Saica is expanding with six machines by Koenig & Bauer Celmacch

Saica Group invested heavily in corrugated board-processing machinery by Koenig & Bauer Celmacch. Starting from Summer 2024, six new lines in total will progressively go into production. Four Machines of the highest performance-class series ChromaCUT X Pro will be installed in England, Portugal, France and Italy, two further machines of the high performance-class series Chroma HighTech will be delivered at different locations of the Group in Spain. “We are one of the biggest corrugated-cardboard producers in Europe and we want, of course, to grow further, but at the same time we want to forge ahead with our quality and automation in the different sites“, emphasizes Herve Dehaynin, technical coordinator at Saica. „Now, with Koenig & Bauer Celmacch, we have a supplier that has, in its portfolio, the right machine we need for all of our locations”.

Luca Celotti, Head of Sales at Koenig & Bauer Celmacch, adds: „It is really a great advantage that we have, at Koenig & Bauer Celmacch, such a wide machinery portfolio with different automation and performance levels. Our Customers get in touch with us and they can freely decide which machine model perfectly fits their order structure.“

Short set-up times, fast job changeover, intuitive handling as well as inside-outside printing in a single pass

Saica has been cultivating for several years its close partnership with Celmacch. A variety of machines by the Italian corrugated cardboard specialists are already in use in different sites throughout Europe. After many visits to a ChromaCUT X Pro built in Würzburg, the responsibles convinced themselves of this machine. „Even if the 4 ChromaCUT X Pro Machines for our Partner Saica have partially different configurations, short set-up times through quick job changeover and automation, as well as a simple and intuitive use, were the common, main focus for all the projects. Through a perfect cooperation both with Saica and with our colleagues from Italy, we created a diversified overall package,“ emphasizes Hannah Potrawa, Director Corrugated at Koenig & Bauer.

The ChromaCUT X Pro-machinery can process sheets with a max. wide of 2,8 meters and they are partly delivered with a new presettable rotary die cutter. The software features, which increase further the automation, and make working with machines significantly easier for the operating staff, are an important and fixed component of the line. Furthermore the interfaces were simplified and perfected with peripherals. The register control system and the post-print inspection are part of the equipment of both machines as well as the feeder without feeding roll, so that the corrugated board sheets can be gently put into the machine.

Both Chroma HighTech lines will be delivered with a max. sheet wide of 2,1 meters. With a series of advanced technologies and functions the Chroma HighTech series pertains to the most innovative and modern flexo printers on the market. It offers not only the cliché changing during production as well as an automatic anilox cylinder changing, but also an innovative “Zero-Defects” Technology.

One of the two Chroma HighTechs is equipped with the latest technology by Koenig & Bauer Celmacch: inside-outside printing in a single pass. The dual side printing in just one single working step allows not only a significant increase in efficiency but also a significant reduction in production costs. The trenchless High Board Line Chroma 2S produces with a max. speed of 10.000 sheets per hour and it sets new standards with its technological solutions.

From 6 to 10.000 employees in 80 years

In 1943 Saica began its success story only with 6 employees in Zaragoza, Spain. Later it became a Company Group with more than 10.000 employees in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, UK, Ireland, Turkey, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Poland and USA. The Group is divided in 4 business units - development and production of recycled paper for corrugated cardboard (Saica Paper), the waste management and environmental services (Saica Nature), the production of cardboard packaging (Saica Pack) and film packaging (Saica Flex). With a production of 3,3 millions of tons of recycled paper, Saica is one of the biggest players in the production field of paper and corrugated cardboard in Europe.