Only in Germany around one billion frozen pizzas are sold each year, and the volumes are rising. manroland Goss is now also represented in this growth market with the new installation of a state-of-the-art VARIOMAN c:line. Together with a packaging specialist, a new, fully automated and process-optimized packaging printing house will be created by the end of 2021, which can efficiently meet the growing demand for frozen food packaging.

• A new project in packaging printing for food, with a value in the 7 digit range, goes to manroland Goss.
• Fully automated VARIOMAN c:line with web offset technology is at the heart of the pioneering printing factory.
• Revenues of frozen food are rising in the EU, a sum which currently amounts to EUR 35 billion; Corona has been an effect-enhancing factor.

Major packaging printing project successfully awarded to manroland Goss: together with the newly founded company, which is currently still operating under the project name ROSA, the web offset expert will build a technically advanced printing press of superlatives next year. Equipped with an automatic winder with web storage and impact splicer, web cleaning, web edge guidance system, special draw-in unit plus 5 offset printing units, a flexo-printing unit, an electron beam curing unit as well as an inline rotary die cutter – to name just a few highlights – the new VARIOMAN c:line will be ready for production by the end of 2021.

VARIOMAN c:line: Cardboard printing at top speed

C stands for the English term "cardboard" and focuses on the core competence of the VARIOMAN c:line: printing of cardboard boxes in a wide range of thicknesses. Cups, folding cartons or, as in the case of ROSA, pizza cartons can be printed by this press at speeds of up to 400 meters per minute. At this speed, more than 2,500 pizza boxes can be printed in a commercially available size in just one minute, and that in the highest print quality. This production efficiency ensures the speed required on the packaging market today and creates decisive competitive advantages for ROSA's customers. The VARIOMAN web offset solution means that a total production output is possible that outperforms sheetfed offset printing by up to 100 %.

Variability is a key characteristics of the VARIOMAN presses

Another record-breaking fact about this press: a pattern change can be implemented in less than 4 minutes. With this impressive pattern variability, VARIOMAN surpasses today's market requirements for the highest product diversity. The fast changeover times allow for economical production even with smaller batch sizes. Another advantage is the format variability on a web width of up to 1,300 mm and a format length of up to 914 mm. Thanks to sleeve technology, the format-variable printing units ensure significantly lower printing form costs compared to alternative printing methods. As a result, the VARIOMAN solution stands in the forefront of cost-effective production.

"The decisive factor for the purchase of VARIOMAN was not only the print quality at optimized costs, in fact, manroland Goss have convinced us with an overall package that meets our high demands for efficiency and maximum automation." says Henning Diedrich, Managing Director of ROSA.

Maximum automation for tomorrow's packaging printing

ROSA relies on state-of-the-art technology along the entire value chain, which ensures lean processes and optimum material flow. This will lead to the creation of a pioneering printing house in Lower Saxony next year, which from the very beginning will focus on a fully networked production concept. The decision for a VARIOMAN also shows that the company does not accept compromises when it comes to automation either: PECOM-X, the established drive, operating and workflow management system, provides the framework required for highly modern and efficient industrial operation. The fully networked VARIOMAN printing solution thus ensures cost-effectiveness and high productivity.

Efficient production, speed and fully optimized processes will set new standards in the packaging market at the ROSA printing house.