Fresh from the manufacturing line at Koenig & Bauer Duran, a new Omega Alius 90 folder gluer shown at drupa is on the next leg of its journey to a new home in Leicester, UK. Along with a brand new Rapida 106 press, the Omega Alius 90 folder gluer is part of a major investment by Qualvis Print & Packaging.
Qualvis already operates a seven-colour Rapida 106 with twin coaters and an Iberica cutter creaser. However, the new configuration has been described as something ‘entirely different’. It will meet a real need in the market, according to insiders, but will remain undisclosed for competitive advantage.
“All I can reveal about the new press is that it is quite special. Our product designers have worked closely with Qualvis, under strict non-disclosure, to develop a one-of-its-kind capability that will give Qualvis a jump on the market,” said Chris Scully, Managing Director, Koenig & Bauer UK.
In a statement from the Joint Managing Directors of Qualvis, Lisa Smith and Marcus Short, they said, “We’re excited to be installing a special Koenig & Bauer press configuration, it has been a true collaboration to get to this point and we can’t wait to showcase our new offering. Koenig & Bauer truly aligns with our ethos of innovation and is looking to push the market forward in both sustainability and printing effects.”
Left to right: Chris Scully (Koenig & Bauer), Lisa Smith and Marcus Short.
They continued, “Not only have we partnered with K&B for our new press but we’ll also be installing the new Omega Alius 90 folder gluer coming direct from drupa. The first of the new model to market will offer high speeds and intelligent automatic setup. This new folder gluer complements our requirements perfectly. These purchases complement the recent investment strategy started two years ago, that includes not only machines, but technology and a solar energy investment to further reduce our carbon footprint. This completes phase two of our long-term investment programme and allows us to continue to focus on sustainable cutting-edge innovation and first-to-market solutions, which is our passion, whilst increasing capacity to allow for growth which has been exponential over recent years. Extremely exciting times.”
“Qualvis make it very for customers to do the right thing in terms of sustainable packaging. From organic vegetable inks to board supply and recycled and recyclable plant-based materials, their whole packaging production is vegan friendly,” adds Scully. “At Koenig & Bauer, one of our main strengths is our ability to innovate and develop technology on a project-by-project basis. We’re pleased that they chose us to be their innovation partner on this project.”
