Saudi’s Al-Shamrani Boosts Capacity with BOBST VISION CI
Riyadh-based Ali M. Al Shamrani Industry Company (Al-Shamrani), a leading producer of polyethylene-based (PE) flexible packaging for the Saudi market, has invested in a new BOBST VISION CI flexo press to modernize and increase its production capacity.
Established in 1994, the business has grown through investments of more than 120 million Saudi riyals. Its 25,000 square metre facility features 28 integrated production lines of film, printing, cutting, and processing equipment. In addition to supplying polyethylene (PE) packaging for the food market, Al-Shamrani prints on all PE, polypropylene (PP), laminate, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), and cast polypropylene (CPP) products.
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, and when the time came 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.
“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,” explains Al-Mashmarani.
Looking ahead to the future, Al-Shamrani targets balanced growth in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 programme, which aims to increase the region’s economic, social, and cultural diversity. The business sees the advantage of the BOBST VISION CI being vital 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.
