Interview with the president of KELLER in the August issue of the monthly "Opakowanie"
Below we present an interview in which the president of Keller printing for industry talks about the beginnings of our company, printing machines, industrial printing technologies and development plans.
Good because Polish: the success story of Keller Poligrafia for Industry
In this issue of the monthly magazine "Opakowanie," we'd like to introduce readers to a company that manufactures printing machines for industrial applications, including packaging printing. We speak with Piotr Rogacki, CEO and co-owner of Keller Poligrafia dla Przemysłu.
Keller is a family business with Polish capital and a perfect example of the idea that you can succeed in the highly specialized technology market without importing Western know-how. Please tell us about its history.
Piotr RogackiMy father laid the solid foundations for the Keller company, which we see today, in 1999, by manufacturing silicone pads for pad printing, and a few months later, adding a pre-press facility for pad printing matrices and screens. The company, managed by my parents, began with two employees. Thanks to the hard work of a small staff and high-quality products, the company began conquering the local market. The timing was right, as many new printing houses and companies were established immediately after the political transformation.
A year after launching, our small family business expanded with additional full-time employees and a new division – printing machinery sales. At that time, I was completing my mechanical engineering studies at Poznań University of Technology, while simultaneously working at a plastics processing company as a designer and new project implementer. At this stage of my professional development, I was, in a sense, spontaneously integrated into the family business, while still working as a full-time designer at various companies.
As co-CEO, I had a significant influence on the most important decision in the company's history: the construction of our first proprietary machine. Thus, in addition to selling machines with standard parameters and capabilities, we began offering our own solutions, far exceeding the standards of off-the-shelf machines. Initially, these were screen printing and pad printing machines, but after some time, we also began designing hot stamping equipment.
You specialize in manufacturing machinery for numerous industrial sectors. What role does the broader packaging industry play in your business?
PRPackaging printing machines accounted for approximately 40% of total production in 2016. These are our proprietary machine design solutions for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, alcohol, and food industries. They are often used to produce the most prestigious packaging for premium products, as they are most often decorated using hot stamping and screen printing technologies.
Despite humble beginnings, consistent investment in the development of proprietary technologies has led your company to its current success. What does Keller Printing for Industry look like in 2017?
PRRecent years, particularly 2016 and the current year, have seen Keller experience very dynamic growth. Machine production has increased by several dozen percent year-on-year. These results would not have been possible without our highly qualified staff. Today, Keller employs over 50 people across a wide range of professions: machine designers, automation engineers, electricians, precision mechanics, milling engineers, sales engineers, printing technicians, graphic ink mixers, and print plate and silicone pad prep workers. Complementing this excellent team is the accounting and human resources department.
We rely on three technologies: hot stamping, screen printing, and pad printing, but not only that. In addition to printing machines, we design, build, and implement equipment for automating industrial production processes. A good example is the recently completed device that collects and packages printed parts, which are then transferred to a storage robot. All our products are tailor-made solutions, created with a specific client and their production line in mind. We can adapt our machines to the specific part being produced and the specifics of the production facility. The next stage of production is installation of the device at the customer's premises. The sale includes the complete technology and training, along with the necessary accessories and tools. After commissioning, the machine is covered by a warranty period and, optionally, remote monitoring. The contract also includes periodic inspections and maintenance.
So you adhere to the standards of the best global companies operating in this market. Do your products also compare favorably with their offerings?
PRThe quality and reliability of our machines, as well as their extensive functionality, are key to Keller's growth. Naturally, the market forces us to continually improve to compete with European companies. Pharmaceutical and food manufacturers are particularly demanding customers. They require numerous certifications—from the smallest machine components to the health of our employees.
When it comes to the innovations used in our production, we boast a unique machine for double-sided printing on painkillers and a highly efficient machine for hot stamping alcohol caps. We've also implemented our proprietary innovative solutions in a unique 5-axis pad printing machine for printing shoe soles and wedges – but these are outside the packaging industry.
Our designers can adapt printing processes and machine design to the client's specific production processes, occurring just prior to printing. This means seamlessly integrating the printing machine into an existing production line. An example is the screen printing machine from June 2017, adapted to a large line producing cosmetics packaging in several sizes and shapes. I can honestly say that we are the only supplier of this type of proprietary solution in the Polish market, confidently competing with European manufacturers. Our flexibility and inventiveness are undoubtedly unique in the European market.
Keller does not limit itself to manufacturing equipment, as it also represents internationally renowned paint and material manufacturers.
PRWe aim to be a comprehensive supplier, so in addition to machines, we offer literally everything needed for their proper and optimal operation. These include graphic inks for screen printing and pad printing, foils and dies for hot stamping, silicone pads, and printing plate preparation for screen printing and pad printing. We are one of the few companies offering screen printing screen preparation with frames over 5 meters long made of specially profiled aluminum. The range of inks and varnishes I mentioned earlier is high-quality products supplied by Proell and Sericom, for which we are the Polish representative. In 2016, we expanded our offerings and, in addition to the ink mixing and printing plate preparation facilities, established a hot stamping plate preparation facility. These precision devices, designed and built by our engineers, are ready to produce metal and silicone dies, both flat and rotary.
What are your plans for the near future? Where are the opportunities for further expansion and development of the company?
PRKeller's expansion plans include expanding into Western Europe. This is supported by ongoing discussions with potential partners who are willing to represent our company in their local markets. In recent months, we also began discussions with a partner from the United States. Next year, we plan to move to a new, modern production facility. This is dictated by the assumption that we will be able to assemble up to 10 machines simultaneously. By mid-2018, we plan to increase our workforce to 60 people.
Our long-term goals include increasing sales of our products and services abroad, exploring new markets, and acquiring new customers. We are also seriously considering intensifying our research and development efforts, which will be supported by the planned construction of our own facility. materials laboratory.
Thank you for the conversation.
Interviewed by Tomasz Krawczak
The interview was published in the monthly magazine "Opakowanie" No. 8/2017