LENGERICH, Germany—Windmöller & Hölscher, a world-leading manufacturer of machinery for the production of flexible packaging, has announced record sales of more than $1 billion for 2017. “We grew across all business units: extrusion, printing and converting,” said CEO Dr. Jürgen Vutz. The printing division, consisting of flexographic and gravure presses, achieved $321 million worldwide.
North American subsidiary Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corporation, based in Lincoln, RI, was very satisfied with 2017 and said it imported more presses into North America than any other supplier. “Due to ground-breaking technologies launched at drupa 2016 in Düsseldorf, our business has boomed and we are very optimistic that the new economic incentives in the modified tax law will pay great dividends,” stated Klaus Kleemann, VP of sales at W&H North America.
The new technologies cited by Kleemann include the award winning and virtually maintenance-free TURBOCLEAN ADVANCED E inking and wash-up system and W&H’s own fully-integrated VISION assistance system. TURBOCLEAN ADVANCED E runs electric, pulsation-free pumps, which are meant to significantly reduce ink and energy consumption at low noise levels. The VISION package combines systems for web monitoring, bar code check, printing impression, register setting in one single operator interface. “The deep integration of the modules in the press means less data entry when starting a job, faster machine changeovers, and reliable, faultless print production—essentially, greater quality and efficiency,” added Kleemann.