More slitting capacity for CTP flexibles

‘We’ve gone from famine to feast,’ Gary confirms, ‘and we’re bucking the trend in the flexible packaging market.’

He attributes this success primarily to the outstanding quality that’s emerging from the company’s Fischer & Krecke press – installed 18 months ago as part of a R36-million upgrade at the plant, an investment that has paid enormous dividends.

With a dramatic increase in its customer base and ever-growing demand for its high-quality materials, CTP flexibles’ slitting capacity has been placed under tremendous pressure – which has resulted in a further investment in slitting capacity.

Thus, making an exciting start to 2012 is the news of the imminent arrival of three 1350mm-wide Titan ER610 compact slitter rewinders. The first is being installed during January, while the second and third machines will follow closely. As usual, these sales have been facilitated by the local agent, Beswick Machinery.

‘With the three new slitters we will have ample capacity to cope with both current demand and future expansion,’ Gary comments happily.

‘We purchased two Titan slitters during 2010, which gave us every confidence to invest again with Titan,’ he adds. ‘For our production requirements, this slitter really is the perfect solution.’

CTP flexibles manufactures specialised plastic extrusion and flexible packaging for the food, beverage, confectionery, industrial and general merchandise industries. ‘We produce everything here,’ Gary explains. ‘We extrude HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE films and produce cast polypropylene films. We also manufacture a comprehensive array of sophisticated products – from laminations, multilayer films and shrink films to bags, pouches and shrink sleeves.’

Titan slitters a worldwide hit

The Titan ER610 compact slitter rewinder has been a great success worldwide for Atlas Converting with sales of more than 100 machines worldwide.

Available in two web widths – 1 350 and 1 650mm – with a maximum rewind diameter of 610mm, it also features a 10” touch screen control system and an integral edge-trim extraction system. The pneumatically-controlled braking system provides accurate web tension control and a digital edge-guide system controls lateral movement of the unwind reel to +/- 50mm.

Slitting systems include shear knives, rotary razor (burst) or razor slitting in air or groove. Optional features include an anti-static control system, laser (line) core positioning and a new option for shaftless unwind roll pick-up from floor. This option is included in the technical configuration of the three Titan ER 610 slitters for CTP Flexibles and will also be retro-fitted to the two existing Titan ER610 models installed in 2010.

The Titan ER610 slitter can process a wide range of flexible materials including plain, printed, coated or metallised film from 20 to 200µm, a wide range of laminates and paper from 30 to 200g/m2 at speeds up to 450m/min. The minimum slit width can be as narrow as 25mm.

[Ed’s note: Some imminent redevelopment of Caxton/CTP’s extensive printing facilities at Ndabeni will result in some much needed extra space becoming available for CTP flexibles, and approximately 5 000m2 will be used to construct a brand-new slitting hall where all five Titan slitters will be sited. Watch for further news in the coming months.]