BW Flexible Systems, a Barry-Wehmiller Packaging Systems company, will be opening a new Technical Centre of Excellence in Nottingham by the end of June.
The move is part of the firm’s expansion plans to better serve customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
The new centre, along with existing engineering and manufacturing centres in Italy and the Netherlands, will expand the company’s product-testing capabilities, enhance customer collaboration for complex projects and increase partnership with major material suppliers. The new facility also will complement BW Flexible Systems’ existing network of customer sales and service hubs in Italy, Russia, Dubai and South Africa.
“Our legacy is built on a portfolio of brands that offer best-in-class packaging machinery, including Rose Forgrove, Sandiacre, Schib, Simionato and Symach,” said BW Flexible Systems vice president of Europe Michele Allamprese. “Our expansion plans ensure we leverage the combined strengths of these iconic brands to offer a seamless experience for customers and deliver innovation that addresses their greatest needs.”
The new centre will provide a dedicated research and development facility, where it will bring machinery experts, material partners and customers together to collaborate on innovative packaging solutions. It will also provide greater opportunities for product and material testing, as well as live machine demonstrations.
This will include a focus on two areas of increasing need: developing automated solutions, as well as designing machinery that supports customers’ increasing focus on packaging that uses sustainable materials. This facility, along with BW Flexible Systems’ Italian Centres of Engineering Excellence, will provide customers with greater opportunities for product and material testing, as well as live machine demonstrations.
Allamprese added: “These challenges, together with increased competition among brand owners, are creating a profound transformation in the packaging industry. Our investments will allow us to fully support our customers through that transformation.”