printers able to benefit from our vast experience, technical innovations and array of solutions for flexo, digital and all-in-one printing.'