Packaging with and for the customer

Claiming to be “the most advanced folding carton manufacturer in Europe”, the Van Genechten Packaging Group makes product development from the initial concept to the finished carton its core business. Based in Belgium, under chairman Philippe de Somer, the group is an international player in the folding carton market, with a total of 10 production plants in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland and Russia.

A key element in VGP's strategy of focusing on the high end of the market has been its investment in KBA sheet-fed presses. The group's production plants boast a total of 45 sheet-fed machines, of which 31 printing units were built by KBA. Dieter Heinzelmann, the managing director of VG Nicolaus, notes the high degree of organization that such a plethora of presses requires among the member companies. “As centralized as necessary and as decentralized as possible,” he emphasizes. "Another positive aspect is the short chain of command arising from the fact that the company is owned by the de Somer family,”he continues. “In Pulheim we produce drinks packaging and non food packaging, while the Kempten plant specializes in frozen food packaging with a PE coating. Our customers come from all over Europe, with the accession states proving to be a fast growing market. We address a demand for high volume packaging produced to the highest quality specifications.”

The press room in Pulheim houses a new six colour Rapida 142 configured with two coaters, two dryers and an extended delivery. For maximum efficiency when handling cartonboard in three full shifts per day, the press stands on a plinth that increases the height of the infeed and delivery piles to almost two metres. An automatic nonstop roller facility at the feeder allows pile pallets to be changed without stopping the press, while at the delivery there is a height adjustable roller facility linked to the pile logistics system. The press was erected on a 630mm plinth to accommodate thick cartonboard

Jörg Effertz, master printer and project manager for the commissioning of the new Rapida technology, says: “The press runs trouble-free in all three shifts and meets its output targets during every production run. This is vital because we have up to eight job changes a day.”

The packaging division focuses on “product innovation and ever more sophisticated finishing options” - a strategy that has brought it 11 Pro Carton/ECMA awards. Last year there were two awards, one for the most innovative design or new carton application and the other for frozen food packaging. At the Luxpack 06 trade fair in Monaco, the group also won an award for a new folding carton shape it had produced.

“Serial luxury” is the name VGP has given to a concept it devised for producing high grade packaging more efficiently. The move has attracted widespread interest among clients, particularly those in the business of making perfumes, cosmetics, champagne, premium wines or spirits and, of course, chocolates and confectionery.

The sheer range of folding cartons and packaging is impressive. The source of this creativity is the group's development units in France, the Benelux states and Germany. VGP promotes customer loyalty by using modern media like the internet, upgrading its CAD/CAM workflow and actively engaging customers in the creation of new products. This not only leads to greater variety and even new forms of packaging, but also expands the range of applications for existing materials. The development department's database contains some 3,000 packaging models.

Coating plays an ever increasing role in enabling customers to differentiate their products in an intensely competitive field. Even discount retail chains like Lidl or Aldi are exploiting the impact of coated packaging to an ever greater extent. The companies in the VGP group have therefore invested in new kit to enhance their value added capabilities. According to Philippe de Somer, consumables account for 50-60 per cent of the group's total manufacturing costs, so these consumables must be processed in such a way as to maximize quality and impact.

He says: “In-line finishing must enable us to provide an even broader variety of packaging, and that means, for example, that we must also be able to laminate. If we are to rise above the competition, we must streamline workflows and enhance our cost efficiency wherever possible.”

But packaging is not the only product VGP develops: it has also been known to design the machinery on which the packaging is processed, and have it built by associated companies. Three examples are packaging for spark plugs, Duracell batteries and McDonalds' Big Macs. Whatever the product, it makes a point of using materials made from renewable resources.

The new B1 press (a Rapida 105 universal with six printing units, coating and drying capabilities and an extended delivery) is yet another powerful production tool, with a range of advanced features that will enable the company to offer its customers an even wider choice of quality products.

The packaging sector is experiencing a steady shift towards shorter print runs. VGP has responded by switching to computer-to-plate systems at all its production plants. It also runs an in-plant tool making department to preserve its independence by ensuring the continuous availability and timely supply of cutting dies. CAD workstations are used for product development, with conversion into the corresponding data files in the in-house repro department. The die cutting and carton gluing lines are equipped to handle the maximum output off the presses.

As, for customers' convenience, finished packaging is stored for up to six months, VGP has built up a huge warehouse capacity of 5,000 bays and automated the logistics workflow for semi finished and finished goods.