Leader in sustainable solutions

Comexi and its holding company Comexi Group were established in 1954. Today, it is a leader both at European and global levels as a supplier of machinery and solutions to the flexible packaging industry. One of its innovations is the COMEXI OFFSET machine, setting a new standard for sustainable and environmentally friendly printing in flexible packaging. Piotr Sadowski reports.

From humble beginnings as a maintenance workshop and a factory for paper converting machines in Girona, Spain, Comexi Group has now, after nearly six decades of operation, established an excellent reputation and made the Comexi brands symbols of prestige for the flexible packaging converting industry. The group works with leading global brands, including renowned names such as Clondalkin, Exopack and Constantia.

“We have a high degree of specialisation in each of our product lines,” says Agustí Combis, marketing director at Comexi Group. “These lines complement one another and thus enable us to offer our clients complete solutions and exploit synergies in all areas of our operations.”

Constant search for innovation

The group headquarters are now based in one of the fastest-developing hubs of technology and business growth in Europe – the Industrial Park in Riudellots de la Selva, 6km from Girona. By developing new products that have less of an impact on the environment and by helping customers reduce their costs, Comexi contributes to the development of the entire flexible packaging converting industry.

In flexographic printing COMEXI Flexo is a trademark for presses for flexible packaging and converting – it is in fact the world’s biggest manufacturer of CI flexo presses. More than 50 years of experience gives Comexi the advantage when it comes to offering customers quality, innovation and a high level of technical service. COMEXI Acom is one of the newest brand, mainly focused on gravure printing which helps the Group the possibility to offer the most important printing technologies for the flexible packaging industry. COMEXI Nexus is in turn the group’s trademark dedicated to the production of laminating solutions, increasingly without solvents, as part of the commitment to delivering environmentally friendly products.

Comexi Group also offers the COMEXI Proslit brand, which includes the most modern slitting and rewinding equipment for plastic films, paper and aluminium foil. “Indeed, when developing any new products, our goal is to show that the industry, its productivity and care for the environment are all fully compatible,” adds Mr Combis. “COMEXI Enviroxi has therefore been set up as a trademark which works towards improved logistics, productivity and compliance with the ever-stricter European and global regulations in terms of caring for the environment and reducing air pollutants. Here products range from systems to improving productivity through fast ink self-cleaning systems, to the disposal of volatile waste.”

Committed to sustainability

The Comexi Group is committed to leading the flexible packaging converting industry into a sustainable and environmentally friendly future. In fact, sustainable innovation and sustainable printing, which does not use harmful volatile organic compounds, has been the group’s goal since 2006.

“One of the latest solutions recently introduced internationally and one which we were also showcasing at the Drupa Print Media Fair in Düsseldorf in May is an innovation aimed

The essence of our work has remained the same: to offer our customers innovative products that, based on practical experience and the best technical development available, adapt perfectly to their requirements. Our goal is, to offer our customers the best in service, quality, innovation and technology.

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at setting a new standard for offset printing in flexible packaging,” explains Felip Ferrer, commercial director of the new offset division at Comexi. “The COMEXI Offset CI8 press is a brand new product based on an arrangement of up to eight printing decks situated around a central drum [CI]. These could be up to eight offset EB print decks or, alternatively, the first and/or the last deck can also be a flexo deck for applying background colours or varnishes.”

What is very important about the COMEXI Offset machine is the fact that it completely does away with using any harmful solventbased inks. Together with flexographic solutions it ensures compliance with environmental regulations through the use of eco-friendly solvent-free inks (offset EB inks). “This is what we mean by sustainable printing,” adds Mr Ferrer. “It is important for us and for the industry, as well as for clients who utilise flexible packaging for containing their products – leading brands such as Danone, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and others.”

The COMEXI Offset CI8 machines bring both greater efficiency and productivity when it comes to printing plastic materials such as low

calibre PE, BOPP and PET. This innovation is a perfect reflection of the Comexi Group’s strategic principles: the reduction of costs per square metre printed; the capacity to produce offset plates in the same plant in a matter of minutes; the reduction of environmental impact thanks to the EB offset solvent-free inks; greater line screen and a highly impressive printing quality, particularly in highlights, fine screens and micro texts. Last but not least, it also ensures greater energy efficiency.

“This is a product which allows for a great degree of productivity and reduction of flexible costs, and we hope to offer it to clients not just in Europe but also globally,” conclude Mr Combis and Mr Ferrer. “It is investment which can be fully justified, as sustainable printing and sustainable flexible packaging is at a turning point. Therefore the Drupa Fair has been an excellent occasion to see the new COMEXI Offset CI8, as well as a range of other new products in Comexi brands, which drive this new industrial trend.” n