Interview with Antony Whiteside, Managing Director of the company at CCE International 2025.
What are the main trends you see in the corrugated board industry today, and how is your company responding to these challenges?
The main challenges we observe are related to environmental ESG standards and automation, as the skill levels of operators are declining.
Absolute is highly focused on addressing these issues with our InkSave technology, which significantly reduces ink loss during color changes and, importantly, lowers the volume of water used during wash-ups.
When customers manage the flocculation of liquids in this process, they pay by the cubic meter, and we can cut these figures in half. We also see a growing demand for viscosity controls and reduced ink usage during color changes.
Through systems like GAMA, one of our key partners, we can monitor these processes and provide numerical data that shows customers the improvements brought by our upgrades.
Absolute Engineering is a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced machinery and equipment for the flexographic printing industry. Established in 2000, the company is renowned for its innovative woven carbon fiber-chambered doctor blade systems.
What new technologies or products are you presenting at this expo, and how can they improve production processes for our viewers?
Over here, we have a demonstration of our SONO system, for which we have now received patents in both Europe and the Americas. This system enables customers to clean rollers ultrasonically, quickly and effectively.
There are two versions: a pit version that fits with BOBST entry-level machines equipped with trolleys, offering fully automated anilox roll cleaning during full production; and a portable device, as shown in the photographs here, that allows ultrasonic cleaning of various machines, bringing the rollers back to “as-new” specifications.
This technology greatly enhances print consistency, enabling customers to enter markets that demand exceptional print quality and consistency.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge for the corrugated board industry in the next five years, and how is your company helping address these challenges?
Automation is one of the key challenges. As I mentioned earlier, de-skilling is a significant issue. We need post-printers to operate with minimal human intervention, and systems like our Sonar technology address this by providing simple, automated solutions. Operators merely place the unit against an anilox roller and press a button—our smart systems handle the rest, reducing training requirements and operator involvement.
Similarly, our InkSave and GAMA systems automate processes to deliver consistent and reliable results regardless of operator or shift patterns, making life easier for our customers and enhancing product reliability.
How does your company support sustainability and eco-friendliness in the corrugated board industry?
Our InkSave technology guarantees an 80% reduction in ink loss during color changes and a 50% reduction in water consumption.
These are not estimates—they’re guaranteed results. Absolute has also demonstrated its commitment to environmental improvement and ESG standards by achieving a silver rating on Ecovadis, placing us in the top 15% of companies worldwide for environmental performance.
What message would you like to share with corrugated board manufacturers worldwide?
My message is simple: while investing in new equipment is an option, it requires significant capital, extended delivery times, and substantial planning. The average age of equipment in the corrugated sector is over 20 years, presenting an enormous opportunity to upgrade existing equipment quickly and cost-effectively.
Absolute is here to help with any upgrades related to ink circuits, printing, coating, or other relevant aspects.
Could you explain what this is?
Certainly. What we have here are three chamber profiles that we manufacture. The bottom profile is typically used on machines like the Ember Mini or BOBST 608. The middle one is a standard system for BOBST 1628 DRO equipment. These are just a few examples of the 30 profiles we offer.
Absolute was the original supplier of carbon fiber chambered doctor blade systems, with over 18,000 installations worldwide.
Our 25 years of experience make us uniquely positioned to provide bespoke solutions for machines, as well as proven designs we’ve successfully converted in the past.
As part of the Pamarco Group, we offer consistency and stability, providing customers with the confidence to partner with us for upgrading critical parts of their production lines.
Thank you, Anthony.
Thank you.
corruga.expert
