Machines and systems for flexible packaging – from film extrusion through printing to bag and sack production
Windmöller & Hölscher Maschinenfabrik (W&H Group)
Lengerich (DE) · Lincoln, RI (US) · Amsterdam (NL) · New Delhi (IN) · Bangkok (TH) · São Paulo (BR)New on Amplifa
About the W&H Group
Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) is a family-owned company founded in Lengerich in 1869 and one of the world's leading manufacturers of machines and systems for the production of flexible packaging. The portfolio includes film extrusion lines (blown film and cast film lines including MDO stretching technology), flexo and gravure printing presses, and converting machines for bags and paper sacks; the subsidiary GARANT specializes in small paper bag machines. Materials processed include plastic films, paper and composites, among them PE film, OPP, MDO-PE, barrier and mono-material films. Customers come from food and beverages, cosmetics, chemicals, pet food, building materials, medical packaging and e-commerce; W&H machines are running in over 130 countries at more than 5,000 customers. At the Lengerich headquarters with a 10,000 m² technology center for extrusion, printing and converting, the Group employs around 3,400 people; in 2025 revenue exceeded €1 billion. In addition to new machines, W&H offers services such as spare parts, retrofits, remote services, training and digital solutions (RUBY IoT, PDE) across the entire machine life cycle.
- Site
- Lengerich
- Processes
- Manufacture of machines and systems for flexible packaging (film extrusion, printing, converting), Film extrusion (blown film and cast film lines), MDO stretching process (Machine Direction Orientation) for mono- and barrier films, CI flexo printing, Gravure printing, Stack-type flexo printing (for woven fabric and paper sack production), Inline printing units (printing, varnish, seal and coating applications), Inline flexo printing for paper bag and carrier bag machines (LINAFLEX NL)
- Materials
- Paper, Plastic films, Composites, PE film (polyethylene), OPP, MDO-PE, Barrier films, Mono-material PE (recyclable)
- Founded
- 1869
- Employees
- approx. 3,400
- Industries
- Flexible packaging (film, paper, composites), Food and beverages, Cosmetics, Chemicals, Pet food, Building materials (cement and construction material sacks)
- 01
Research & development
- 02
Design and engineering
- 03
Manufacturing and assembly of machines
- 04
Testing and commissioning at the technology center
- 05
Sales via subsidiaries and regional offices
- 06
Service, spare parts, retrofits and training across the machine life cycle
Materials and processes
PE film (polyethylene)
Main material for blown film and universal sack production, among others on POLYTEX tubular machines.
MDO-PE (machine-direction-oriented PE film)
Improved tear strength, stiffness and barrier properties through the W&H MDO stretching process.
OPP film
Typical substrate for CI flexo printing and inline printing units.
Barrier films
Multilayer films up to 11 layers for protective and sealing properties in food and medical applications.
Mono-material PE (recyclable)
Recyclable film solutions with barrier coating in the inline printing process.
Paper (sack, carrier bag and sack kraft papers)
Base material for GARANT bag machines and W&H tubular machines for paper sacks.
Composites
Material combinations for flexible packaging with multiple functional layers.
Locations
Lengerich
DEHeadquarters, production, technology center (10,000 m² for extrusion, printing and converting)
- Materials
- Plastic films, paper, composites
- Technology center for extrusion, printing and converting
- FILMEX cast film line
- GARANT bag machines (TRIUMPH, MATADOR, NOVARO)
- CI flexo printing presses (including ONEFLEX, MIRAFLEX II, VISTAFLEX II)
Lincoln, RI
USSubsidiary W&H Corporation (North America, founded 1977)
Amsterdam
NLRegional office Western Europe
New Delhi
INRegional office India
Bangkok
THRegional office Consumer Packaging Division
São Paulo
BRRegional office South America
Machines and systems
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of machines and systems for flexible packaging (film extrusion, printing, converting)Mechanical engineering/Engineering | – | – | – | – | Plastic films, Paper, Composites |
