This article originally appeared in Sign Africa.

Midcomp recently installed the first Zünd S3 L1200 digital cutter configured with automatic loading and stacking ability in Africa at Creative Graphics International (CGI). This is CGI’s third Zünd machine.

CGI is an automotive OEM accredited plant in Ottery, Cape Town, and produces badges and branding for all major global automotive OEM’s, trucks and leisure vehicles. Due to Covid-19 and the alarming shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical, military, police and retail staff, CGI decided to temporarily refocus operations to support the national effort to secure PPE for those that need it.

‘We received permission to ‘unlock’ our plant on 27 March to support this humble cause,’ said operations director Franklin Moses, ‘Given the scale and sophistication of the factory, we could easily start with production using our Zünd machines.’

‘CGI has been using Zünd machines for 20 years, not only in our South African plant, but also our UK plants,’ added Moses. ‘We have been using the P-Series (first generation), L-Series, G-Series and now the new S3 L1200 with automatic feeding unit, which is the first in Africa.’ The new cutter has been praised for its high speed, as well as its accurate and automated cutting.

Moses said it was not possible to tool up during Lockdown Level 5 due to the fact that all of their suppliers were closed. Fortunately, they were well stocked with raw materials and had the capacity to manufacture high quality face shields and other PPU products during this time.

With the advantage to support the urgent demand, the company had the capacity to produce from about 10,000 face shields, masks and other PPE products per day up until it could resume more fully and produce about 100,000 units per day on its Zünd cutters.