With one eye on future growth, the leadership team at self-adhesive label specialist Haitoglou SA Graphic Arts, established in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2008, opted for a fully automated solution that set them up for a digitalized future.
The latest addition to their machinery, the BOBST MASTER M5, came as the company looked to grow to the next level. “One of the greatest challenges for us is the new technology – the more the machines evolve, the more we need to evolve to cope with that change and move forward,” says Mrs. Denise Haitoglou, CEO and owner.
The company needed to upgrade its capacity after a period of rapid growth. It now operates from two sites with a combined area of 3,000 m2, employs 55 dedicated staff and generates a turnover of more than 4.5 million euro per year. And, while it initially focused on prepress and flexographic printing, today it also offers impressive digital toner and UV capabilities, plus enhanced post-press techniques, all delivered by five printing presses and three converting lines.
“We predominantly serve the domestic market here in Greece, but our exports to Europe have grown to be around 5% of our business. The acquisition of the new BOBST machine stemmed from our need to expand capacity while enhancing print quality,” she continues.
When they approached BOBST with a specification for a machine that would help them boost the company’s footprint domestically and internationally, it was clear the MASTER M5 was the ideal solution.
Designed for outstanding productivity, it uses a digitalized workflow with integrated printing and converting systems to guarantee high-quality, highly consistent runs on each job, all coupled with high automation levels.
“We specialize in flexo UV, digital toners, and digital UV printing, along with various post-press techniques like screen printing, hot foiling, embossing, and holographic application,” Mrs Haitoglou explains. “Our primary sectors of operation include food, cosmetics, and wine – which can all use very different substrates.”
This is another area where the MASTER M5 delivered, as it can run any substrate type at optimal efficiency. This means Haitoglou Graphic Arts can offer the fastest possible time-to-market to its customers, regardless of the job requirements.
This versatility means nothing if it doesn’t come with consistency that delivers repeatable, high-quality results across every job. The MASTER M5 includes several features designed to maintain consistency at every step of the printing process. This press can be equipped with oneECG technology, which digitalizes color matching with an extended 7-colour gamut, reducing the need for costly and often wasteful spot inks, and making color reproduction consistent and repeatable.
Digitally automated workflows with integrated printing and converting technologies, such as DigiFlexo automatic registration with Print Tutor intelligent camera system, give the BOBST MASTER M5 a job changeover time of just a few minutes, driving down operating costs and maximising machine uptime.
“Its implementation has greatly impacted our work,” Mrs. Haitoglou says. “Since the introduction of the MASTER M5, we have increased our total meters printed by 35%, and our sales by 15%.
“The features that made us choose this model were its high automation levels, reduced waste, faster speed, and greater capacity. Once it was installed, we also found other benefits. Its intuitive setup and operation mean our operators found it easy to acclimate to the machine, which helps to further ensure accuracy on the press,” she continues.
“It also offers better registration, which is required to keep up with the demands of today’s customers, who increasingly request more colors, more complex patterns, and more post-press finishes, all without any compromise in quality.”
The combination of versatility and consistency makes the MASTER M5 a master of all trades. It enables Haitoglou Graphic Arts to flip from job to job inside a few minutes, maximizing press uptime across their two-to-three shift days. And its connectivity features make it easy for operators and managers alike to access data about each print run to inform decision-making and optimize operations even further.
Tina Papadimitriou, CEO Omnicom S.A., added: “We are very happy that for the first BOBST M5 machine in the Greek market we cooperated with Haitoglou Graphic Arts. We are grateful for their trust and the collaboration with the team. We are also very proud that so many labels for Greek origin products made by the Haitoglou family and exported abroad are printed with BOBST technology.”
The MASTER M5 is a machine that’s ready for the future, whatever it might hold. And it’s clear that it has a big part to play in Haitoglou’s exciting growth in the European label sector, being sustainable and cost-effective.
About BOBST
We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries.
Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, BOBST has a presence in more than 50 countries, runs 21 production facilities in 12 countries and employs more than 6 300 people around the world. The firm recorded a consolidated turnover of CHF 1.960 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Press contact: Gudrun Alex
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