Ashe partners Paragon in progress
16 January 2007
Ashe Converting Equipment has supplied over 650 slitting and rewinding machines worldwide in its 23 year history. It offers a range of specialist models for the web converting and label markets. One of its customers involved in both businesses is UK label and flexible packaging converter Paragon Flexibles. The company has been a user of Ashe machinery for eight years, with a current total of 17 Opal narrow web machines and three Sapphire duplex slitters.
The Sapphires are the most recent acquisitions, installed in Paragon's new flexible packaging facility at Gainsborough. These are the new generation of this range, offering 700m/min and features such as a vacuum drive roller, an electrically driven lay-on roller system allowing back-up rollers to track roll diameter providing “excellent” web guiding onto the rewinds, and a choice of differential shafts, or airshafts. They also have all-electric operation, and an integrated control system using the latest AC drives and standard AC motors.
Paragon runs these machines 24/7 and expects reliability. A spokesman states: “We run with the minimum maintenance staff and facilities. We expect our suppliers to respond to our demands for service, and we have not been disappointed with Ashe, so we continue to buy the equipment for its advantages in terms of cost, productivity and reliability. Ashe was the first choice when our old plant needed upgrading from its 200m/min, difficult to operate machinery. We were not disappointed when 700m/min became the normal operating speed without fuss.”
Paragon has also been delighted with the performance of its Opal machines. In fact, when the old Opal range was due for upgrading, the company helped Ashe to develop new machines with a 50 per cent increase in production speed, and operational features it considered to be essential.
The new Opal models have an increased speed of 300m/min, and are said to accelerate and stop in three seconds, “all under perfect control”. The rotary shear system was re-designed to give better access and allow cartridge to be replaced for quick job changes; and the touchscreen control system was upgraded to simplify operation and setting.
The result is claimed to be “a very user oriented machine that is easy to install, cost competitive and very reliable”.
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