API Foils upgrades with GVE metallizer

When API Foils decided to upgrade the metallizing operations at its Rahway, New Jersey location, it turned to General Vacuum Equipment (GVE) as a leader in technically advanced, high productivity metallizers following the successful experience of sister company API Foils Lawrence (Kansas,) with its own General metallizer.

API Foils is part of API Group, an international holding company with its head office located in Poynton, near Manchester, UK and businesses throughout Europe, the U.S., and the Asia-Pacific region. It also has a distribution network covering more than 70 countries.

The Group manufactures high quality decorative and security packaging materials for use in the tobacco, drinks, luxury goods, food, and consumer products sectors. It also produces tamper-proof and tamper-evident packaging for use in a broad range of security applications.

API Foils is one of the world’s largest producers of hot and cold stamping foils for various applications in specialized packaging materials. This is a direct result of API’s drive to produce a global range of versatile products, which have evolved from extensive research and development and an ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of all its clients.

Metallizing is a key process in the production of the finished products from API and with increasing business, API Foils Rahway chose General for their next high productivity metallizer, the EHF (2250 mm web width) vacuum web coater.

The General EHF vacuum metallizer is specifically designed for high volume metallizing of a wide range of plastic films ranging from BOPP, PET, and CPE to LDPE, UPVC, and Nylon. Its robust reliability combined with high coating quality and process control at speeds up to 840 m/min (2756 ft/min), has established this machine as one of the most successful in the General portfolio.

Its unique ‘closed loop’ automatic deposition control system provides precise coating thickness and evaporation conditions. Gas wedge injection lowers rewind temperatures for improved product quality and the evaporation source is ergonomically positioned for easy cleaning and maintenance.

“We wanted a machine that would provide product consistency and improve our manufacturing capabilities. The new metallizer also addresses a bottleneck in our operations,” said Joe DeParto, general manager at API Foils Rahway.

“Here we manufacture the Metallics range of hot stamping foils which can be used on a wide variety of products from stationery, greeting cards, wine labels, and cosmetics packaging to leather, vinyl, and plastics. Another key product is our range of dieLESS foils. These foils provide excellent, fine detail and half-tone opportunities within complex designs and are available in metallic golds, silvers, and colors, as well as in holographic effects,” he explained.

“All of these products require a high quality, automatically controlled metallizing process that produces consistent quality metallized films from run to run. General’s EHF metallizer not only produces batch controlled aluminum metallizing but also provides the HRI (High Refractive Index) coatings needed for our diffraction and holographic products,” he said.

The EHF has an advanced winding system for precise control of the web tension and a touch screen computer control system for easy operator interaction. Loading of uncoated rolls is also quick and simple to perform.

API Foils Rahway is one of 3 API manufacturing facilities located in the USA with a 200,000-square-foot (approx. 18,600 m2) facility and over 100 employees. With API now also preparing to sign up for the General MetCare AMC (Annual Maintenance Contract) extended service programme, API and General will continue to work together to assure API’s continued future success.