Focus on Manroland’s new large format ROLAND 900 Evolution and the packaging sector.
Journalists from leading Japanese print and packaging magazines, joined Sascha Bansemer, President Manroland Japan, and his team, today at a virtual roundtable press conference.
Mr Bansemer thanked the attendees for their participation and said: „This year, Manroland Sheetfed celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding. In the Japanese market, we delivered the first printing press around 70 years ago. We would like to thank everyone for their support to this day. Although the world has changed significantly due to the Coronavirus pandemic, our business has not changed significantly, and thankfully we achieved good results last year as well”.
Manroland large-format printing presses, currently in operation in Japan, are used mainly for commercial printing. However, 80% of the applications of large-scale printing machines in the world are in the packaging sector. The focus of Manroland’s recently launched ROLAND 900 Evolution press will mainly be in the packaging field.
Bernard Schaaf Manroland Sheetfed GmbH’s Head of Large Format was invited to present the company’s sales strategy for large sheetfed printing presses in response to an increased demand in board and folding carton print due to de-plasticization.
Mr. Schaff gave his outlook on the company’s performance and trends in the large format printing press market. He said cardboard printing, such as packaging printing, has achieved stable growth, with global printing volumes increasing by an average of 2-5% annually He also said board packaging is now in the limelight as an alternative to disposable plastic containers.
Today, the number of units per printing press is increasing. About 15 years ago, the main configuration was 5/6 colors with coating but the demand today is for larger configurations of 7/9 colors and multiple varnish coaters, and this is increasing.
Another factor is presses today offer a wealth of cutting-edge technological and automation advances to deliver cost and energy savings and even faster make-ready times.
Mr Schaaf: “When we talk with leading brands, they have already started replacing single use plastic packaging by cardboard packages. They are developing and re-designing existing packaging solutions considering new logistic chains, filling lines and environmental aspects. 2025 has been defined as a first landmark in this process of transformation.
If we look around European supermarkets – we can already see many signs of this strong transformation process. Leading packaging printers are confirming the above. They are growing and even running out of capacity. As they cannot grow fast enough organically, they are looking not just to buying new machines but buying printing plants.”
Mr Schaaf went on to say Manroland Sheetfed do not just sell presses they sell solutions. The new ROLAND 900 Evolution pushes the boundaries of what is possible in offset printing; thanks to its latest inline features and substrate versatility ranging from the thinnest paper to the thickest carton.
The demand for large-sized printing machines is increasing year by year. The new ROLAND 900 Evolution boasts a printing speed of 16,500 sheets per hour, and 10 presses have already been shipped to countries around the world.
“Mr Large Format” Manroland Sheetfed’s Head of Large Format, Bernard Schaaf was invited to present Manroland’s focus on the growing packaging sector.
Journalists from Pack & Box, Insatsu Zasshi, Insatsu Joho, Carton & Box, Insatus Kai, Itagami Cardboard Shinbun and Pritech Stage News joined the Manroland Team at a virtual press conference today.
About Manroland Sheetfed
Manroland Sheetfed GmbH is a leading German producer of sheetfed offset litho printing presses. Founded in 1871, the company is one of the oldest producers of printing presses in the world. Today the company has its own subsidiaries in over 40 countries and is a global watchword for supreme quality and reliability. Manroland Sheetfed GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the privately owned UK engineering group, Langley Holdings plc.