Cumberland Packaging invest in KOLBUS Autobox MultiNova

To satisfy increasing demand for short to medium run cartons in a wide variety of styles Cumberland Packaging have invested in a KOLBUS Autobox MultiNova corrugated box making machine. With its fast make-ready the MultiNova will free up capacity on their larger volume automatic folder gluers. The KOLBUS Autobox MultiNova MN400 was delivered to their Southend sheet plant in early January. Installation was completed in a day with a further two days for training. Operators were running the machine at 1,200 boxes per hour by close of play on day one.

The KOLBUS AutoBox MultiNova is a multi-point gluer, ideal for short-medium and large run lengths of straightline and crashlock corrugated boxes. Set-up times are fast: five minutes for straightline and 15 to 20 minutes for crashlock; saving up to 45 minutes per set-up compared to four-to-six-point gluers. It runs at average speeds of 1,500 to 2,000 boxes per hour with up to 4,000 per hour achievable on smaller boxes.
The MultiNova represents an ideal way to take three-point work in-house at an affordable price. It is a compact machine, the compression section is under the machine as opposed to after, saving considerably on floor space compared to more automatic machines. Although the MultiNova can be run by a single operator up to three can be deployed depending on production requirements. One operator always collects the 90% closed boxes, finishing them and controlling the quality of finish using the “squaring system” to avoid fishtailing. This is an essential requirement to limit waste, especially when producing short to medium run lengths.

Mark Bennett, Cumberland Packaging production manager, said:” We invested in the MultiNova to enable us to bring the smaller and awkward panel work in-house and to speed up the manual operation. We wanted to free up capacity on our large volume automatic folder gluers. We can set up the MultiNova for one to 2,000 straightline boxes and in that time will have increased our capacity on a high-volume machine significantly. The KOLBUS AutoBox installation and training went extremely well, quickly reaching quality and running speeds that we had planned for”.

Arran Kohli Sethi, KOLBUS AutoBox sales manager, said: “It has been great working with Mark and the Cumberland Packaging team on this project. They have made some significant investments over the last 24 months to achieve aspirational goals for year-on-year growth. This machine will help them to develop a particular area within their varied business.
The MultiNova is simple to operate and very adaptable. It has its own niche in corrugated box finishing where quick set times and reasonable run speeds are required. It is neither a semi-automatic machine nor a fully automatic machine but offers the benefits of both, cost effectively”.