Kazakh Packaging Group Orders Three Additional ZR-450SP Units Following 18 Months of Proven Performance

Zray has shipped a second batch of three ZR-450SP single piece carton forming machines to a major packaging group in Kazakhstan, marking a significant repeat order that validates the reliability and performance of Zray’s equipment in Central Asian production environments. The shipment, dispatched in April 2026, follows the successful operation of two initial ZR-450SP units delivered in September 2024.

The customer operates seven packaging facilities across Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, serving the food, beverage, and consumer goods sectors. The initial order of two machines was placed as a pilot deployment, intended to evaluate Zray’s equipment against the group’s incumbent European suppliers. The evaluation period was originally planned for 12 months but was extended to 18 months to collect comprehensive data across seasonal production demands.

“This repeat order is particularly significant because it represents a competitive displacement,” said Zray’s Regional Sales Manager for Central Asia. “The customer had been sourcing carton forming equipment exclusively from European manufacturers for over a decade. Their decision to place a follow-on order with Zray demonstrates that our machines have proven themselves in sustained industrial operation.”

Performance During Evaluation Period

The two initial ZR-450SP machines operated in a two-shift pattern, each accumulating approximately 5,400 production hours over the 18-month evaluation period. Key performance data includes:

• Total Cartons Produced: 8.7 million across both machines
• Average Availability: 97.8%
• Scrap Rate: 0.31%, compared to 0.95% on the facility’s European-made machines
• Unscheduled Maintenance Events: 7 across both machines over 18 months—averaging one event every 1,540 machine-hours
• Spare Parts Cost per 1,000 Cartons: EUR 0.074, 41% below the customer’s fleet average

During the evaluation period, the machines processed 18 different carton formats, ranging from simple tuck-end boxes for dry food products to crash-lock bottom cartons for beverage multi-packs. Format changeover time averaged 14 minutes across all 18 formats, with the shortest changeover recorded at 9 minutes.

The customer’s Production Director stated: “What impressed us most was not any single performance metric, but the consistency across all of them. Our European machines deliver excellent peak performance but tend to degrade between service intervals. The Zray machines maintained their initial performance level throughout the entire 18-month period, which gave us confidence to expand the fleet.”

Expanded Order and Service Infrastructure

The second batch of three ZR-450SP machines includes several enhancements based on feedback collected during the evaluation period:

• Upgraded Infeed Magazine: Increased capacity from 500 to 700 blanks to reduce operator loading frequency during high-speed runs
• Enhanced Dust Extraction: An integrated extraction hood at the forming station to manage board dust in the facility’s dry climate conditions
• Russian-Language HMI: Full operator interface localization, including alarm messages and maintenance instructions
• Extended Environmental Operating Range: Validated for operation at ambient temperatures up to 42 °C, reflecting summer conditions in the customer’s non-climate-controlled facilities

To support the expanded installed base, Zray has entered into an agreement with a regional industrial equipment service provider based in Almaty. The partner maintains a consignment stock of critical spare parts and provides first-line technical support with a guaranteed 24-hour on-site response for the customer’s Kazakh facilities. Zray’s Hangzhou engineering team provides second-line support via remote diagnostic connectivity.

Future Outlook

The Kazakh packaging group operates a total of 28 carton forming machines across its seven facilities. The group’s equipment replacement program targets machines older than 10 years for phased retirement. According to the customer’s capital expenditure plan, up to eight additional machines are scheduled for replacement over the next three years.

Zray views this repeat order as a strategic entry point into the broader Central Asian packaging machinery market, which has traditionally been served by European and Turkish manufacturers. The company is currently in discussions with two additional packaging groups in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, both of which have referenced the Kazakh customer’s positive experience during preliminary negotiations.