Sitma Enhances Wrapping Capabilities for Roularta Printing

Roularta Printing, a division of the Roularta Media Group, is the leading web-printer in Belgium and is known for its commitment to efficient production processes. The company specializes in a diverse array of print materials, ranging from local newspapers to weekly, and monthly publications. Additionally, Roularta Printing excels in shipping and handling services, serving as a dependable and high-performing partner for publishers.

The collaboration between Roularta Printing and Sitma traces back to the early 90s, when the Belgian company first installed Sitma wrapping automation system including addressing and postal-sorting solution for magazines dispatched directly to subscribers.

Currently, Roularta operates four Sitma packaging automation systems. In a bid to expand its business further, the company has embarked on a new initiative to incorporate paper wrapping into its service offerings. While two of the existing Sitma systems can already handle both film and paper wrapping based on different production jobs, Roularta Printing is keen to prioritize plastic-free and sustainable options for both existing and future customers.

Steven Renders, General Manager at Roularta Printing, explained, “Our clients are increasingly requesting sustainable packaging solutions made with paper. To meet their evolving needs, we are planning to install an additional autopack line equipped with features aimed at reducing carbon footprint and utilizing recyclable materials”. He also added that Sitma was chosen once again as the provider for the new wrapping automation line due to the multiple benefits offered by its advanced products.

As part of this initiative, Sitma is set to deliver a new Sitma VariaWrap 1050 inserting and wrapping system in the latter half of 2024. This system aims to enhance capabilities, bolster current sustainable paper wrapping operations, reduce energy consumption, and elevate automation levels. Beyond increasing production capacity, the new system will diversify the range of packaging solutions available to Roularta’s clients.

Key features of the new system include:

Sustainability: Implementing measures to minimize energy consumption across all levels and the ability to primarily process paper and heat-sealable paper for curbside recyclable packaging.

Automation: The system automatically rotates books as required, allowing optimal use of Roularta’s loading robots that seamlessly transfer stacks onto the Sitma infeed system, adjusting book spine orientation with full automation.

New Packaging Capabilities: Sitma’s solution includes a customizable paper banding system for delivering publications. Magazines are wrapped with a pre-printed paper band featuring tailored messages, which allows magazine visibility to be retained.

Flexibility: The modular wrapping machine is fully compatible with previous solutions, featuring plug-and-play feeders that can be easily swapped between lines to optimize production workflow. All with built-in Sitma track and trace software.

“We are looking forward to the upcoming Sitma VariaWrap 1050 installation at our facility. The solution is easy to use, with quick setup times, and highly compatible with other systems due to its capability to seamlessly swap feeders. This provides us with a huge advantage and will significantly streamline our production workflow. What truly sold us on adopting this solution is its ability to handle and automatically rotate book stacks within the machine, ensuring compatibility with our existing systems and enhancing overall packaging flow efficiency,” concluded Peter Leroy, Production Manager at Roularta Printing.