The Caribbean company, with the continual support of Comexi, has acquired an F2 MB flexographic press, an SL2 laminator and an S2 DS slitter
One Caribbean Flexipac Industries and Solutions, a company in Trinidad and Tobago, without prior experience in the flexible packaging sector, has managed to position itself as the leader of the flexographic industry in the country, as a result of the mentoring it received from the Manel Xifra Boada Technology Center (Comexi CTec), specialized in training, advice, and technical process support for the printing and converting sectors of flexible packaging industry. In 2018, the Caribbean company purchased a Comexi F2 MB flexo press, a Comexi SL2 laminator, and a Comexi S2 DS slitter. Presently, two years later, after receiving comprehensive training at both its facility and Comexi‘s headquarters in Riudellots de la Selva, One Caribbean Flexipac Industries and Solutions has obtained the maximum use from these machines.
“Rhett Gordon, the manager of the company, contacted us in 2015, after realizing that flexible packaging, a sector without converters in the country, was the company’s future in Trinidad and Tobago,” explains José Luis Soriano, Comexi’s Area Manager of this zone. Gordon, who until then was dedicated to commercial offset printing, had the complicity and experience of Comexi to start this new adventure. “Together with Albert López, the head of the Comexi CTec, we advised him on the needed machinery began a long process, which has culminated with the commissioning of the first enterely new flexible packaging plant in Trinidad and Tobago.”
“The guidance and support of the project, from the moment of the contract signing, has been crucial to the final success of the installation and production entry of One Caribbean Flexipac Industries and Solutions,” says Albert López, who adds that the Trinidad and Tobago company “has worked almost autonomously from the first day it entered production, although at the beginning, the company accomplished this with the support and monitoring of the Manel Xifra Boada Technology Center production advisory team.”
The One Caribbean Flexipac Industries and Solutions production staff received advisory training weeks before the machines were shipped. “As a result, it was possible to foresee and correct varied situations and procedures, guaranteeing that the optimum productive performance curve was adequate in less time than usual,” says Albert López.
One Caribbean Flexipac Industries and Solutions, founded in 2018, is dedicated to manufacturing a wide range of packaging material. The company is part of One Caribbean Media Limited, which is the largest and most diverse media organization in the Caribbean region. One Caribbean Media Limited has businesses investments in newspapers, radio, television, internet, printing and distribution.
“Our relationship with Comexi is truly one founded on the responsiveness and willingness to share knowledge, expertise and experience”, stresses Rhett Gordon, who adds “with a background in offset printing and committment to converting to flexography, the challenge was immense and technology was different. However, Comexi, particularly Albert López and José Luis Soriano, made themselves available and never evaded the responsibility to answer the litany of questions and concerns. They always responded to our emails and never gave up on this transaction.”
Gordon admits that Comexi’s guidance and support from 2015 to 2018 has been crucial, and that presently One Caribbean Flexipac Industries and Solutions “is well on its way to becoming the supplier of choice for all the major local manufacturers that externally source their packaging to Central America, India, China, and the USA”. To conclude, the manager of the Caribbean company claims that “the equipment of Comexi has performed to our expectations and technical support has been excellent. Furthermore, ongoing training and access to numerous Comexi CTec facilities have also meet all expectations. Within 12 months, we expect to begin discussions regarding the purchase of a second flexo press, and have no intentions, while I am involved, on seeking alternative equipment.”
The equipment of Comexi
The Comexi F2 MB press is an advanced machine designed to satisfy the medium run print needs in the flexible packaging sector of the retail and wholesale channels. This flexographic press shares the patented FLEXOEfficiency concepts of ergonomics and accessibility, as well as the level of performance and robustness with the rest of the Comexi F2 range. Moreover, all of this is integrated with a simplified drying system design. Irrefutably, the Comexi F2 MB is a high performing and productive machine.
The Comexi SL2 design, due to its uncomplicated ability and state-of-the-art controls, is the ideal short and medium run laminator for a wide variety of materials, as well as the perfect solution for solventless lamination. This machine has been designed to comply with productivity concepts and operation simplicity. The Comexi SL2 possesses an extremely intuitive environmental nuance and has an exclusive applicator head design, which consists of complete motorisation, the use of metering sleeves, and the option of incorporating automatic change turrets.
The Comexi S2 DS slitter is a compact and fully electric machine with an ergonomic design. It permits adjustments and manoeuvres the slitting after the material has proceeded. The NIP system, which separates tensions, enables the machine to use various tensions while rewinding and unwinding. Quality and quantity are not incompatible with the Comexi S2 DS, due to the high productivity which is achieved by acceleration ratios. All of this is accomplished through reaching top speed at a quick rate. Operation with this slitter is straightforward and intuitive, due to tools such as the PC Touch-Panel, which is used to set the pace of the machine, and store production data.
