Innopack 2023 in Johannesburg turned out to be successful for Ahmedabad-based Acme Rolltech, which highlighted its new ACE (Advanced Channel Engraving) technology along with its specialized products at the event.
Organized by Uwe Bogl, director of Amce Rolltech’s partner packwise-africa, Innopack 2023 was attended by more than 55 people, including customers from across different segments such as label printers, scale labeling, LID & IML label converters, flexible wide web flexo, tape printing, pharma blister printing, and hybrid printing.
There were speakers from France, China, India, South Africa, and Turkey. The conference also had supplier stakeholders from the flexo industry, including aniloxes, inks, finishing lines, flexo printing machines, and hybrid machines.
Sandeep Sharma, director of Acme Rolltech, was one of the speakers at the event. Acme Rolltech highlighted its new ACE (Advanced Channel Engraving) technology along with its specialized products such as ATAC (Acme Tactile for high build screen type raise effect), AHDW (Acme High-Density White for achieving opacity of white in a single pass), and AHDC (Acme High-Density Color for solid color printing) at the conference.
“We showcased our strength as a supplier partner regarding our unique customized processes, unmatched service lead times along with unique value selling prepositions, which we are doing for our customers across the globe. We also promoted AReP (Acme Refurbishment Program) to drive our sustainable approach,” Sharma told Packaging South Asia.
“All customers appreciated the concept and the knowledge-sharing sessions with different stakeholders of the industry under one roof. During exhibitions, you meet visitors at the stall but generally don’t have at-length discussions with different stakeholders on the same topic,” he said. The customers shared their concerns and got the right suggestions on the same page from inks, aniloxes, plates, and other finishing suppliers, Sharma added.
On the current trends in the industry, he said, “The industry trends change from country to country depending on the market demand of that particular region. As far as the South African market is concerned, the customers are very clear about what they want out of their flexo presses and what kind of markets they want to cater to. We already have some big names in the industry as our customers and we are growing very fast in the South African market.”
“Regarding new investments, I have hardly seen any machine that is above 330 web width. If you are into PSA labels and shrink sleeves, a 330 machine will do all your jobs, but in India, now everyone is going above 400 to increase productivity, which is actually not happening. On the flip side, it is increasing the ancillary cost for the printers.”
Sharma was in South Africa for 10 days and met more than 20 customers before and after the event in Johannesburg and Durban. “After this successful event, we are planning to conduct it in either Durban or Cape Town next year,” Sharma concluded.
