Bobst Group books big Mideast order

Bobst Group (Lausanne, Switzerland) has just won a contract from processor JBF-RAK (Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E.) for three primary and four secondary slitter rewinders, roll-handling systems, as well as a 2350-mm-wide vacuum metallizer for the production of biaxially oriented polyester (BOPET) film. The deal is valued at £6 million (€8.9 million) and ranks as one of the largest accepted by the company’s Business Area Flexible Materials U.K. operation for its brands Atlas and General. The units will be installed in phases and should be in full production during the second half of next year.

JBF-RAK is a joint venture between polyester chip maker JBF Industries (Mumbai, India) and the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority of the U.A.E. The company announced last year it would build an $86-million plant to produce 600 tonnes of PET chips/day as well as PET film at a capacity of 300 tonnes/day. Output from the plant targets the U.S., EU, and Chinese markets.

The Atlas slitter-rewinders include two units measuring 8.7m wide and one 4.2m wide primary film slitter that process film at high speeds with rewind diameters up to 1200 mm. Parent roll diameters are up to 1400 mm, and the minimum slit widths can be as narrow as 300 mm. The General K5000 vacuum metallizer is said to improve output by 50% compared to traditional metallizers due to higher coating speeds from a larger diameter-coating drum (595 mm).

JBF Industries says it chose the Emirate for investment in the new plant because of the abundance of low-cost raw materials in the region, low overheads, good logistics, and the absence of duties in the designated free-trade zone. It estimates that the project’s cost in the Emirate is about 25% lower compared to other global destinations.—[email protected]