Getting the right size box in the right space at the right time has become a reality with BCs (British Converting Solutions) a world market leader in short run JIT (just in time) custom box making.
BCS is a relatively new name for two established companies Autobox and the 110 year old folder gluer manufacturer Andrew and Suiter. In the last five years, the company has grown rapidly in sales, staff, floor space, and development: overall a fourfold growth.
Two years ago, BCS opened its own office in the US, and now in the Asia Pacific. Neil Southerington, director of Graffica in Australia, has taken on the responsibility of looking after and growing the Asia Pacific region. He says, “Graffica is now part of BCS and I am directly employed by BCS as part of the world team. I am not a re-sale agent.”
The new venture started in March this year. Immediately, it enjoyed success, scoring BCS sales in Jakarta, Sydney, and Melbourne.
In the Australia and New Zealand region, BCS Asia Pacific will also handle Eterna die cutters and folding box gluers as well as other packaging equipment, through Smooth/Taiwan.
Southerington says customer demand has driven the outstanding growth of BCS. He says, “The company’s box making machinery range of forme-less, toolless, custom box making machines are actively being sought out by packaging companies that are being driven to supply shorter and shorter orders JIT; as well as by end users themselves.”
No cheap boxes
The packaging sector reflects what print companies already know: you always get what you pay for.
Southerington says, “In reality, there is no such thing as a cheap box. The purchase price may indicate it’s cheap but, and it’s a big but, if the box is the wrong size and filler has to be added, breakages can occur. Secondly, and more importantly, if the box is too big, any savings on box cost are lost in higher freight costs. You could lose an entire layer on a pallet, or pushed into the next cost bracket in parcel post.”
He says that usually, to get the cheap box, the end user has to accept a minimum order, and ends up with a factory full of boxes that they do not need for weeks or even months, taking up valuable floor and racking space. Then there is one big invoice rather than smaller ones, much less detrimental to cash flow.
Then there is delivery time. He says, “In this day and age, just in time should be the norm, rather than the exception. Our machines have a 60 second set up time via touch screen, and up to 1500 boxes per hour. You want one box to transport an Art work or valuable Antique, on our machine you can do this.
“However the average job is for custom shipping boxes on demand; regular weekly deliveries of different styles and sizes, 50 of this, 20 of that, 500 of those, and 900 of them.”
BCS suits Kiwis
BCS believes its solutions fit well in the New Zealand market, given the country’s size and mature print industry.
He says, “New Zealand was well represented when our first machine was developed. By nature the country is already a short run market place. Per head of population the uptake from Kiwi packagers for the latest technology, is well above the norm. Our first new generation machines into some countries were done with some trepidation, not so into New Zealand. We at BCS hope the new generation machine will be equally well received.”
The machine he mentions offers multi–out; print options (ink jet variable data and traditional flexo printers as well as feeder and delivery options.. As well as our short run multi point gluer, for both die cut and RSC boxes
In New Zealand we also want to further develop the Eterna / Brausse range, now a majority owned Bobst company, the machines and range have benefited from this venture. Along with our other Packaging lines, like the fully auto clam shell dire cutters JSF. A machine that quadruples the output of a standard had fed clam shell die cutter, which is an extremely high risk machine as far as safety is concerned.
Recently, Southerington made a brief trip to New Zealand to talk to existing customers and introduce them to the new machines and company. Among them was well-known JIT custom box supplier Quick Brown Box, which has three BCS machines.
