Technology and innovation are keywords for the corrugated industry of the future. BHS Corrugated is putting both into practice with its vision of ‘Box Plant 2025’. To give its customers a first-hand insight into this future strategy, the company invited them to Münster and Greven in Germany for an Open House event on 19 April, 2023.
Over 80 customers from around the world accepted the invitation to experience ‘Box Plant 2025’ up close. The event offered the guests an opportunity to learn about the latest developments and innovations from BHS Corrugated and exchange ideas with industry experts. From innovative corrugator lines to automated intralogistics solutions, numerous demonstrations illustrated what the future of corrugated board production will look like. One of the highlights was the demonstration of the digital printing press, the JETLINER®. It prints in high-quality at high speeds direct on the top liner in real-time, enabling new possibilities for individual and personalised packaging solutions, including variable data, covering the complete product portfolio of a modern box plant.
New Concept
The Box Plant 2025 is a concept from BHS Corrugated for the future corrugated box plant. In his welcoming speech, Lars Engel, Managing Director, explained the key facts of the visionary concept right at the event’s start. It comprises a complete and coherent portfolio of future-oriented solutions and services. The aim is to increase productivity across the entire corrugated box plant while at the same time reducing costs. Many products and solutions for Box Plant 2025 are already available today. Customers can start immediately with it – and retrofit future innovations. With Box Plant 2025, BHS Corrugated promises a self-learning, energy-efficient, lean, and demand-oriented factory. Corrugated board manufacturers can react more flexibly to customer requirements and new market situations – while optimising all input and output factors of their production.
Presentations and Spotlights
The heads of the BHS Corrugated business units took over the stage in the Experience Hub after the presentation by Lars Engel.
They presented the latest innovations in their respective areas. The participants of the Open House experienced first-hand how BHS Corrugated’s offering of ever-improving corrugators, the use of digital single-pass printing, and lifecycle services can advance their businesses. They learned how the concepts help them solving challenges as well as how they open new ways for increased productivity and profitability of corrugated factories. During subsequent discussions at various booths in the Experience Hub as well as during further presentations on stage, experts from BHS Corrugated invited their guests to think further in line with the motto ‘Think Beyond’.
In ‘The Power of Variable Data’ it was explained how BHS Corrugated supports its customers in automating, connecting, and simplifying processes by using variable data and QR codes and offering a workflow system and toolbox for handling and editing variable data. ‘Future proof corrugator features’ covered the latest technical innovations for corrugators, such as using QR codes in corrugated manufacturing, resource monitoring for more sustainable production, and FastAutoAux for more flexibility in the dry-end. In ‘Lifecycle Services – From Maintenance to Productivity’ the extension of the M2P® concept was then presented. M2P® Operations means: experienced experts provide support or take over operation of the corrugator to further improve its availability and performance. The last Spotlight ‘Pay-Per-Output – One-Stop-Shop Package’ focused on a Pay-Per Output model for BHS Corrugated equipment. This model makes the costs of operating a corrugated plant almost 100% variable and gives customers more cost transparency.
Factory Tour in Greven
One of the highlights of the day was an exclusive factory tour at Schumacher Packaging in Greven, Germany, where the JETLINER®, BHS intralogistics solutions and the latest developments in corrugators were presented. The participants went on a tour along one of the most modern corrugators.
Opportunities for the Corrugated Industry
Digital printing has become increasingly important in the corrugated industry in recent years. BHS Corrugated claim that while traditional printing methods are limited, digital printing enables flexible and efficient packaging production. At the Open House event, the digital printing process was demonstrated to the public for the first time. From personalised packaging solutions to short production cycles and reduced material consumption, digital printing opens new possibilities for the corrugated industry, says the company. They say the JETLINER® is one of the key innovations within the Box Plant 2025.
Networking Opportunities
The Open House event not only offered participants an insight into the future of the corrugated board industry but also promoted exchange and networking among industry representatives. In personal discussions with experts from BHS Corrugated, the guests were able to ask questions, exchange experiences and make new contacts.
Lars Engel thanked all guests for participating in the event. “For us, it was one of the most significant events in the history of BHS Corrugated. It was a pleasure for us to take you on a journey into the future of corrugated board production,” he concluded.
