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Swanline Group has connected its full machine portfolio to the BOBST Connect digital platform, reportedly the first company in the world to do so
Swanline Group, a UK-based trade-only supplier of paper-based materials that offers print and conversion services to the packaging and point of sale (POS) sectors, has become the first company in the world to implement the BOBST Connect platform across its machine portfolio.
BOBST Connect combines data and digital services into a single connected platform, designed to provide a real-time overview and management of a company’s production process.
The platform, which integrates raw machine data to improve printing and packaging productivity, aims to facilitate improved planning, more informed decision-making, and faster and more effective intervention.
The BOBST Connect package offers priority remote technical support including video-enabled assistance, designed to help diagnose faults and issues faster.
As a cloud-based platform, users can connect to the system through any internet-enabled device and can be implemented across BOBST and non-BOBST machines alike.
Swanline’s integration of Connect includes both BOBST and non-BOBST equipment. The company has connected its two BOBST VISIONCUT 1.6 die-cutters and EXPERTFOLD 165 folder-gluer, along with a BOBST laminator and a non-BOBST die-cutter.
Two of the company’s oldest machines have reportedly also been retrofitted with BOBST technology, enabling the machines’ analogue signal to be translated into digital data.
In addition, Swanline has added energy monitoring tools to two of its connected machines, enabling the production team to correlate energy usage with production data.
Chris Brown, managing director of Swanline Group, says: “By capturing and interpreting data across a broader range of equipment, we’ll be able to optimise processes that were once based purely on experience or assumption.
“It’s a big step toward building a more connected, responsive, and data-informed manufacturing environment. This opens up exciting potential to bring a new level of intelligence to areas of the business that previously operated without that kind of visibility.”
The BOBST Connect platform was chosen as part Swanline’s broader strategy to drive smarter, more efficient, and data-led manufacturing across the business.
The company posits that as a trade-only supplier, its customers rely on it to deliver with precision, consistency, and speed, and that having clear visibility over production data is essential to achieving that.
Brown continues: “Ultimately, our decision to adopt BOBST Connect is about staying ahead, giving our teams the information they need to work more efficiently, more precisely, and with greater confidence.”
Paul Stevenson, digital performance solutions manager for Northern Europe at BOBST, says: “The data can be literally in the palm of your hand, any time you need it.
“Swanline’s implementation of BOBST Connect across both BOBST and non-BOBST machines marks a significant milestone – not just for BOBST, but for the industry as a whole. This is the first time our platform has been deployed across a mixed equipment portfolio, proving that true digital integration is possible regardless of machine type or age.
Speaking about BOBST’s vision, Stevenson adds: “It reflects our vision of shaping a packaging industry where data flows freely, processes are transparent, and decisions are driven by insight. We are proud to support Swanline as pioneers in this transformation.”
