TPN Flexpak upgrades; adds on 3 flexo presses

While some companies are followers, others strive to lead. One way of doing this is through innovation and technology. Thailand’s TPN Flexpak, a flexible packaging manufacturer that supplies a host of printed flexible packaging for food and fast moving consumer goods, has chosen to take the latter path.

A subsidiary of 60-year old paper products specialist Thung Hua Sinn Group, family-run TPN last year took delivery of not one, but three flexographic presses from Germany-based Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H).

“We took out two old presses and decided to replace these with three brand new machines,” said TPN’s Managing Director Ananchat Thangkasemvathana.

TPN now boasts four Miraflex flexographic printing presses from W&H, which effectively makes it a leader in flexographic printing in Thailand, and maybe even in the region!

While gravure presses have been the workhorse of the packaging/printing sector, in recent years flexo printing has picked up mainly because of its versatility, reliability and speed. Another reason is the productivity.

“With this new technology, we have moved up another notch. We have improved our capacity by 50%,” said Ananchat, speaking to PRA at TPN’s facility in Wellgrow Industrial Estate, Bangpakong.

The Miraflex presses offer wide webs (1,270/1,320 mm); eight to ten colour printing; speeds of up to 460 m/minute; improved registration and down gauging.

“We also use environmentally friendly non-toluene based inks. These inks use organic pigments and have very low solvent retention, making them safe for food packaging. Our ink formulation and dispensing systems provide a consistent colour every time and batch-to-batch reproducibility,” adds Ananchat.

The company still maintains in its stable of presses a Heliostar gravure printing press, also from W&H, that caters to the demand for smaller print orders, thus allowing for easy job change-overs.

Set up 15 years ago, TPN produces film on roll stock, wicketed bags, pillow pouches, stand-up pouches, zipper bags, microwaveable pouches, retortable pouches, side weld bags and shrink sleeves.

According to Ananchat, the company has over the last few years, been investing in the facility with up to EUR50 million injected in plant and machinery. “We will continue to invest, even during the slower global growth and currency fluctuations, depending on our customers’ needs to meet their requirements,” he adds.