Doesn’t matter whether long runs or short runs

SOMA presses have built a reputation for their flexibility - the ability to be as productive for long runs as they are flexible for shorter jobs. JKK Pack has learned that they can print a variety of jobs and materials with their SOMA Optima² press.

The primary advantage is the easy and quick mounting of the plates and the minimal waste between jobs. That’s a competitive advantage that we have over our competitors.

Based in Mexico City, Mexico, JKK Pack (www.jkkpack.com) is a young, international business focused on flexible packaging for the food industry. They concentrate on delivering high-quality materials on time and at reasonable prices. Their people are experts with heat-shrink bags along with a portfolio of other products at the most competitive prices in the market. They can also print high-quality graphics on these materials in up to eight colors. They tailor their solutions according to the needs, requirements and specifications of their clients.

“We are very focused on fresh and processed foods, including meat, cheese, and seafood,” explains José Kuri, Owner, JKK Pack. “We concentrate not only on large packaging orders but also on the packaging that requires short runs or a certain amount of expertise, for which we can offer some added value.”

JKK Pack is a relatively new company. “While we are headed in the right direction, our company’s challenge is not to lose focus. Large orders are always attractive, but we started our business on value-added packaging. This is the way we can differ from the competition,” remarks Kuri. Therefore, when they wanted to expand to flexography, JKK Pack was looking for the most flexible press they could find. They found SOMA, and are very happy with their SOMA Optima² press.

The SOMA Optima² press, with a unique Advanced Bounce Control System, maintains job consistency at fast press speeds, particularly when using High Definition plates. It can also assure that the press holds stable, highlight dots with exceptional registration. The press works with the unique ARUN off-line solution for registration and impression settings, combining the functions of a plate mounter along with a fully automated device for plate topography and registration measurement. When the sleeve is placed onto the press, the data is read and the registration and impression pressure are set automatically.

After several months of production, what would be the foremost advantages that JKK has found in their SOMA Optima² press? “The SOMA flexo press is a fairly sophisticated machine because it is ready for both large jobs at 500 revolutions per minute (approximately 500 meters/minute), as well as jobs that can be changed with quick makereadies,” says Kuri. “So, it fits very well with the diverse needs of JKK Pack.”

“The price/quality ratio of our SOMA press was very attractive - significant savings compared to what we found with other presses,” adds Kuri. “However, the SOMA press really is as powerful as its competitors, if not stronger. There is a very competitive market between press manufacturers, but I would say that SOMA is a leading manufacturer of flexographic presses.”

JKK Pack has been using their SOMA Optima² press for several months. “The primary advantage is the easy and quick mounting of the plates and the minimal waste between jobs. That’s a competitive advantage that we have over our competitors,” notes Kuri. “We got familiar with the press very quickly and it is very easy to operate. The truth is that we are all new to flexography and it did not take us much time to learn and adapt to flexo. And, the jobs we run on the SOMA flexo press have been very good.”

JKK does not have daily or weekly production goals, because it really depends a lot on the product mix. “We could have 4 or 5-ton jobs, and then we could have jobs of around 50 kg. We were looking for a machine that had to be flexible and fast when needed, but which could make quick job changeovers when required,” says Kuri.

Kuri has also been very impressed with the SOMA service. “We believe that SOMA is a family business with similar values to JKK Pack. If we have a question, it is easy to get an answer from them. The company is not bureaucratic, and we like that very much. It is very easy to communicate with SOMA,” comments Kuri.

“In the future, we are looking for barrier materials that are very dedicated to recycling. We want to help the world. We want to offer substrates that are not pollutants and contaminate less. And, we know that SOMA’s presses can print on these new substrates,” concludes Kuri. Without a doubt, right now, if we needed a new press, we would not be looking for another option other than from SOMA.”