The Bolton-based online box manufacturer installed the 1,200 box per hour Kolbus Autobox AB300 boxmaker in May to add significant capacity to its short- to medium run bespoke corrugated box offering.

The firm first looked at Kolbus Autobox technology three years ago, when it moved from a purely distribution model to bringing production inhouse for short-run bespoke boxes. But after researching the market it opted for a used machine.

However, as demand grew and its old machine struggled to keep up, Ideals managing director Zulfiqar Ali started to look at the market again earlier this year.

He said the business looked at a number of options, including those from Kolbus Autobox, whose sales manager Arran Sethi the business has stayed in contact with since it first looked at the technology three years ago.

Ali said: “We were looking at other options in the market: cheaper or more expensive; imported and domestic. We decided on the Kolbus Autobox machine for a number of reasons but the regular communication we received during the difficult Covid lockdown period when Kolbus Autobox remained active reassured us that we would receive long-term product support.”

While Ideals UK’s machine is a slotting/creasing unit only to produce blank boxes, with a semi-automatic feeder stand and catcher table, the modular Autobox AB300 can also be specified with a number of additional units, including automatic feeder and stacker, Mutli-Cut for more box styles and either flexo or digital print units.

All of the units can be added as field upgrades, with Ideals UK looking at adding either a flexo or digital print unit in the future.

The AB300 can produce over 100 box styles and make blank widths from 100mm to 2,600mm in unlimited lengths.

List prices for the machine start at around £70,000 rising to £300,000 for a fully automated line with all the optional units.