Accomplishing a packaging production world record at any time is a huge achievement. But doing it during a global pandemic with a whole range of safety measures in place? That’s pretty impressive.
It is exactly what B&B Triplewall – a leading manufacturer of quality corrugated boxes in India – has achieved. On May 27th 2020, the company attained a production level of 142,611 boxes in just eight hours, breaking (and regaining) the world record for corrugated box production. The company achieved this feat using a BOBST FFG 8.20 DISCOVERY.
“The record means a lot to us,” said Manish Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director at B&B Triplewall. “We actually held the record before but it was surpassed by another company, so that gave us extra incentive. The whole team was extremely motivated to achieve this and I am so proud of everyone for going the extra mile, particularly during such a challenging time.”
B&B Triplewall has stringent safety measures in place to ensure the safety of its staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, including social distancing measures, mandatory masks, hand washing and sanitization and temperature checks. But when two large orders came in with the same delivery timeframe, Gupta and his team knew they could make the record attempt while ensuring the safety of their employees.
“Our employees are our biggest asset,” explained Manish Gupta. “Ensuring their safety and happiness is paramount to us. I believe that is why we are so effective as a team and able to serve our customers so effectively. I believe that our focus on our employees is a key reason why we have such an incredible history of customer retention and why we were able to achieve this record.”
Staying ahead of the curve
Gupta, who has been in the corrugated industry for more than 20 years, founded B&B with a business partner in 2012. The company merged with HMK Autopacks Private Ltd in 2016 and has since gone from strength to strength. Gupta states that the company’s aim is to be number one in India in terms of sales volumes in the near future.
“The Indian market is quickly evolving in terms of technology, scale and quality,” he said. “To be at the forefront of this evolution means a lot to us. We always try to remain future-proof. I believe that one of the biggest trends for the future of packaging is greater automation, and we are already one of the most automated factories in India.”
He continues, “The software and automated features on the FFG 8.20 make it easy to use – operators do not need to be highly qualified and it is simple to train people to use the machine. It is perfect for e-commerce and FMCG, which make up a large part of our business. We produce up to 4 million boxes a month with this machine, which is excellent.”
The level of automation and digitalisation on the FFG 8.20 is reflective of BOBST’s industry vision to help shape the future of the packaging world. The company aims to shape a new reality where connectivity, digitalization, automation and sustainability are the cornerstones of packaging production.
Great minds think alike
Since B&B Triplewall installed the FFG 8.20 Discovery in 2017, the relationship between the converter and supplier has flourished. In 2019, B&B Triplewall decided to also invest in another Bobst flexo folder gluer to increase capacity even further – the FFG 924 NT.
“One of the main reasons we chose the FFG 924 NT is because we were happy with the FFG 8.20 and the level of service we received from Bobst,” said Manish. “They have a local manufacturing branch in India, who have been extremely responsive to all our requirements. The level of quality and knowledge of the technicians is excellent and makes things much easier for us”.
The FFG 924 NT is designed to produce all types of boxes from standard RSC up to full die-cut and high graphics – a true ‘three in one’ machine. B&B Triplewall has identified high graphics as a key area of growth in the Indian market, and the FFG 924 NT ticked this box as well as all the others the company needed. The production level of the machine can reach approximately 140,000 square meters of corrugated board per day.
For Manish Gupta, adding such state-of-the-art equipment to his factory floor helps him to realise his vision for the company – to provide perfection for his customers and ensure that every product his company delivers is crafted to the customer’s needs.
“This job is a passion for me,” he concluded. “Every day my focus is how we can make a positive difference for both our customers and our employees. A partner like Bobst, which is similarly focused on providing the highest quality and staying ahead of the curve when it comes to packaging trends, helps us to achieve our goal. This world record is proof of that.”
