Newsletter2011

Combi 3000 Laminator

Fischer & Krecke 16S, 8 colour 1500mm

Fischer & Krecke 16S, 10 colour 1300mmConslit 16/06

Scunthorpe Site Expansion

SKYAIR® and SKYAIR®XTInk Store

SKYMARK Newsletter 1SKYMARK… Investing in the Future

As the largest independent manufacturer of premium flexible packaging and film solution in the UK, SKYMARK is committed to investing in the future. Our drive to meet the increasing demands of our customers is matched with an ambitious investment plan to secure state of the art technologies. Unifying this ambitious investment plan and our commitment to the core components of our business - Quality, Response and Service, will allow us to lead the field in all market sectors. SKYMARK is proud to showcase our new range of state of the art technology within this newsletter and demonstrate our commitment to the future of our customers’ business.

SKYMARK… Leading the Field in Gravure Quality Flexo Print

SKYMARK’s commitment to delivering perfection in print and Gravure Quality with Flexographic Technology is resolute with our recent investment in high-tech technology. The installation of the latest state of the art flexographic print technology is also a testament to our on-going commitment to our customers.

Three additional presses are now in SKYMARK’s Scunthorpe site offering the ultimate in advanced ink, plate, and print quality along with greater print efficiencies.

Fischer & Krecke 16S, 8 colour 1500mm

The Fischer & Krecke 16S, 8 colour flexo 1500mm press from the Bobst group Flexibles division includes a range of features which deliver perfection in the art of print.

FeatuRe CuStomeR BeNeFit

Innovation award winning ‘smartGPS system’

Allows press to find the correct impression and register setting in each print deck simultaneously without running the machine

Reduced risk of over impression Increased production efficiencies and environmental protection

1450mm printing width Greater print capability

Job stored on the actual printing sleeve Increased production efficiencies

No registration or target marks required Saves substrate – cost effective and environmentally friendly production

Automatic inking and cleaning system Increased production efficiencies

“Innovation and technology can only move forward with investment. The installation of the GPS Smart System will allow SKYMARK to offer faster change over times, increased production efficiencies and reduced waste. This is a real example of our commitment to delivering the best for our customers.”

Dan RichardsSKYMARK Group Sales Manager

2Fischer & Krecke 16S, 10 colour 1300mm

SKYMARK’s first F&K 10 colour flexo press from the Bobst group Flexibles division includes a range of features which deliver print perfection. These include:

• The innovation award winning ‘smartGPS system’• Fully gearless machine with direct drive to C.I.• Sleeve technology for printing plates and aniloxes• New retractable inter-colour dryer design• 10 colour press with ‘Access’ system, allows sleeve change while press is running

• Unique C.I. Drum cleaning system

“With our vast knowledge and understanding of F & K technology, this press was the obvious choice for SKYMARK. After trialling the machinery it was immediately evident that the smartGPS system would allow us to offer our customers a more cost effective and efficient production process with less wastage. This is particularly important for short run jobs.”

Paul NeathSKYMARK Group Production Director

SKYMARK… Leading the Field in Wide Width Large Repeat Print

SKYMARK’s new 1650mm wide CI Flexo printing press delivers state of the art flexographic printing capability, fundamental to meeting the demands of our customers in the Adult INCO, baby and feminine hygiene sector.

Its features include:

• Increased print width of 1650mm• ‘Sprintwash’ allows one, multiple or all decks to be washed in under 5 mins• Independent Deck Presetting• Larger design repeats – up to 1200mm

• Auto print setting

“In recent years the baby, adult and feminine hygiene sectors have seen a change in direction towards more printed films. SKYMARK’s investment in wide width large repeat print will ensure continual delivery of high quality printed products to meet the requirements of their businesses.”

Paul GloverSKYMARK Group Development & Technical Director

SKYMARK... Leading the Field in Cast Embossed Hygiene Film

SKYMARK’s investment in a new modern 5 layer cast extrusion line for embossed films; at widths of 2000mm and running speeds of up to 400m/min will secure its growing position in the hygiene and medical sector. This investment has doubled SKYMARK’s capacity to over 11k MT per annum in this sector.

SKYMARK has seen substantial growth in the hygiene, medical and embossed film sectors with 100% of its business in these sectors being export based (mainland Europe, Eastern European emerging countries, North Africa and Middle East). SKYMARK has plans to again double its capacity within the coming year to cope with increasing demand.

