Bischof + Klein (B+K) is a leading, globally active full service supplier of flexible packaging as well as technical films made of plastics and composites. At five European sites in Germany, France, Great Britain and Poland, B+K employs more than 2700 people. C2 planned to pay B+K a visit at the company’s headquarters in Lengerich, Westphalia, but the coronavirus pandemic put a spoke in our wheel. So we instead decided to run a virtual interview with the packaging experts.
In Lengerich, all process steps for the production of flexible packaging are bundled under one roof. Therefore, technicians and development engineers can rely on a wide range of manufacturing facilities: The machine bank includes machines for mono-/coextrusion, gravure and HD flexo print, for solvent-less and solvent-based coating and laminating as well as extrusion coating and laminating. The diverse finishing options allow product-specific processing such as sealing, welding and adhesive technology.
Packaging for all applications
The product portfolio of B+K offers the entire range of flexible packaging solutions for different applications: from traditional industry packaging to consumer packaging and special films for technical applications, from 2g portion packaging to flexible liquid liners for 1200l.
Clean room for sterile production
In its completely encapsulated clean room, B+K produces ultrapure packaging solutions for particle-free and sterile packaging materials that meet highest security standards. The produced CleanFlex clean room packaging solutions and films offer individual and safe solutions for highly-sensitive and delicate filling goods.
B+K put special emphasis on growing ecological, social and economical challenges and established a comprehensive sustainability management system already back in 1987. Since then, the company has been publishing yearly environmental statements, which are EMAS certified since the mid 1990ies. Since 2011, the packaging experts have also published sustainability reports. In 2014, B+K was awarded with the CRS prize of the German government for its remarkable commitment.
New high-tech coating line of protective films
Recently and right before the worldwide corona lockdown, B+K put a new state-of-the-art coating line from Olbrich (Bocholt, Germany) into operation. This 35m long and 7,8m high line is mainly designed to produce protective film with low fish-eye count for silk-matt and high-gloss surfaces, e.g. for the furniture industry. “With the new installation, we have the next higher grade of quality in focus, as standstill means a step back for us,” Peter Lehrter, division manager technical films explains in conversation with C2. Therefore, it is a perfect fit that Olbrich has already acquired an outstanding reputation as a supplier of coating lines for protective films.
Norman Nötte, sales manager adhesive film and foil industry, adds: “For decades we have already successfully been active in the field of decor films. That was a good starting point for us to optimally detect and fulfil the demands of our customers in the field of protective films.”
Rightfully, the machinery experts are very proud of the current results: The special coating line is capable of applying grammages of 0,5g/m2, according to Nötte “next to nothing”. Furthermore, the machine comes with a working speed of 250m/min and a working width of 2.20m. Especially remarkable is the coating accuracy and the fact that substrates can be coated and printed in one working step. A cassette quick-change system rounds off the equipment and allows fast and easy job changes during the production process.
That the total investment of €7M has been worthwhile, can be underlined by the fact that, according to B+K, the machine has been running in three-shift-mode since the day of its installation.
