Middle East, how quality and commitment combine to make a force to be reckoned with

A combination of experience and expertise has made Middle East customers glowing about OMET’s machines and team. With customer expectations on the increase, label and flexible packaging print and conversion has opened up more choice and competition. This has benefitted brand owners and buyers as they work closely with printer-converters to create highly innovative package and label formats.

Machine builders and OEMs therefore have to deliver greater flexibility and more formats. Agility was once a luxury, but in today’s industry it has become a prerequisite. Accordingly, Italian press manufacturer OMET, through its technology and solutions, can boast of being an innovative label, flexible and carton print and converting machine supplier, and it has the testimonials to attest to this.

Machine manufacturers and suppliers must collaborate with clients (printers and converters) as business partners and understand what their customers’ pain points are, and how they can solve the packaging-labelling challenges they face.

Packaging MEA spoke with Paolo Grasso, OMET’s Head of Sales – Label Business Unit – to learn how the company earned its places among the leaders in its sector.

“There are industrial success stories that are not so simple to tell in just a few words. OMET is one of those,” says Mr Grasso of a company with more than 55 years of experience.

“This success is based on the fast-forward vision of a small Italian entrepreneur who began his business from his home garage. In the decades since, OMET has always paid close attention to innovation and quality, investing in R&D, ideas and simple-to-use solutions.”

OMET’s success has been shared with the industry, he adds, pointing out that his approach has allowed hundreds of companies to grow, thanks to the innovative solutions on offer.

“OMET presses are the technological jewels of this industry. They are not just machines but turnkey solutions enriched with ideas, services and that touch of special care in analysing special requirements.

“We have served more than a thousand customers globally and is among the market leaders of this industry. Its portfolio range is effectively the widest in terms of machines and solutions and with this, OMET offers an opportunity for companies of all sizes; from beginners to the most advanced international players.”

The Middle East is one of the fastest-growing regions for OMET. More than 15 presses have been installed in the region in the past 24 months alone, thanks to the collaboration of the local agent Printech Middle East LLC, based in Dubai. Naturally the coronavirus pandemic has slowed this pace, but OMET honoured commitments to install any machines that had been shipped before the lockdown.

“This proves the care OMET gives to its partner-customers,” concludes Mr Grasso. “We are not just a technology provider – OMET cares for the value that businesses deserve. “

It is to be expected that Mr Grasso will sing the company’s praises, but we won’t take his word for it. Packaging MEA decided to ask six of the company’s most recent customers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, who have invested in print and converting solutions from OMET.

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Mohamed Al Shirawi (CEO) & Samuel Natarajan (COO)
Emirates Printing Press, Dubai

Recently, we have invested in a specialised OMET VaryFlex V2 and OMET XFlex X6 combi printing and converting lines.
The OMET X6 primarily does our short-run shrink sleeves/UV & water-based mono layer label print jobs. This combi press combines offset, flexo and gravure technologies with inline cold foil and hot stamping embellishment capabilities.
The OMET V2 complements our existing Gallus-Heidelberg wide-format rotary press lines. To take care of the narrow web requirement we proceeded with the VaryFlex V2 narrow web press for specialised folding carton packaging print. We appreciate OMET’s services and their response time. We have attended their open houses and we have visited installed sites where they have showcased their capabilities and found they are a credible company with good technology. It has been a worthy investment for us.

Tilman F Ehret
CEO
ENPI Group, Dubai

We commissioned the XFlex X4 Printing-Converting line and commercial production began on February 15. We chose OMET because we have been a satisfied customer of theirs since 2014 and trust their flexo technology. It is also very easy to communicate with OMET staff at all hierarchical levels. They go the extra mile.

We particularly like the silk screen unit (SPG). It is unique in its simplicity and we like the mounting table, which is very accurate. The machine design is uncomplicated and we appreciate its low-maintenance requirements, as well as how it enables us to considerably reduce setup times.

