Al-Shamrani boosts capacity and modernizes flexo press technology with BOBST VISION CI

Mex, Switzerland, 18^th April 2024

Located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ALI M. AL SHAMRANI COMPANY FOR INDUSTRY (‘Al-Shamrani’) is a leading producer of polyethylene-based (PE) flexible packaging for the Saudi Market. To modernize its production and increase capacity, Al-Shamrani has invested in a new BOBST VISION CI flexo press.

Established in 1994, the business has grown through investments of more than 120 million riyals (SR). Its 25,000m2 facility features 28 integrated production lines of film, printing, cutting and processing equipment, with more than 120 employees within the business. In addition to supplying PE packaging to the food market, Al-Shamrani prints on all PE, polypropylene (PP), laminate, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and cast polypropylene (CPP) products.

Mr Ali Muhammad Al-Mashmarani, General Manager at Al-Shamrani, explains the driving forces behind the company’s latest investment: “In 2019, we bought our first BOBST machine, an EXPERT CI flexo press. Now that we’ve seen the stability and performance it brings to our production workflows, when it came time to add a new machine to our line-up, we knew that BOBST was the right partner for this. BOBST has a great reputation within the industry, and the quality of its products backs that up. ​

“Like many packaging converters around the world, we’re keen to expand our capacity and shorten our lead times, without compromising quality for our customers. The packaging market is very competitive, and we must take every edge over the competition. That’s what BOBST brings to our business, so the VISION CI flexo press was the ideal choice.”

The BOBST VISION CI is a leading-edge solution designed to deliver unparalleled efficiency and performance across all flexographic production lengths, on a wide range of substrates. Recognized for its best-in-class price-performance value, the press is an ideal choice for converters seeking a powerful, reliable and cost-effective flexographic production tool. ​

Making the press as versatile as today’s packaging converters, the VISION CI press is a highly modular concept that enables fast installation and start-up, making it an ideal choice for companies looking to streamline their packaging production operations. ​

Mr Al-Mashmarani adds: “At Al-Shamrani, we operate 24-hour shifts across five different departments, so there are a lot of moving parts to consider when we’re making an investment. We have two key drivers here: we wanted both to modernize our production with the latest flexo press technology and to increase our capacity for more production in less time. It’s clear that enhanced automation is key, and BOBST VISION CI absolutely delivers. The press features automatic opening and closing bearings, alongside a preload system. Ease of use means we access extremely fast machine startup, user-friendly access to all print decks, and simple maintenance.

“Since installing the machine, we have already seen very clear benefits to our business. With training from the BOBST technical team, our employees are working well with the new machine. Our production capacity has seen a significant increase, and as a result, we’re able to accept more jobs and increase our business sales. Furthermore, we have also been able to attract new customers because we can meet new, more complex market demands. The investment gives us more stability and more strength as we evolve to meet growing market needs.”

Looking ahead to the future, Al-Shamrani targets balanced growth in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 program, which aims to increase the region’s economic, social and cultural diversity. The business sees the advantage of the BOBST VISION CI being key to unlocking this growth. ​

With superior press design and quality, highly efficient drying capabilities, and user-friendly operation, the BOBST VISION CI flexographic press offers unmatched reliability and performance. Its innovative features and advanced automation make it an indispensable asset for companies like Al-Shamrani, enabling them to meet shifting customer demands, reduce waste, and enhance productivity in their operations.

The release (available in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish) can be downloaded here:

About BOBST
​We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries. ​
​Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, BOBST has a presence in more than 50 countries, runs 21 production facilities in 12 countries and employs more than 6 300 people around the world. The firm recorded a consolidated turnover of CHF 1.960 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023.

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