BPIF Cartons and Bobst will launch a programme of post-press productivity courses specifically for machine operators. The courses will be available at a discounted rate to BPIF Cartons member companies and, in some parts of the country, part or full grants may be available through Business Links. It is the first time that Bobst has opened up its training courses to operators who may not be users of Bobst equipment.
Chris Selby, North-East Regional Director of the BPIF said, “A recent survey of our BPIF Cartons members highlighted that accessing high quality training was a worry for them, in particular the training of die-cutter and carton gluer operators to maximise production. Knowing that Bobst have a long history of providing training in this area, and that they have their own Training Centre here in the UK, we started a dialogue with them. Not only have they developed two courses specifically for us, but they have also agreed to offer them to BPIF Cartons members at a discount on their normal rates. That’s great news for our members.”
The three-day courses will start running from early summer 2010 and there will be two types, one for die-cutter operators and one for operators of carton folder-gluers. Both programmes will cover the skills required to run the equipment for maximum productivity, including techniques for shortening make-ready times, minimizing waste, reducing stops in production, and running at the highest possible speed while ensuring consistency and quality.
Mike Rice, Regional Services Manager for Bobst in the UK & Ireland said, “Up until now we have only offered courses to Bobst customers. However, the skills and knowledge a flat-bed die-cutter or carton gluer operator needs to optimize production are essentially the same whether they are running a Bobst line or something else. Also, our Product Specialists who run our courses have a vast amount of experience in the industry, including in-depth knowledge of other makes of machine. So our guys will be able to point out where there are any differences between running Bobst equipment and running the machines the delegates are using.”
Delegate numbers on each course will be kept low to maintain attendee safety and to facilitate better learning, but each programme will be repeated as many times as demand requires.
The courses will be held at Bobst Group’s Training Centre in Redditch, Worcs., and will consist of a mixture of on-machine practical sessions and theory. A final test will quantify how well delegates have learnt, while successful completion may also count towards the requirements of NVQ’s, if delegates are following such a programme.
“In the current climate of reduced margins and pressure to reduce headcount, giving operators the skills to run at maximum efficiency could be a lifeline for many packaging manufacturers. We believe passionately in the power of training, which is why we have maintained a Training Centre and a team of process trainers in the UK for the past 15 years. We are delighted to be able to help BPIF Cartons members make the most of those resources,” said Mike Rice.
To access the courses, BPIF Cartons members can contact Bobst Group through Judy Bennett on 01527 519729, judy.bennett@bobstgroup.com, or they can make contact via their BPIF North East regional office. Carton makers who are not BPIF Cartons members, or commercial printers who manufacture some cartons as part of their work mix, can join the special interest group via the BPIF North East regional office.
Details of areas where grants may be available to fund or part-fund attendance on the courses are available from BPIF regional offices.
18th March 2010
18th March 2010
