BOBST DISCOVERY FFG 8.20 INSTALLED
LA ROCHETTE DAKAR INVESTMENT CONTINUES BOBST EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE HAVE ALLOWED THE SENEGALESE
COMPANY TO BECOME A LEADER IN ITS MARKET AND TO PLAYA
KEY ROLE IN DE VELOPMENT OF PACKAGING IN AFRICA.
A transformational leader
in industrial packaging
in Senegal. La Rochette
Dakar covers 80% of its country·s
demand for corrugated boxes. In
April 2017, the company installed
a Discovery FFG 8.20 in its Dakar
plant. Developed by Bobst Lyon.
this four colour casemaker is weil
suited to the company's needs,
because of its ease of use and high
performance (18,000 boxes per hour).
Buying the Discovery FFG 8.20
marks a new era in La Rochette
Dakar's industrial strategy and
BOBST DISCOVERY FFG 8.20 INSTALLED
"ACQUIRING HIGH-TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE MACHINES ALLOWS LA ROCHETTE DAKAR TO OFFER
PACKAGING SOLUTIONS THAT MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS."
complements its converting hall, which
already includes a Bobst FFG 924 NT
gluer installed in July 2016. Since this
highly automated equipment was put
into service last spring, the quality
of the boxes, as weil as production
quantity have increased considerably.
70 Years of Experience
Being one of the leading packaging
producers in Senegal. La Rochette
Dakar opened its plant in 1946.
Originally called the Colonial
Packaging Company, the company
took its current name in 1960. A
Senegalese family group bought the
company in 1983. For more than 35
years. it has collaborated with Bobst
to modernise its production site in
Dakar. installing a quality control
laboratory and acquiring corrugating
and converting equipment from
leading European manufacturers.
La Rochette Dakar has more than
1,000 customers, including several
large international brands and
works in industries as varied as
tobacco. agrifood, pharmaceuticals
and telecommunications.
Modernisation and Development
At its production site in Dakar,
spanning more than 50,000 sqm,
the company fo_cuses on industrial
packaging and printing and employs
some 245 people. lts activities include
not just corrugated, but also flexibles,
paper bags, self-adhesive labels
and printing of brochures, planners,
posters, leaflets, flyers and calendars.
Since 2016 the company has
been growing quickly and making
large investments in its equipment
- it installed a new complete Aganti
corrugator and weil as two Bobst
gluers and a Visioncut 106 LER
flat bed die-cutter in July 2017.
Adel Salhab. La Rochelle Dakar CEO
Like other countries in Africa.
Senegal hopes to export more
products . especially to Europe.
Packaging plays a strategic role
in access to these new markets -
packaging for food products and
commodities must meet strict
international sanitary and traceability
standards. Today, La Rochette Dakar
is the packaging industry leader in
Senegal and the entire West African
region. lts exports are growing,
especially to Mali. Guinea. Gabon and
recently to Gambia and Mauritania.
Investment in the latest equipment
has allowed them to include
companies as demanding as Philip
Morris International and Nestle
among its customers. In 10 years,
the company has evolved from a
local to an international supplier.
Modernising its production site
has allowed La Rochette Dakar to
produce flexo printed packaging
ADEL SALHAB, LA ROCHETTE DAKAR CEO
with strong added value. These
high-quality, sophisticated products
require printing with special varnishes,
embossing and special trimming.
"African countries produce
food commodities and Senegal
wants to export to the European
and American markets," says
Adel Salhab, the company's CEO.
"But the hygiene standards and
sanitary demands imposed at the
borders require suitable packaging.
Acquiring high-technology
converting machines allows La
Rochette Dakar to offer packaging
solutions that meet international
standards. Our plant has been
ISO 9001 certified for 17 years and
also meets international safety
and environmental requirements.
Since 2007, we have also worked
as an approved supplier for large
multi-nationals and have several
global contracts.
www .thepackagingportal.com 67
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BOBST DISCOVERY FFG 8.20 INSTALLED
"THESE NEW MACHINES OPERA TE AT AN IMPRESSIVE SPEED, MEANING THE TIME SPENT ON CERTAIN
OPERATIONS IS A THIRD OF WHAT IT WAS BEFORE, ALL THE WHILE PRODUCING MUCH BETTER QUALITY."
68
Trust in Bobst
"Our recent investments in modern
equipment allow us to produce the
highest quality packaging solutions for
our customers products, both in terms
of strength and print quality," continues
Salhab. "In addition, we will be able
to deliver to most of our customers
within 48 hours, thanks to a 35-40%
increase in our machine up time, which
considerably increases our production
capacity. We are already making
cigarette packs and cartons for all of
Africa. This new stage in our industrial
strategy strengthens our position in
Senegal and will increase our market
share in West Africa for corrugated
and folding carton packaging.
"We put our trust in Bobst 35
years ago. Still today, their technology
matches our development strategy
and plays a key role in our growth. For
one thing, their advanced converting
solutions are transforming our site
into an industrial unit that meets
Western requirements. Our printing
and die-cutting meet international
quality standards. We have almost
no returns of defective boxes or
complaints from our customers.
"The performance of Bobst
equipment meets the challenge of
the local market and the demands
of international brands. We can
now systematically honour our
commitments to deliver to our
customers within 48 hours. This
is quite a plus, because it puts us
way ahead of our competitors,
whether in Senegal or abroad."
INTERNATIONAL PAPER BOARD INDUSTRY » APRIL 2018
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ADEL SALHAB, LA ROCHETTE DAKAR CEO
Changing Mentality
"These new machines operate at
an impressive speed, meaning the
time spent on certain Operations is
a third of what it was before, all the
while producing much better quality,"
concludes Salhab. "The simplicity
and ease of use of the new equipment
has also surprised our operators. But
it is not just about high output - we
had to make sure our operators fully
understand the new equipment and
operating systems. Bobst offered
excellent training and stay in touch
with our production teams to ensure
they are getting the most out of
the machines. We continue to see
an uplift in productivity. which is
the whole reason why we invested
again in Bobst equipment." ■