Overwrapping Chosen for New Style of Tobacco Product

Marden Edwards has just completed the installation of a number of overwrapping systems being used to wrap an innovative product from Imperial Tobacco, West Quickies XL.

The overwrappers form part of the new production lines at the Imperial Tobacco Reemtsma plant where the new style of cigarette is being produced. Quickies are 180mm long tobacco rods that can be trimmed by the consumer to any length required, thereby using a smaller amount of amount tobacco if only a quick smoke is wanted.

Marden Edwards has been responsible both for the overwrapping systems used to wrap the individual packs and the collating and wrapping machines used to produce the five carton distribution packs.

A combination of new and existing machinery has been used on the lines. The individual pack wrappers are new and feature the latest site controls standards, whilst a number of existing cigarette collating and wrapping machines have been refurbished, bringing them back to an as-new condition. In addition the infeeds have been changed to fit in with the new line layout.

As with all Marden Edwards equipment, the machines supplied are extremely versatile and are suitable for rapid change over from one size to another. Not only is each machine configured to wrap and collate either of the two production sizes but they can cope with any size changes that may be needed in the future to meet as yet unknown requirements.

Dirk Huckebrink, the Project Manager responsible for the installation, says, 'We were very happy with the rapid response from Marden Edwards who were able to supply the new equipment and re-furbish the existing machinery exactly to our specifications and within the required timescales.  As a result we have a good combination of efficient machines that represent value for money and are backed by high quality on site service'.