Hovat Folkestone Invests in New Doy Pouch Machinery

Kent-based flexible printer Hovat has expanded its capabilities with the installation of a state-of-the-art Stand-Up Pouch Making Machine. The model, KTSS-SZ600, manufactured by the KETE Group, can produce a wide range of packaging formats including three-side seal bags, stand-up pouches, zipper bags and paper pouches.

The £100,000+ investment has been commissioned at Hovat’s Folkestone site.  Over the past 15 months, Hovat has built a new partnership with KETE to bring this technology to the Business.

The Folkestone facility offers 32,000 sq. ft. of production space, housing offset litho flexo presses, laminators, slitters and plate-making equipment. Its sister site in Maidstone, established over 50 years ago, continues to run reel-to-reel flexible packaging, label production and bag manufacturing for direct food contact materials. Both operations sit under the Grafham Holdings Group.

Keith Haines, Head of Operations for both sites, explained:

“Our Maidstone site has decades of expertise in printing reel-to-reel flexible packaging, labels and food-grade bag production. Folkestone has always been a little more niche in its offering, and the new pouching machine complements that. This investment marks our entry into a new market.  We continue to supply our core products - printed reels to co-packers for VFFS and shrink sleeving.  Growing customer demand led us to bring finished pouching in-house rather than outsourcing.

Maintaining our BRCGS AA certification while offering sustainable packaging is increasingly important. A lot of finished pouches currently come in from the Far East—manufacturing them here helps customers meet their Net Zero and sustainability goals.”

The machine was installed in early September, with staff fully trained by the manufacturer. It is now producing its first commercial pouches.

Hovat, now a £20m+ turnover business with more than 100 employees across 68,000 sq. ft. of production, is planning further investment. Haines confirmed that a new embossing machine is scheduled for installation in the coming months, with a second pouching line also under consideration to meet anticipated demand.

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