A new FDC line equipped with a multicolor HD printing machine was put into operation at Ilim Gofra, Ilim Group’s box plant located in Kommunar (Leningrad Oblast).

The new equipment allows to produce RRP boxes (Retail Ready Packaging) of any complexity.

The new line advantages include a more precise color reproduction, high production capacity (up to 6 thousand blanks per hour), process automation, as well as on-line control over color transfer during printing. An eye-mark based system for sheet position control ensures an absolute design-to-template register. Quality of the new process line is similar to the printing house level enabling the Company to fill a new niche in the RRP packaging market. At the same time, the printing services of the new line provide better price competitiveness compared to printing on a finished packaging at a printing house.

The new line consists of a whole set of units, including a multi-color HD printing machine Celmacch EVO 1700 HD 4 colors CMYK (Italy), a flatbed die-cutter ASAHI AP -165 EIII (Japan), an ASAHI blank separating system (Japan) and auxiliary equipment.

“Ilim Gofra is a part of Ilim Group’s fully integrated production process. We produce corrugated packaging using kraftliner and fluting supplied by Ilim’s mills in Koryazhma and Bratsk”, said Vladimir Shoshin, Operations Director, Packaging of Ilim Group. “These are virgin corrugated materials with superior physical and mechanical properties which are important for packaging and transportation of products that have stricter storage requirements, for example, vegetables, fruits, meat, pizza, etc. Enhancement of printing capabilities will strengthen our position in the market".

“Ilim is one of our key business partners”, emphasized Igor Belayev, Head of Procurement Department of ZAO Agrofirma Vyborzhets. “We appreciate Ilim’s customer-oriented approach and are satisfied with its technical capabilities involved in the packaging production. High-quality printing capabilities of the new line will allow us to improve our packaging and implement new ideas. In the future, we see opportunities for utilization of the new equipment in our production process”.

Reference information:

Box business development in the domestic market is a priority for Ilim Group. Ilim has 2 box plants in Russia with an aggregate capacity of 290 million of square meters per year. The plants are located in the Leningrad (Kommunar) and Moscow (Dmitrov) Oblasts. The plants produce more than 5.5 thousand of product items where transportation packaging, corrugated trays, retail packaging, packaging for mailed items, and e-commerce play the key role.

Over the 11-year history of the Company the number of its customers has exceeded 200.

In 2018, Ilim’s production-related capital investments exceeded USD 10 million.