Rotary tooling specialist Rotometal, based in Poland, has expanded its product range with Eco CRO Sleeves GF, a new line of print cylinders manufactured using naturally derived or recycled materials. The company, which experienced rapid growth last year, hints at Australia and New Zealand as its next focus region.

Its newly expanded portfolio includes Composite Rotometal Sleeves (CRO), which are modern, ultra-light printing cylinders made of composite materials that can be combined with aluminium, as well as other plastics like PET, polyurethane, or polyester, using modern techniques to build all layers of the cylinder.

ECO CRO Sleeves GF takes Rotometal’s existing composite print cylinders and replaces the standard honeycomb volumetric layer material with 100 per cent rPET, while the base layer features a high-performance green-epoxy resin that contains 28 per cent of its molecular structure derived from plant origin.

Rotometal recently showcased its products at Labelexpo Southeast Asia in Bangkok, where its products received positive reviews.

“ECO CRO Sleeves, which include recycled PET plastic for its core layer and a green-technology resin, drove significant interest to our stand at Labelexpo,” Rotometal commercial director Agnieszka Przybysz-Andrasz said.

“There is an increasing number of customers asking for and trying to explore technologies that can reduce their environmental impact.

“If we were to single out the one product that was the most popular, it would have to be our Aluminium Magnetic Cylinders made of aerospace-grade aluminium. They are up to 50 per cent lighter than conventional, steel-based, magnetic cylinders. 

“We had both types on the stand side by side. This meant customers could touch and lift them back-to-back, highlighting the weight difference. It’s important to customers in the region, with the weight reducing transport costs and making it easier to handle in the factory.”

The company is completing the latest expansion of its manufacturing facilities in Poland, increasing production capacity and enabling the business to continue widening its offering with additional wide-web cylinders and more innovations.

“We are also working on developing new markets. We already have an excellent base in Southeast Asia which will give us a great starting point as we move into Australia and New Zealand, our next focus region,” Przybysz-Andrasz added.