JBF-RAK LLC, a joint venture between JBF Industries of Mumbai, India, and Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority in United Arab Emirates, contracts for three primary and four secondary Atlas slitter/rewinders, together with roll-handling systems and a 96.5-in.-wide General K5000 vacuum metallizer from the Bobst Group (www.bobstgroup.com).

The deal to expand JBF-RAK's BOPET-film operation is valued at about $12 million. The machines will be installed in phases, Bobst says, and will be in full production in the second half of 2007, turning out film for packaging and high-end industrial applications. The converter's output is largely for export to the US, Europe, China and other parts of Asia.

The Atlas primary slitter/rewinders (top)—two 28.5-ft-wide and one 13.8-ft-wide—are center-wide type with advanced computer controls, automatic or manual knife and rewind-arm positioning. They will process film with rewind diameters up to 48 in. The secondary slitter/rewinders, including two Atlas CW800 machines, will be used for narrower-width slitting of both plain and metallized films.

The General K5000 metallizer (above) features an advanced web-winding mechanism using larger-diameter rolls at high coating speeds with a 24-in.-dia. coating drum to improve output by up to 50 percent compared to more traditional metallizers, Bobst says.