packaging  appointments  JPE 
The NSW division of the Junior Printing Executives Association took members on the latest of its regular plant tours in late April, visiting NCI Packaging in Sydney in what was an interesting, if not loud, insight into metal can production. NCI Packaging, which has an annual turnover of $200m with plants across Australia and New Zealand, supply highly decorated coated and plain tinplate and aluminium cans for local and international packaging manufacturers.

Printing takes place at the recently opened Glendenning facility on a Metalstar inline sheetfed press, which prints using UV inks and varnish at speeds up to 8000sph. Tin-coated steel sheets are supplied from BHP, where they are cut down into manageable sheets, with multiple units printed on each sheet.

The tour took place at the Thornleigh manufacturing plant, where the printed sheets are cut down into single units, welded and fitted with the appropriate tops and bases. The empty cans are then shipped to such packers as SC Johnson and Dulux for filling.