Adara Pakkaus starts production with MHI EVOL 100

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries EMEA has completed the installation and start-up of a four-colour EVOL 100 flexo folder gluer at Adara Pakkaus in Finland, expanding the corrugated packaging producer’s high-speed printing and converting capabilities.

The project marks two milestones for MHI: it is the first EVOL commissioned in Finland and the first machine from the range equipped with a Dual Slotter system in the Nordic region.

Production reaches up to 350 boxes per minute

The EVOL 100 is capable of operating at maximum speeds of up to 350 boxes per minute. The line is equipped with MHI’s MPF-M pre-feeder, Dual Slotter and Mitsubishi Box Slitter, creating an integrated system for high-volume corrugated box production.

Using the Dual Slotter configuration, Adara can produce two boxes simultaneously from a single sheet, allowing output to reach as much as 42,000 boxes per hour. MHI says this production rate is already being achieved routinely during commercial operation.

Dual Slotter expands production flexibility

The ability to process two boxes simultaneously is particularly relevant for smaller formats, where conventional one-up production may not make full use of available machine width.

By dividing the sheet into two production lanes, the Dual Slotter can increase throughput while maintaining efficient material utilisation and allowing converters to process a broader mix of corrugated box sizes.

Adara targets a wider range of packaging formats

Adara Pakkaus selected the EVOL after evaluating equipment capable of covering an unusually broad product portfolio, ranging from smaller miniline boxes to medium and larger midline formats.

The company identified the combination of speed, format flexibility and converting capability as a key factor in its investment decision, allowing the same production platform to serve customers with different packaging dimensions and volume requirements.

Installation moves rapidly into commercial production

According to MHI, installation and commissioning progressed smoothly, with Adara completing its final acceptance test shortly after the initial performance trials.

Commercial production began immediately after sign-off, reducing the transition period between equipment installation and full manufacturing operation.

Operator usability remains part of automation strategy

High-speed corrugated equipment increasingly needs to combine productivity with straightforward operation as converters manage more formats, shorter lead times and growing pressure on skilled labour availability.

Adara reports positive feedback from operators regarding both usability and machine performance, suggesting that automation and high throughput do not necessarily need to increase production complexity.

Corrugated converting continues to demand higher throughput

The investment reflects a wider trend across corrugated packaging production, where converters are seeking equipment capable of handling high volumes while retaining enough flexibility to accommodate greater SKU diversity and changing customer requirements.

Integrated pre-feeding, flexographic printing, slotting, folding and gluing can reduce intermediate handling while improving consistency across the complete converting process.

MHI strengthens its position in the Nordic market

For Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the installation provides a new reference for the EVOL platform in Northern Europe and introduces its Dual Slotter technology to the Nordic market for the first time.

With commercial production now underway, the Adara installation demonstrates how high-speed flexo folder gluers can combine output, automation and format flexibility as corrugated converters look to increase productivity without limiting the range of packaging they can manufacture.