Precision rotary tooling specialist
RotoMetrics hosted a European Open House event at its UK headquarters in late
September, with 20 international suppliers and label industry customers from
across Europe gathering to hear about opportunities beyond labels.
Attendees at the three-day event heard from
a number of RotoMetrics’ own staff, as well as presentations from suppliers,
and were given a guided tour of the manufacturing facilities at the Walsall
plant.
Peter Emerson, the recently appointed
European managing director for RotoMetrics, spoke of how the company is
planning to offer a revised flexible die portfolio as the synergies and
technologies brought into the company after the acquisition of Gerhardt come to
the fore.
UK and Ireland sales director David Casey
reiterated this on a factory tour, stating: ‘Such is the nature of sales that
both companies had been telling customers that their products and processes
were better than the other.
‘The fact is that both are good for
different applications. Consolidating the two companies allows us to cherry
pick and offer the best from both.’
Emerson said: ‘Henceforth, we will be
trading solely as RotoMetrics as it has a bigger presence around the world and
the name is better known in key markets.’
Chris, RotoMetrics’ European business
development director, gave the main presentation addressing the opportunities
for label converters to go beyond labels, the theme of the event, and spoke of
various industries that require die-cut products that could be produced using
existing converting equipment.
This included the potential to extend into
packaging converting, but also medical, industrial and other markets that do
not require the application of ink to a surface.
The astronomical growth in mobile phones was
one of the main markets he highlighted as needing die-cut components, with a
global total of six billion devices and each requiring 34 components, equating
to an opportunity for some 204 billion die-cut parts.
‘We are looking at markets where we can
supply die cutting tools, and if they need those then it is a potential avenue
of business for label printers. The market needs to innovate and diversify,
and find ways of adding value to products.’
The factory tour included following the
production of both flexible and solid dies from smooth steel barrels to the
finished product, with explanations of both the CNC and EDM processes used. The labor-intensive hand finishing of EDM
dies and the thorough testing of each and every die produced at the site were
also covered.
A table-top exhibition inside the
specially-erected tent that played host to the event featured companies ranging
from press specialists Gallus and Mark Andy, platemaker Dantex, business
software developer Label Traxx, finishing company AB Graphic and material
supplier Ritrama, through to the rebranded European Flexographic Industry
Association (EFIA).
In closing the event, Neil Lilly, RotoMetrics’ former sales director, now in the role of customer service director, said the event had been a great success, adding that the company is planning to make it a bi-annual event. ‘We have had a good attendance over the three days, and are thankful for the support of the 20 global suppliers that exhibited.’
In closing the event, Neil Lilly, RotoMetrics’ former sales director, now in the role of customer service director, said the event had been a great success, adding that the company is planning to make it a bi-annual event. ‘We have had a good attendance over the three days, and are thankful for the support of the 20 global suppliers that exhibited.’
