gofro.expert recently reported that Kagazy Recycling in Almaty has launched another BOBST complex die-cut packaging line. On Feb 5th the company was 20 years old! We contacted Deputy Director General for Production Talgat Azhibekov
“Talgat, how did you find yourself in the corrugated board industry?”
“This June will be 20 years since I have been working at the enterprise, where I started as a locksmith.
“Today our two PMs produce about 5 thousand tons per month. We use only our own raw materials for the production, with the exception of the white top kraftliner purchased from another manufacturer.”
“How is your business going?”
“Despite all the difficulties associated with the pandemic, 2020 was a rather successful year for our company: we grew by more than 3.5% compared to 2019. Since 2017, the company has shown annual growth, and over the past 10 years we have grown by 20%.”
“Do you export a lot?”
“The main export market for corrugated cardboard products is Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, which is 260 km away from us. We have a subsidiary there. The export share is about 3%.
“There are also requests from Uzbekistan, Russia, China and the Middle East for liner and fluting, but, unfortunately, there is no way to sell these products, since we ourselves provide our production of corrugated board.”
“Are you going to set a more productive PM?”
“Install one, producing about 300 tons per day, so that you can make two- and three-layer cardboard … there are such thoughts, but so far – at the stage of ideas (laughs).”
“There are four BOBST flatbed die-cutters in your industrial park, why did you need the fifth one?”
“The demand for sophisticated die-cutting in the market was more than we could provide – 4.1-4.2 million sq. m, while we produced about 3.5 million. In addition, three of our four flatbed machines were manufactured in 1985, and their blanks are printed on three-ink Chinese flexo printers.
“Therefore, updating our techno park, we are growing both in volume and quality. Today our capacities allow us to produce about 5.5 million sq. m of packaging with complex die-cutting.
“We inaugurated BOBST EXPERTLINE on December 15, 2020.
“We planned the launch back in September, but due to the imposed quarantine restrictions, representatives of the Swiss company could not come to us for installation supervision.
“For our part, we provided all kinds of visa support and were able to launch the line in December.
“In addition, our converting park also includes Martin and Emba inlines producing RSCs.”
“What other investments do you make in development?”
“We have aquired a cartridge with E-flute rolls for our BHS 2500 mm cartridge type single facer. Currently we are expecting German specialists to carry out the installation.
“We also signed a contract for the Signode strapping line; the equipment is on the way.
“For the paper department this year we are planning to purchase a moulded-fibre packaging production line to use our paper waste as a raw material. We have chosen the line and negotiate the contract.
“Also, by the end of the year, we plan to purchase digital output for the production of flexo printing plates; we have not yet decided on the supplier.”
“Thank you, Talgat!”
By Igor Tkalenko, gofro.expert
