Added value through cooperation

Even if some company CEOs would prefer differently: Nobody can be the market leader in everything. Some companies therefore enter into cooperations to be able to offer their customers more comprehensive and adapted solutions. Around 86,000 cooperations outside the proprietary business group have been noted by the EU Statistical Office since 2020, involving small and medium-sized enterprises within the EU. The example of Koch Pac-Systeme and Zahoransky shows the details of how such a cooperation can work.

The mechanical engineering company Koch Pac-Systeme, headquartered in Pfalzgrafenweiler in Germany, specialises among other things in producing blister machines for the pharmaceutical, hygiene and cosmetics sectors. Zahoransky AG meanwhile specialises in machines that produce packaging for toothbrushes and other personal care articles. Not only does the physical proximity of both companies from the Black Forest suggest cooperation, they also service similar product areas.

Customers can now acquire the Zahoransky Z.Pack 4 | 5 from Koch Pac-Systeme – a modular full blister machine with four or five meters of chain – and vice versa, Zahoransky has now integrated the model series KDT – a rotary table machine for small and medium-size batches – as well as KBS blister machines with high packaging capacity into their portfolio. In this way, their shared competence in the fields of applied technology and automation is to come together. The cooperation makes it possible to technically adjust the machines to each other, which would be difficult to achieve when buying separately. Especially concerning cardboard mono-material blisters – which are very sought-after right now due to their sustainability and ability to be recycled – the Koch machines complement the Zahoransky portfolio.

The rotary table machine KDT is especially suited for packaging small and medium batch sizes, equipped with four sealing tools and one sealing unit for thermal sealing. In the variant “medplus”, the machine is also suited for use in the healthcare sector. In the KBS series, by contrast, the sealing pallet of the KS-PT and the blister machine KBS-PT meet expectations thanks to their flexibility when changing formats, as only individual formatting parts need to be changed, not the entire set. They are intended for use with high batch numbers. The KBS-PL and the KBS-PT can also manufacture the cyclePac mono-material packaging with 100 percent recyclability.

On the other hand, the Zahoransky machines Z.Pack 4 | 5 which are now also available through Koch are suitable for all standard full blisters, says the company. The series is characterised by its modular build, which offers companies a great degree of freedom when designing their blisters, for example placing labels on the front, perforation, embossing, printing and more. Contactless feeding reduces machine downtimes. The areas of application for these machines range from standalone machines to integration into fully automated packaging lines. The formable materials are PVC, PET or PLA film, and for the covering working materials, cardboard, “Tyvek”, aluminium as well as PET and PVC films can be used.

Both companies profit from this. “Technically and commercially, too, Koch is our perfect partner. Koch has a modern, comprehensive product portfolio, which offers solutions to the challenges posed by the environment, the climate and sustainability. To reach this level for blister packaging machines for cardboard mono-material packaging, we would have had to make massive investments into development. We can now use this volume for our core business areas", says Robert Dous, Managing Director Zahoransky Automation & Molds and Chief Sales Officer Zahoransky Group. Harald Jung, chairman of the board and CEO of Koch Pac-Systeme, adds: “We are proud that Zahoransky has chosen our product portfolio, which is leading in technology. It offers the best solution to fulfil current and future requirements regarding the environment, the climate and sustainability.”

Business cooperations can be a reasonable and efficient way especially for small and medium-sized enterprises to add to and complement their own portfolio, without investing unreasonable sums into research and development. Not only do the cooperating partners profit from this, in the end so do their customers.