Mold Builder Zahoransky, Koch Establish Cooperation for Personal Care Sector

Effective immediately, German-based mold builder Zahoransky and Koch Pac-Systeme have agreed to work closely together in the blister packaging sector, in terms of technology and sales. This new cooperation focuses on providing sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging solutions in the personal care sector.

To achieve this, the Koch model series KDT and KBS will be integrated into the Zahoransky portfolio, while the Zahoransky Z.Pack 4 | 5 machines will be available from Koch. This combined portfolio will provide comprehensive market coverage for the demand for plastic and, in particular, mono-material cardboard blisters, according to the partners.

“From the first idea to the implementation of this cooperation, we worked together in a spirit of trust and with the same objectives,” Robert Dous, managing director of Zahoransky Automation and Molds, and chief sales officer of Zahoransky Group, says. 

“They [Koch] have a modern and extensive product range that offers suitable solutions for environmental, climate and sustainability challenges.”

According to Dous, customers from the personal care sector will benefit from the new cooperation on two levels: With Koch, they have at their disposal the industry benchmark for sustainable, sales-enhancing blister packaging solutions. Zahoransky, on the other hand, is a supplier of manufacturing systems for the automated and highly efficient production of toothbrushes and other personal care products. “The two companies’ cultures, technological competencies and customer orientation are both exemplary,” Harald Jung, chairman of the management board and CEO of Koch Pac-Systeme GmbH, adds.

Dous sees further advantages in the cooperation: “Koch is also the perfect partner for us from a technical and commercial perspective,” he explains. “They have a modern and extensive product range that offers suitable solutions for environmental, climate and sustainability challenges. In order to reach this level in blister packaging machines for mono-material cardboard packaging, we would have had to invest heavily in development. We can now use this capacity for our core business areas.”

The KDT turntable machine, for example, is reported to be particularly suitable for the cost-effective packaging of consumer goods in small-to-medium-sized quantities. The standard version includes a turntable with four sealing tools and a sealing unit for thermal sealing. As a GMP-compliant turntable machine, the compact KDT “medplus” system can also be used for sensitive products in the healthcare sector. Depending on the packaging material, shape and sealing time, the system has an output of 12 strokes/minute.

When maximum flexibility in terms of material, format and batch size is required, Koch suggests that the KBS is the model series of choice. The sealing pallets of the KS-PT and the KBS-PT blister machine can be changed quickly — when switching formats, only the individual format parts need to be changed, not the complete set. The KS-PL sealing machine and the KBS-PL blister machine with linear pallet transport are efficient at packing long runs of the same or similar products. In addition, the environmentally friendly cyclePac single-material packaging with 100% reusability can be used with the KBS-PL and KBS-PT. 

The Z.Pack 4 | 5 packaging machines are suitable for all standard complete blisters. Thanks to their modular design, companies are able to enjoy a particularly high degree of flexibility in blister design, such as labeling on the front, perforation, embossing, printing and more, according to Zahoransky. Semi- and fully automatic options for product infeed ensure high machine performance and efficiency. In addition, the touch-free infeed reduces the error rate and machine downtime. Planned changeover times can also be significantly shortened. The cutting tools are highly durable and are also compatible with all Z.Pack machines.

The Z.Pack 4 | 5 can be used in a wide variety of applications, from use as a standalone machine to integration into fully automated packaging lines. PVC, PET or PLA film can be used as forming materials while cardboard, “Tyvek,” aluminum, PET and PVC film can be used as cover materials.