Akarton BV adds two AOPACK box making machines in the Netherlands

Akarton BV has expanded its production facility in Venlo, the Netherlands, with two new AOPACK box making machines: a BM3000-HD and a BM1800-Mini.

Both machines have already been installed by the customer and put into production. The investment gives Akarton additional capacity and flexibility for short-run, customized and on-demand corrugated box production.

What makes this project particularly interesting is that Akarton’s technical team completed the initial installation independently and had already started processing production orders before contacting AOPACK for technical assistance.

Expanding flexible and on-demand box production

Founded in 1988, Akarton BV develops and manufactures customized corrugated packaging for customers in industries including manufacturing, logistics, food, medical products and e-commerce.

The company operates its own packaging development and production facilities in Venlo and produces both small and large quantities of customized corrugated packaging.

In its LinkedIn announcement, Akarton explained that the two new AOPACK machines would help increase production capacity and flexibility.

• The customer highlighted several benefits of the investment:
• Faster order processing and shorter lead times
• More flexible on-demand box production
• Consistent processing quality and precision
• More possibilities for customized packaging designs
• Reduced material waste through right-sized packaging

The BM3000-HD and BM1800-Mini provide Akarton with two complementary production platforms for handling different corrugated board sizes, box structures and production requirements.

BM3000-HD with advanced cutting, printing and gluing functions

The AOPACK BM3000-HD is designed for large-format and heavy-duty corrugated board processing.

It integrates multiple processes—including feeding, slotting, slitting, creasing and cross cutting—into one automated box production system.

Akarton’s BM3000-HD includes an extensive configuration:

The dual vibrating knives allow the machine to cut irregular shapes such as diagonal lines, angles and curves. The additional creasing tools installed beside the vibrating knives can process irregular crease lines according to the digital box design.

With two flexographic printing units, selected printing requirements can be integrated directly into the box production workflow. The cold-glue system also allows adhesive to be applied during corrugated board processing.

QR code scanning provides a convenient way for operators to identify production orders and access the corresponding job information.

This combination gives Akarton greater flexibility when producing customized corrugated packaging with different dimensions, structures, printing requirements and order quantities.

Compact and flexible BM1800-Mini

Alongside the BM3000-HD, Akarton has also installed an AOPACK BM1800-Mini.

The BM1800-Mini is a compact automatic box making machine developed for flexible short-run and on-demand corrugated box production.

Akarton’s BM1800-Mini is equipped with:

The dual vibrating knife configuration expands the machine’s ability to process customized cutting paths and irregular box structures. Cold-glue application and QR code scanning further simplify the production workflow for frequently changing orders.

Its compact design also makes the BM1800-Mini suitable for flexible production environments where floor space and fast order changeovers are important.

Akarton independently completed the initial installation

An unusual aspect of this project was how quickly the two machines entered production.

After the equipment arrived in Venlo, Akarton’s technical team unloaded and installed the BM3000-HD and BM1800-Mini independently, without first requesting installation guidance from AOPACK.

The customer then began using the machines for actual production orders.

After independently completing the installation and starting production, Akarton contacted AOPACK’s technical service team for further guidance on several advanced processing functions. AOPACK promptly provided remote technical support, helping the operators become familiar with these functions and resolve the related processing questions.

The successful independent installation reflects both the technical experience of Akarton’s team and the highly integrated design of the AOPACK machines.

The next stage of the project

A customized automatic feeding and automatic box collecting system has also been ordered for the BM3000-HD.

This additional equipment is currently in transit and will form the next stage of the project. After it arrives at Akarton’s facility, AOPACK’s after-sales team will travel to Venlo to complete the on-site installation and commissioning.

The two main box making machines are already in production, while the additional automated handling system will further expand the overall level of production automation after installation.

Supporting Akarton’s continued growth

The addition of the BM3000-HD and BM1800-Mini represents another step in Akarton’s continued investment in production capacity, packaging innovation and customer responsiveness.

By combining a large-format BM3000-HD with a compact BM1800-Mini, Akarton can respond more flexibly to different corrugated packaging requirements while supporting short lead times and on-demand production.

AOPACK will continue supporting Akarton as the next stage of the project is completed.

This article was originally published by AOPACK.