SKYMARK Newsletter

3SKYMARK... Leading the Field in Advanced Films Development

SKYMARK is committed to being at the forefront of the environmental debate by implementing packaging reduction initiatives. Our latest investment in a “Magicflow” cooling ring enables us to produce higher performance technical blown films. The cooling ring orientates the material in both directions allowing us to produce higher clarity, higher strength performance films at lower gauges; with up to 40% improved mechanical properties. This technology will enable SKYMARK to produce thinner films with the strength of much higher gauge products whilst minimising the possible environmental impact they may have.

SKYMARK… Leading the Field in Barrier Films - Solventless, Solvent Based and Water Based Combination Laminators.

SKYMARK’s position as leader in the field of packaging innovation is secured with the addition of the Combi 3000 Laminator. The arrival of the Combi 3000 will enable expansion into more technically advanced applications such as speciality floor wipes, medical and pharmaceutical applications, retort and high barrier applications.

Combi 3000 Key Features:

• Solventless adhesives systems• Solvent based adhesive system• Water based adhesives• In line one colour print facility• Coating and lacquer

Innovation in Bag Production

SKYMARK continues to work closely with our machine manufacturers to improve quality, efficiency and to drive innovative bag production. It is currently working on the ‘next generation’ of bag maker, the equivalent in conversion to buying its state of the art Kiefel extruder for film production with three times the output and industry best quality and consistency.

With customers adopting six sigma performance tools and measuring our performance in failures per million of bags supplied, this level of quality and consistency is essential.

SKYMARK Newsletter

4Modern Slitting Dept

SKYMARK has invested in the CONSLIT 16/06 in response to market requirements for highly efficient and operator convenient real slitting and winding machines.

The CONSLIT 16/06 is a reel slitter with a working width of 1650 mm max and a finished roll diameter of up to 600 mm. In addition all packaging materials such as hard and soft films made of PE, PP, PA PET, PVC, papers and laminates can be processed.

This state of the art machine offers all of the following features as standard:

CoNSlit 16/06 key FeatuReS

• Well proven ball friction winding shafts

• Laser assisted core positioning

• Motorised finished roll stripper

• Optimized slitting section for all common slitting methods

• Slitting widths from 50mm

SKYMARK… Investing in the Environment

The importance of low environmental impact is fundamental to SKYMARK’s business and in the selection of equipment to improve output. The company has recently invested in a state of the art Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser (RTO) to cope with the huge increase in Flexographic printing capability. The RTO takes the solvent laden air from the printing presses, destroying 99% of all solvents which in turn, leads to very low levels of CO2 released into the atmosphere. Specifically chosen to cope with expansion this unit will allow additional printing presses to be added as the company grows. Another green credential is its operational efficiency using solvent rather than gas as its fuel source; reducing running costs and carbon footprint.

Solvent Wash and Distillation System

With each press generating up to 120 litres of solvent from every job change it is imperative that the cleaning of press parts and solvent can be carried out quickly and efficiently.

The Solvent Autowash system provides a low environment impact solution, cleaning dirty solvent and storing it until automatically required. This means vast savings on prime solvent purchase and lowering SKYMARK’s carbon footprint. A washing machine has also been added to clean all ancillary parts and again the solvent used is cleaned using the autowash system, giving the process additional green credentials.

SKYMARK Newsletter

5SKYMARK’s... Seven Rs for Environmental Sustainability

As an accredited waste reprocessor, maintaining a sustainable environment is crucial to SKYMARK. It places great importance on reclaiming and recycling all possible onsite waste. SKYMARK recovers and reuses the maximum amount of waste inks and solvents and due to research and investment can now regenerate solvent for reuse.

Investment in modern reclaiming equipment ensures that recycled polymer is of the highest grade for reuse and satisfies the requirements for recovering and recycling packaging waste. To ensure a consistent commitment to environmental sustainability SKYMARK has developed a company wide tenet called the 7 Rs.

These are as follows:

ReduCe Gauge reduction, investing in machinery which limits wastage, scrap minimisation.

ReuSe Reclaiming materials, NGR.

ReCyCleNGR, closed loop waste streams, plain and coloured film, banding material, paper, cardboard, metals, inks and solvents, oils, redundant computer items.

ReSeaRCh

Innovation in sustainable projects, such as client partnerships, investigating efficiency and scrap reduction, innovation in extrusion technology to produce low gauge film with strength and superior mechanical properties.

