SOMA commits to continued growth in South America
Featuring its latest developments in flexographic printing press technology Soma held two, one-day conferences at the Sheraton Hotels Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador reflecting the company’s commitment to continued growth in South America. The events were organised by the company’s agent in Ecuador, Quito based, Ferrostaal Ecuador S.A, with over 40 visitors from the country’s printing and flexible packaging industry in attendance.
Together with the partner companies that form the Soma Globe Alliance and their representatives in the region, Soma’s Jan Sembera gave a presentation on the new Optima flexographic printing press (The Right Fit for Market Needs) supported by Apex, Chespa, Esko and Dupont. Presentations featured on savings using the latest developments, in press and pre-press technology including anilox rolls, flexo inks for retort pouches and benchmarking of printing plates.
The question and answer sessions were of particular interest to attendees keen on hearing how flexo can rival the quality of gravure to produce the high quality graphics required for retort pouches. Much of Ecuador’s economy relies on fishing tuna and other sea food products and retort pouches provide an aseptic alternative to cans, weigh less and improve food preservation and taste. Currently the majority of retort package printing is gravure. Chespa’s Tomasz Maraszek elaborated further on the benefits of the technology and presented a paper on specially formulated flexo inks for retort pouch films and laminates.
Located in Lanskroun, Czech Republic, SOMA Engineering designs and manufactures high quality printing and converting machines for a wide variety of industries. Its portfolio encompasses CI flexographic presses, slitter/rewinders, laminators, mounter-proofers, sheeters, die cutters and special purpose machines. The company serves an international market with representation and distribution channels throughout the world.