The Belfast packaging company, set up by former Delta Print and Packaging chairman Terry Cross, is due to receive the XL 106-6+LYYL at its new £47m Belfast factory in September.
The press joins an identical Heidelberg installed in late 2021, and a host of ancillary equipment including a Suprasetter 106 platesetter, four Mastermatrix die-cutters, two Diana folder-gluers, and a Polar Guillotine and Pile Turner.
Cross, now chairman of Biopax, said the team had been so delighted with the results of the first press that they had decided to repeat the purchase.
“[The new press] will offer us and our customers a high-quality product that exceeds [customers’] expectations,” he said.
Having kicked off production in 2022 with 16 employees, the sustainable packaging firm – which now has 45 staff – is looking to expand its portfolio with plastic-free products like cups, tubs, and salad bowls.
Biopax said it had decided to go with XL 106s for their performance, speed, and Heidelberg’s offer to mitigate the climate impact of the machine’s construction through Gold Standard certified carbon credit projects.
Cross said: “In addition to the green benefits, we also realised that the Heidelberg XL 106 with Inpress Control would deliver and exceed our customers’ expectations in regards to their company branding and colour management strategies.”
Cross added that his team had consulted a number of experienced printers before deciding to go with Heidelberg as the company’s supplier.
“We leaned on their experience and expertise,” he added.
Aiming to employ over 170 people by 2027, Biopax has planned further expansions that will see it nearly double the size of its 6,500sqm factory.
“This expansion will allow us to invest further into ultra-high volume flexographic printing and dedicated rotary converting for some of the world’s leading brands,” Cross said.
Declan Martin, Heidelberg’s account manager, said the team was proud that Heidelberg had been selected by Biopax.
"Our cutting-edge printing technology solutions address their rising customer needs. The trust that Biopax has invested in us shows that the Heidelberg brand remains the top name among suppliers for companies who strive for quality and long-term success,” he said.