ReFuSe Refusing to fall behind in its responsibility to place environmentally sustainable packaging at the forefront of the SKYMARK business.

RegeNeRate Supporting brand owner in their quest to regenerate the environment with organisations such as FSC.

RethiNk Innovative thinking to produce environmentally sustainable options for the future.

SKYMARK Newsletter

6SKYMARK… Leading the Field in Breathable

Membranes SKYAIR® and SKYAIR®XT

Using the latest advanced resin and manufacturing technologies, SKYMARK

has developed SkyaiR® and SkyaiR®XT. These state of the art breathable membranes provide cost effective high performance membranes for lamination to fabrics in technical textile sectors. The SkyaiR® range offers mid to high mVtR levels whilst SkyaiR®XT is suitable for those applications where advanced performance is a necessity. Both are the perfect alternative to other premium branded membranes.

The key feature of SkyaiR® and SkyaiR®XT is that they are both monolithic and retain their excellent functionality over time. Monolithic means absence of micropores which become blocked during the washing process with residual cleaning agents, salts, crystals or dirt reducing efficacy.

As part of its continuous improvement programme SKYMARK is developing several new membranes to further enhance the SkyaiR® product range. These membranes will form part of our next generation products and will be specifically designed to meet the requirements of our customers and their markets at a competitive level.

SKYMARK... Investing in the Future - Scunthorpe Site Expansion

Growth and expansion are a result of successful investment and SKYMARK is proud to be rapidly expanding its Scunthorpe site.

SKYMARK’s site in Scunthorpe has seen a further 1400 square feet added to its facilities to create space for a new ink store, warehousing and additional production service.

origination and Pre-Press services are now housed at the expanded Scunthorpe site. SKYMARK continues to offer high quality internal artwork services to all its clients, working with the latest Apple and HP hardware and software including CS4 suite. Working with external suppliers, SKYMARK also continues to deliver artwork, proofs and plates within very stringent timelines. The extension of the Scunthorpe site will also house SKYMARK’s ever expanding proofing department, another investment demonstrating commitment to customer’s business needs and includes:

• Installation of the latest plate mounting to coincide with technology required for our printing presses

• Inclusion of an anilox and plate cleaning machine to ensure essential components of the process are maintained

• Investment in providing a vast range of sleeves to cater for our customer repeat size

• Monitoring of polymer plate making developments

• New technology – HD, Kodak NXT and thermal plates

“We are all really excited by the expansion and investments that have been made at the Scunthorpe site, not only because of the additional functions we can perform but also the job opportunities that will be created”.

Leeson PotterSKYMARK Scunthorpe Site Manager

SKYMARK Newsletter

7SKYMARK... Leading the Field in Colour Management

ink StoreSKYMARK, in partnership with Sun Chemicals, has established a new state of the art ink blending and dispensing department that will be housed in the extended Scunthorpe site. Supporting the latest Rexon ink dispensing system, SKYMARK has invested in a new X-Rite new colour spectrophotometer which will enhance its colour management to a higher level.

SKYMARK… Investing in OthersSKYMARK’S Riders Cycling Team

Various charitable SKYMARK personnel have joined together to form the SKYMARK Riders Cycling Team. Formed in 2007 the team’s aim is to raise money through sponsored cycling events to support a wide range of charities. Chosen as a result of personal experiences the benefiting charities have included Click Sargent and Prostate Cancer Charity.

In 2010 the team endured many challenging events such as the Great Nottingham Bike Ride; Coast to Coast – a distance of 130 miles from Workington on the west side to Sunderland on the east.

The same year the team stepped up a gear to take on the ‘Cornish Ways’, which took the riders from Land’s End to Bude, a distance of 180 miles. A huge amount of time and dedication is required to train and complete these events and SKYMARK is proud to employ people who are passionate about raising much needed funds for deserving causes.

SKYMARK Newsletter

SKYMARK Packaging Solutions LtdManners Avenue

Manner Industrial EstateIlkestonDE7 8EF

Tel: +44 (0) 115 930 2020Fax: +44 (0) 115 907 1525

Email: sales@skymark.co.uk

SKYMARK Performance Films LtdMannaberg WayScunthorpeNorth LincolnshireDN15 8XF

Tel: +44 (0) 172 427 0777Fax: +44 (0) 172 427 2364Email: sales@skymark.co.uk

www.skymark.co.uk

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