FIRSTAN CARTONS

The healthcare, pharmaceutical and chilled food sectors are, in terms of packaging, the most difficult to supply. The demands on quality for each of these fast moving and notoriously exacting customer bases are so daunting that most companies would be happy to supply just one. Over the last decade Firstan Cartons, an independent company based in Cambridge, has been highly successful in supplying all three - and Mitsubishi has been a large part of that success.

"a company needs first class equipment"

Firstan's ability to maintain their position in these sectors has been largely as a result of a rolling programme of investment and continually improving standards, as well as the development of responsive Just In Time systems. To continue to offer a first class service, a company needs first class equipment and the experienced staff to run it - particularly in sectors where hygiene standards and accurate, reliably consistent reproduction and printing are so vital.

Meeting production deadlines within rigorous quality objectives requires the most effective and efficient machinery. It was, therefore, as a direct response to the production demands of the pharmaceutical, health and supermarket sectors that Firstan installed their first Mitsubishi 3FC six-colour press with coater, UV drying and extended delivery, back in 1994. But this was only one of a number of improvements designed to meet clients' increasingly stringent requirements.

Firstan have developed their own in-house Quality Control department with an associated laboratory that can provide test facilities for heat seals, glues and colour standards. They also operate a fully comprehensive constructional design department, and are the first carton company in the country to use the latest Arden Impact 2 software for 3-D modelling. Sophisticated imaging allows clients to be shown the effect of multiple packages on a 'Virtual Supermarket Shelf'. Their recent investment in Computer to Plate technology has allowed turn-around times to be reduced to 3 days. A fully automatic B1 Agfa Galileo platesetter, an Agfa Sherpa proofing device and Apogee worksystem with RIP and a CIP3 link to all three presses forms the backbone of Firstan’s fully digital workflow system.

Firstan have ensured that they maintain the most stringent of standards, achieving specialist accreditation with the Pharmaceutical Codes of Practice, ISO 9001: 2000 and PS 9000:2001.

"productivity is radically improved"

They are members of the Royal Society of Health, Food Packaging Scheme and the British Safety Council and Winners of the Institute of Packaging's Starpack Awards for 1999 and 2000. All work is carried out within a comprehensive environmental policy. The installation of a second Mitsubishi 3FC 6 colour press with coater in 1998 was instrumental in the recent improvements. Production Director Paul Hartwig remarked, 'Mitsubishi machines are particularly good for printing onto recycled board, they are sturdy, weighing as much as 25% more than other machines and the engineering is excellent. For example, the Mitsubishis are fitted with substantially larger bearings.'

The 3rd Mitsubishi, installed in April 2001, is a six-colour Mitsubishi 3FC with B/B unit and coater with reverse printing facility and interdeck drying between all print units. It was the first to be installed in Europe and personnel from Firstan travelled to the US to see one in action prior to purchase. This advanced press enables six colour printing, single colour reverse printing and coating to be carried out in a single pass.

This press has been specifically developed for the folding carton market as the various features of the machine demonstrates. There is a new ink roller arrangement designed for better solid printing and a continuous dampener achieves optimum ink/water balance. Productivity is radically improved by the elimination of spring adjustments, sponge attachments and other measures against scratching. This is aided by printing the reverse side at the end of the run thereby removing any potential difficulties caused by reverse side scratching or marking.

Paul Hartwig comments "I don't think there is a press with a better, workable, print-on reverse unit."