Thimm's strategic investment of €10m in its Tychy, Poland facilities underscores a significant advancement in manufacturing prowess. The deployment of a cutting-edge converting machine, coupled with the creation of additional production space following the erection of new manufacturing halls, heralds a notable improvement in the site's production capabilities.

The year 2023 witnessed an extensive expansion of the plant. "Our ongoing investment strategy underscores our commitment to bolstering production capacity across the Group. We are intensely focused on meeting our customers' needs, aspiring to evolve alongside them, especially in the Eastern European sector," Kornelius Thimm, CEO, elucidates. "Enhancing our Tychy plant aligns with this vision. Introducing the Göpfert 16/28 HBL converting line not only amplifies the plant's processing throughput but also its operational efficiency, product quality, and safety standards. Capable of churning out approximately 10,000 sheets per hour, this upgrade has elevated the Tychy facility's annual output from 130 to 165 million sqm of corrugated board." The apparatus's proficiency in accommodating large-scale formats up to 2.8m wide, particularly for pre-printed corrugated sheets, amplifies Thimm's dedication to digital printing excellence. "The Göpfert machine is pivotal in refining our digital pre-print processing, achieving die-cut precision that meets our clients' high-quality standards," Thimm remarks. An advanced registration system featuring a pre-print camera inspection ensures superior quality control by aligning each sheet perfectly and identifying any discrepancies for immediate removal. Additionally, the integration of dual inking capabilities allows for both single and dual-color printing on packaging materials.

A novel 'mirror' setup was introduced, placing this new line parallel to an existing one to facilitate seamless team communication, as Thimm highlights, "This arrangement allows the operators of both lines to interact effortlessly, enhancing teamwork and productivity."

This line incorporates modern technology that streamlines the preparation of printing and die-cutting operations, significantly trimming setup times for switching orders, thus enabling swifter processing and reduced lead times for clients. "This innovation greatly enhances operational convenience and safety, allowing ground-level tool changes," Thimm points out. Before launching this line in summer 2023, the plant underwent substantial preparatory work, including installing essential connections, upgrading adjacent lines, and relocating a flat-bed die-cutter to the Thimm facility in Skarbimierz to boost production capacity and diversify the machine portfolio.

Additionally, two new structures were erected at the Tychy location. One, with the capacity to store 1,300 sqm of corrugated board, aims to refine production scheduling and expedite deliveries. The other, spanning 1,800 sqm, is designed to house a gluing center to augment e-commerce packaging capabilities. Future plans include enhancing plant efficiency through increased automation in storage and intralogistics to streamline operations further.

Thimm concludes, "This latest production line is a crucial, forward-thinking enhancement to our Tychy operations. Through meticulous planning and our team's unwavering dedication, we've ensured uninterrupted production during this transition. This expansion is a vital milestone in our strategic growth, enabling us to offer our clients a broader array of prompt, high-quality, and customized product solutions."