| Film extrusion (blown film and cast film lines)Plastics | – | – | – | – | PE film, Barrier films |
| MDO stretching process (Machine Direction Orientation) for mono- and barrier filmsPlastics | – | 1000 – 3600 mm (film width) | – | – | Cast film, Blown film, Mono-material PE, Barrier films, MDO-PE |
| CI flexo printingSurface | – | Repeat 800/1050 mm (Ultimate up to 1250 × 1000 / 1270 / 1450 / 1650 mm print width | – | – | Flexible packaging films, OPP, MDO-PE, paper |
| Gravure printingSurface | – | – | – | – | Flexible packaging films |
| Stack-type flexo printing (for woven fabric and paper sack production)Surface | – | – | – | – | Woven fabric, Paper sacks, PE film |
| Inline printing units (printing, varnish, seal and coating applications)Surface | – | – | – | – | MDO-PE, OPP, Paper, Solvent-based, water-based, UV and EB inks |
| Inline flexo printing for paper bag and carrier bag machines (LINAFLEX NL)Surface | – | Repeat 250 – 850 mm × 700 / 900 / 1070 / 1200 / 1400 mm | – | – | Paper |
| Production of paper SOS bagsForming | – | Section length 180 – 770 mm × Bag width 60 – 540 mm (depending on | – | – | Paper |
| Production of flat and satchel paper bagsForming | – | Section length 105 – 760 mm × Bag width 60 – 510 mm | – | – | Paper |
| Production of cross-bottom bagsForming | – | Section length 370 – 770 mm × Tube width 220 – 460 mm | – | – | Paper |
| E-commerce shipping bag productionForming | – | Bag length 300 – 760 mm × Bag width 60 – 510 mm | – | – | Paper |
| Side-seam bag productionForming | – | Bag height 250 – 650 mm × Bag width 120 – 800 mm (side seam | – | – | Paper |
| Paper sack production (tubular machines)Forming | – | – | – | – | Paper |
| Carrier bag production with flat handle (Flat Handle Unit 9626 SERVO)Forming | – | Cut-off 240 – 770 mm × Bag width 180 – 460 mm (540 mm) | – | – | Paper (3-ply folded 100–140 g/m², 5-ply 70–90 g/m²), Handle paper 70–120 g/m² |
| Carrier bag production with twisted handle (Twisted Handle Unit SK/SERVO)Forming | – | Cut-off 270 – 770 mm × Bag width 140 – 540 mm (depending on | – | – | Paper (cord material paper), Reinforcement patch paper 90–105 g/m² |
| Web inspection/print inspection (VISION systems, 100% Inspection)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Winding/winding systemsForming | – | – | – | – | Flexible films |
| Material flow and palletizing systems for paper sack linesAssembly | – | – | – | – | Paper sacks |
| Machine modernization (retrofits, upgrades, machine overhaul)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Service, maintenance, upkeep, remote services, 24/7 hotlineEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Training/professional development (W&H Academy)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
45 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CI flexo printing press | W&H ONEFLEX | – | Print width 1000/1270/1450/1650 mm; repeat 800/1050 mm; printing speed 500–600 m/min | – | Lengerich (development) |
| CI flexo printing press | W&H ALPHAFLEX | – | – | – | – |
| CI flexo printing press | W&H MIRAFLEX II | – | – | – | – |
| CI flexo printing press | W&H NOVOFLEX II | – | – | – | – |
| CI flexo printing press (fully automatic, 2 robot systems) | W&H VISTAFLEX II | – | – | – | – |
| Gravure printing press | W&H HELIOSTAR II A | – | – | – | – |
| Gravure printing press | W&H HELIOSTAR II S | – | – | – | – |
| Stack-type flexo printing press | W&H FLEXA II | – | – | – | – |
| Stack-type flexo printing press | W&H FLEXA 820 | – | – | – | – |
| Stack-type flexo printing press | W&H FLEXA 600 | – | – | – | – |
| Stack-type flexo printing press | W&H SERVOTEX | – | – | – | – |
| MDO stretching line | W&H | – | Film width 1000 – 3600 mm; primary speed max. 120 m/min; secondary speed max. 350 m/min; | – | – |
| Cast film line | W&H FILMEX | 1 | – | – | W&H technology center |
| SOS bag machine | GARANT TRIUMPH S | – | Bag width 60–120 mm; bottom width 40–80 mm; section length 180–310 mm | – | Lengerich |
| SOS bag machine | GARANT TRIUMPH 2B | – | Bag width 70–230 mm; bottom width 40–140 mm; section length 200–470 mm | – | Lengerich |
| SOS bag machine | GARANT TRIUMPH 2-T8 | – | Bag width 80–280 mm; bottom width 50–170 mm; section length 250–550 mm | – | Lengerich |