Saad Al Zahrani
President
Modern Adhesive Products Factory
Dammam, Saudi Arabia

We started using the OMET XFlex X6 Press line in December. The main drive for choosing OMET was that we were looking for the latest technology in narrow web printing with good print quality and good after-sale service with a reasonable price, and we found all of this with OMET.

Overall, the machine has demonstrated good performance for our label print production. Print quality and stability have been good, as has productivity. We hope to continue doing business with OMET, and we will if they continue to provide us with the same level of service.

Sachin Arya
General Manager
Ajantha Packaging Fzc
Sharjah, UAE

We started using the iFlex Press line in December. We chose it for many reasons, such as its contemporary design and robust structure, short web path, quick setup, easy print and die cylinder change, iVision and iLight, and that it is easy to maintain, with direct-drive operation.

We believe some of these are really unique features, which makes the printers’ job easy, and results in better productivity. The quick die change is definitely amazing, while iVision and iLight are both really smart solutions, helping job startup with very little waste.

Clients are very happy, which makes us satisfied, while OMET’s after-sales service and support team have been absolutely fantastic and responsive. Italy was one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus pandemic, yet we received customer support during that time as well. It was amazing that the machine was installed by the OMET team during lockdown. This shows the capability and commitment of the company. OMET has been a great addition to Ajanta Family.

Yasser Saad
White Crystal Label Printing
Riyadh

We started installing our OMET XFlex X6 Press line with OMET’s help on April 4 and it was completely up and running with full functionality as of May 1.

We chose OMET because we had heard many customers are happy with them, and the specs of the machine matched our requirements for width and properties. The technical and sales teams explained everything very well and the price was good, as was the payment function.

Regarding the machine itself, we particularly like its Vision system, memory for sleeve position, and stability. We have been using the machine for two months now and I can say we have added at least 50 new jobs to our production – and this is just the start.

OMET’s after-sales and support have been great, as you can imagine. We installed the machine and trained our staff on it through WhatsApp and email.

Through all departments, OMET has proved to be a great company. We are proud to be one of their customers. They are a partner in our success. We expect from them great support in the future.

Chinnadurai Natrajan
Label Pack FZE
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

We have ordered iFlex and XFlex X5 Press lines. The iFlex, we started using from March last year after ordering the machine in the last quarter of 2018. We are expecting the arrival of the XFlex X5 this month.

When we decided to start a new label factory, we started looking for a strategic supplier (partner). OMET came to immediately to mind, with no hesitation, as we have known them for more than a decade, and we know their technology and service are among the best in the label industry. OMET has the best technology for label printing. Also, they deeply look into each project and provide customised solutions which are guaranteed to achieve the best quality and productivity.

There are several properties of the equipment that we particularly like, such as the smart register control system, which works independently of the operator; the consistency of registration during production and start-up; the shortest web path, offering less wastage during make-ready and start-ups; the waste matrix removal system, which doesn’t break easily during production; and the higher production speed compared to any other label-printing machines.

This equipment has helped enhance our print production because OMET has the shortest make-ready time, and in wastage especially it is a great advantage as we have many short-run jobs. Output is always high quality and stable during production. We normally don’t experience fluctuations in terms of registration/color/print production once the job is properly set. And production speed is much higher due to the inking and curing systems.
From the beginning we wanted to maintain an international standard in label printing, so without any hesitation we went with the best machines and tools available on the market. With the support of OMET we have achieved this and are maintaining it at a high level without any compromise.

Regarding after-sales and support, OMET has a dedicated area manager and local representation. At both the starting stage of the project and after sales, the service is excellent. We get very good support from Italy as well as UAE representation.

OMET has helped us unconditionally in our project to make it a great success. We always consider them as strategic partners, not just a machine supplier. We thank OMET and Printech team for the great support.

Credits: Packaging MEA, July-August 2020, editor Ben Daniel 
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