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Massilly installs Koenig & Bauer’s metal decorating press

Massilly North America Inc., a global metal packaging manufacturing and distribution company headquartered in Brantford, Ont., is investing in a Koenig & Bauer MetalStar 3 metal decorating press.

“We service a wide range of customers in Canada, the U.S., and Central/South America from small local gourmet jam and sauce producers to national co-packers of products like pasta sauces, salsas, and pickles, all the way to major multinational distributors and brands,” says Garnet Lasby, president of Massilly North America. “To support our recent and future growth we required additional capacity and turned to the MetalStar 3. We have other Koenig & Bauer equipment in the facility already, which is running quite well. Last year, the Massilly Group installed a multicolour MetalStar in a facility in Western Europe. It is very similar to the one we are installing, so we are familiar with the high performance of the line.”

The new MetalStar press, which will be installed at the firm’s 250,000-square-foot facility, will handle the bulk of Massilly’s printing work, according to Lasby. According to a press release, the advanced sheet transfer technology allows for superior registration and a hight printing quality at a fast speed and “largest” sheet sizes. The faster throughput, auto wash, and automated plate changes will allow the firm to improve its turnaround time for printed orders, which will be a direct benefit to its customers, adds Lasby.

Massilly’s growth continues to come from customers who are moving away from single-use plastic packaging to metal and glass for environmental reasons. Unlike plastic, metal is 100 per cent recyclable. In fact, Massilly’s metal caps get recycled to make new metal caps with no degradation to the steel. This move into metal closures also allows for multicolour decoration, unlike on plastic closures. This allows brands to differentiate on the shelf. Glass jars with decorated closures are still seen as a premium package, and with the environmental benefits, Massilly expects to see more demand for metal printing.

“When we installed our first Koenig & Bauer line the timing was very critical and the installation by Koenig & Bauer’s team went exactly to the project plan. Our representative Sam Pernice and the U.S. offices of Koenig & Bauer have been very responsive to our requirements and we are looking forward to working with them on this important upcoming installation,” says Lasby.