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The Plastilene Group is one of the leading manufacturers of flexible packaging in the Latin American market. With production facilities in Colombia, Guatemala, and Ecuador, the group employs more than 800 people and has total revenues estimated at USD 150 million. Ever since 2005, this Latin American group has relied on technology and expertise from German machine manufacturer, Windmöller & Hölscher, for its production operations. The Plastilene Group has put a total of 19 W&H lines into operation in the thirteen years of this cooperation – from a PRIMAFLEX 8 color flexographic printing press for film printing through to extrusion and converting systems.
The group's latest investment, a VAREX II nine-layer blown film line, has now been commissioned at Plastilene subsidiary Novalene, based close to Bogotá in Colombia. From there, Novalene principally supplies markets with films for high-tech barrier structures and technical films. "We have high expectations of our machines, as we only produce excellent products designed to set standards internationally," said Gabriel Jaramillo, Technical Director of the Plastilene Group. "The VAREX II is the first W&H nine-layer extrusion line in all of Latin America measuring 2,600 mm in width. This is the ideal film width for the markets we serve."
The VAREX II has been installed in combination with a W&H MIRAFLEX AM8 flexographic printing press and a COREMATIC non-stop roll handling system for the printing press rewind. The entire installation has been specifically adapted to Novalene's needs and is highly specialized for the manufacture and printing of films for the food industry. Novalene has therefore laid the foundation for a fully automated production chain. Willi Müller, CEO of W&H Latin America, hailed the impressive results. "Our machines have been set up in a completely new hall. The hall is immense and the building is freestanding. This means there are no pillars blocking visibility. This is when the full process chain really comes into its own."
Müller believes the Novalene project is characteristic of the close and fruitful cooperation between W&H and the Plastilene Group: "Plastilene is an excellent example of how our machines can be used to open up a market. We look forward to continuing our successful partnership and would like to especially thank Stefano Pacini, representative of the majority shareholder of the Plastilene Group."
