As India’s flexible packaging industry grows rapidly, it requires world-class inputs of technology and machinery. And as its packaging equipment manufacturers grow, they see the opportunity in building machines that can replace hight technology imports and which are also technically sound for global exports. Combinations such as those of Rajoo, Kohli and Multigraph demonstrate industry leadership – realizing the need to combine their strengths so as to be able to take on the world. This fortitude in combining forces and resources is bound to lead to globally competitive products.
The flexible packaging industry has a fast growing need for extrusion coating and lamination machines. They are looking beyond the available solutions for the best technology and at reasonable price points. Best-in-class extrusion and proven web solutions are needed to provide an integrated system that can meet the flexible packaging needs of today and yet be versatile enough to be adapted for future requirements.
In an extrusion coating and laminating machine (ECL), a water-based lacquer is coated on a primary substrate by the gravure process followed by a deposit of PE or PP-based molten polymer extruded from a T-die and combined with another substrate to form a composite laminate. This technology is rapidly replacing many solvent-based and solvent-less laminating applications.
Rajoo Engineers, known for bringing world-class extrusion technology at affordable prices, is the developer of India’s first 3-layer feed block and 1600 mm extrusion coating die with internal deckling to reduce edge bead. Kohli Industries is a leading manufacturer of rotogravure presses and laminators with a footprint in over 30 countries. The two companies have joined hands to build and maintain a new series of advanced and versatile extrusion coating and lamination machines.
Rajoo and Kohli have also joined hands with leading packaging equipment distributor Multigraph Machinery, which is itself promoted by the owners of Manugraph – the world’s leading manufacturer of single-width web offset presses and now emerging as a CI flexo press manufacturer. Multigraph’s role is to promote the sales of this first-of-its kind alliance product on a pan-India basis.
“We are excited at this alliance as each one of us would bring in key technology and skill sets for this business to succeed – working to our strengths is the need of the hour. The symphony of three corporates – Rajoo-Kohli-Multigraph – will first demonstrate thought leadership to the industry, and product leadership is bound to follow,” say Utsav Doshi and Khushboo Chanderkant Doshi, executive directors of Rajoo Engineers.
First LAMEX machine to roll out in 120 days
The Rajoo-Kohli co-branded LAMEX Series of extrusion coating and lamination lines will be assembled at Rajoo’s facility at Rajkot complying with the highest standards of design and manufacturing that Rajoo is known for. Kaku Kohli, managing partner of Kohli Industries, is enthusiastic about the alliance, “I see this as a perfect pairing and a game changer for the flexible packaging industry in India and across the world. Rajoo’s state-of-the-art technology in extrusion and Kohli’s proven web handling solutions have united to create a range of outstanding extrusion coating and lamination machines.”
Multigraph Machinery is seen as the perfect bridge for the Rajoo-Kohli co-branded LAMEX series of extrusion coating laminators in India. “It is indeed a golden opportunity for Multigraph to be associated with the Rajoo and Kohli alliance, both being leaders in their respective domains. Multigraph today is a brand on its own, well aligned to comprehend and serve the market needs,” says Hiten Mehta, president of Multigraph Machinery.
The LAMEX solutions are aimed at versatile use with uniform deposition and bonding. They are adaptable to a range of substrates from CPP, BOPET, BOPP to woven fabric as primary substrates to be laminated by molten PP, LDPE, LLDPE, EVA, EMA and other polymers with films, paper and aluminum foil. They will be offered in mono-extrusion, co-extrusion and tandem extrusion configurations at speeds from 200 to 400 meters a minute and in widths ranging from 1000 mm to 1600 mm.
Though Rajoo has introduced a version of the extrusion coating and lamination machine, with the first machine already running for over 4 months, the new alliance will provide unparalleled expertise, technology and service in taking the ECL project forward. The trio of the three companies jointly states that within the first 120 days of 2019, the first Rajoo-Kohli machine will roll out to take the project beyond extrusion and into the realm of expert web converting solutions as well.