| SOS bag machine | GARANT TRIUMPH 3 MR | – | Bag width 105–320 mm; bottom width 55–180 mm; section length 240–650 mm | – | Lengerich |
| SOS bag machine | GARANT TRIUMPH 3G | – | Bag width 150–320 mm; bottom width 70–200 mm; section length 360–770 mm | – | Lengerich |
| SOS bag machine | GARANT TRIUMPH 5-F6 | – | Bag width 180–460 mm; bottom width 70–255 mm; section length 320–770 mm; roll width max. 1450 | – | Lengerich |
| SOS bag machine | GARANT TRIUMPH 5 XB | – | Bag width 320–540 mm; bottom width 120–350 mm; section length 420–770 mm; roll width max. 1520 | – | Lengerich |
| E-commerce shipping bag machine (SOS bottom) | GARANT Triumph e.BAG | – | Bag width 180–460 mm; bottom width 70–255 mm; section length 320–770 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Flat and satchel bag machine | GARANT MATASIM | – | Bag width 60–280 mm; section length 105–560 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Flat and satchel bag machine | GARANT MATADOR NG | – | Bag width 60–380 mm; section length 160–760 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Flat and satchel bag machine | GARANT MATADOR NSL | – | Bag width 60–510 mm; section length 105–400 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Flat and satchel bag machine | GARANT MATADOR NXB | – | Bag width 60–510 mm; section length 160–760 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Flat and satchel bag machine | GARANT MATADOR Shopper | – | Bag width 60–380 mm; section length 160–760 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Cross-bottom bag machine | GARANT EXTRA 5-FS | – | Tube width 220–460 mm; bottom width 80–190 mm; section length 370–770 mm | – | Lengerich |
| E-commerce shipping bag machine | GARANT MATADOR E.BAG | – | Bag width 60–510 mm; bag length 300–700 mm | – | Lengerich |
| E-commerce shipping bag machine (no-waste design) | GARANT MATADOR e.BAG no waste | – | Bag width 60–510 mm; section length 300–760 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Side-seam bag machine | GARANT NOVARO e.BAG | – | Bag width 120–800 mm; bag height 250–650 mm; side seam 10–15 mm | – | Lengerich |
| Flat handle unit (servo, for TRIUMPH) | GARANT 9626 SERVO | – | Bag width 180–460 mm (540 mm); cut-off 240–770 mm; paper width max. 1500 mm; handle tape width | – | Lengerich |
| Twisted handle unit (servo, for TRIUMPH) | GARANT SK/SERVO Type 9623 / 9621 | – | Bag width 140–360 mm (type 9623) / 220–540 mm (type 9621); cut-off 270–770 mm / 360–770 mm; paper | – | Lengerich |
| Flexo inline printer | GARANT LINAFLEX NL | – | Printing units max. 6; print width 700/900/1070/1200/1400 mm; repeat 250–850 mm; | – | Lengerich |
| Tubular machine for paper sacks | W&H AM 8715 CL | – | – | – | – |
| Tubular machine for paper sacks | W&H AM 8715 | – | – | – | – |
| Tubular machine for paper sacks (digital pasting) | W&H AM 8715 DP | – | – | – | – |
| Tubular machine for paper sacks | W&H AM 8725 | – | – | – | – |
| Tubular machine for paper sacks (digital pasting) | W&H AM 8735 | – | – | – | – |
| Automatic unwind system | W&H FLYMATIC | – | – | – | – |
| Liner insertion device (liner sack production) | W&H ROTALINER | – | – | – | – |
| Multi-function tubular machine (universal sacks made of PE film) | W&H POLYTEX | – | – | – | – |
| Conveyor system for paper sacks | W&H TRANSYSTEMS | – | – | – | – |
| Palletizer for paper sacks | W&H ARCOMAT | – | – | – | – |
| Winding system | W&H FILMATIC II C | – | – | – | – |
| Technology center (demonstration/test system for extrusion, printing and converting) | W&H | 1 | 10,000 m² | – | Lengerich |
Additional services
Reference customers
History
- 1869
Founding of Windmöller & Hölscher in Lengerich
- 1877
Patenting of the first machine for in-house production of pointed paper bags
- 1880
Start of printing press manufacturing
- 1967
Start of blown film line production; invention of internal bubble cooling and the oscillating haul-off
- 1977
Founding of the subsidiary W&H Corporation in Lincoln, Rhode Island (USA)
- 2018
Founding of the joint venture AVENTUS with HAVER & BOECKER for filling and palletizing technology
- 2026
Launch of the CI flexo printing press ONEFLEX; expansion of the executive board with Dr. Philipp Ecken (CFO)