Value-Corrugator

Kamboo plays for keeps in paper and board

Established in 2011, Kamboo represents international technology suppliers in the southern African printing and packaging market, with operations in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. The appointment builds on this existing service and technical infrastructure as the company takes on responsibility for BW Papersystems corrugated machinery in South Africa.
BW Papersystems, part of the Barry-Wehmiller group, supplies machinery spanning paper processing, corrugating, converting and finishing. Its portfolio includes corrugators, folio- and cut-size sheeters, packaging systems and specialist paper-converting equipment.
Kamboo managing director Jacques Human says the partnership builds on the company’s experience representing international technology suppliers and supporting customers locally.
‘South Africa has a significant installed base of legacy BW Papersystems equipment that needs local service and support, and a corrugated market ready for the next generation of technology. This partnership allows us to look after the machines already working hard in local plants, while introducing the full BW range to the market,’ he says.

‘Kamboo’s industry presence and local sales and service expertise make it an ideal partner for BW Papersystems. Together, we aim to strengthen technical capabilities, improve customer support and give South African manufacturers access to the latest corrugated solutions,’ says Mark Taylor, director of sales EMEA at BW Papersystems. Kamboo plays for keeps in paper and board.

From starch to finish

BW Papersystems describes its corrugated offering as ‘From Starch to Finish’, reflecting its ability to supply complete production lines, from starch preparation and corrugation through to converting and finishing. Customers can source complete systems or individual machines and components.

The range includes complete corrugators, corrugator components and starch mixing systems, as well as flexo folder gluers and rotary die cutters. Flexo folder gluer options include the FlexPro and G-Grafix ranges, while rotary die cutting solutions include the MaxPro, ServoPro and G-Grafix models.
Ancillary equipment includes the Vacuum Overhead Stacker and Twin Box Slitter. The latter is designed to increase flexo folder gluer output. 
Although BW Papersystems’ current corrugated range has yet to be installed in South Africa, around 35 legacy Ward and Curioni finishing machines are operating locally. Many have served converters for years, making support for these machines an immediate priority.
Kamboo will begin by auditing the installed base to establish which machines are operating, where they are located and what support they require. The findings will help Kamboo plan local spares and upgrades for equipment already in production and identify opportunities to introduce newer BW Papersystems technologies.

 

Putting local support first

Kamboo’s initial focus is on local service and spare parts for the Ward and Curioni equipment. As the company develops its knowledge of the full corrugated range, it will expand its support capability.

BW Papersystems’ international aftermarket network provides access to OEM parts, year-round support, remote diagnostics and teleservice. Its Upgrades offering provides opportunities to introduce new technology to older machines, while the manufacturer’s Finishing Centre of Excellence in Hamburg supports retrofits, spare parts and service for acquired brands such as Curioni. The partnership gives Kamboo access to product and technical training, sales support materials and escalation assistance from BW Papersystems’ specialists. Training will start with the legacy machines already operating locally before extending to the wider portfolio. The manufacturer’s technical instruction programme will also enable Kamboo to offer operator and maintenance training to customers.

In August 2026, the two teams visited converters in Cape Town and Johannesburg to introduce the partnership and discuss local requirements. Jacques says the response highlighted the value of a local partner who can connect customers with the manufacturer when specialist assistance is needed.

Experience that transfers

Corrugated converting is new to Kamboo, but the company has established technical experience. Its expertise includes printing and packaging machinery, web handling, electrical and mechanical systems, industrial plant environments and customer support. Neil Golombick, who heads Kamboo’s service team, brings more than 16 years of electrical and mechanical experience across press and postpress equipment. Based in Cape Town, he will coordinate the technical operation and help develop the team’s BW Papersystems knowledge. ‘Once you’re in printing and packaging, that’s where you stay. Printing is still printing and mechanical is still mechanical,’ he says.
Neil says effective service involves more than responding to breakdowns. Understanding individual plants, maintaining accurate machinery records and building relationships can help the team identify customer needs and provide more informed support.
Durban-based Keith Duggan has almost four decades of experience across mining, blood and infusion banks, thermoforming, automotive, extrusion and flexible packaging.
He has also spent more than 35 years working with FIFE webguiding technology and has extensive experience in colour management and flexographic prepress.
Keith believes regular contact is important to understand customers’ operations and identify potential problems early. ‘I’ve always believed in seeing customers regularly, whether it’s for technical advice or simply to check in and see how things are going. If something is wrong, we attend to it where we can, talk through what needs to change and follow up afterwards,’ he says.
Warren Singh, the newest addition to the team, brings a paper-printing background, industrial maintenance experience and a trade-tested electrical qualification. His experience includes electrical fault-finding, control systems, preventative maintenance and mechanical work across printing and converting equipment, including gravure presses, conveyors, stackers, shrink wrappers, cranes and hoists.
Warren says his paper printing and industrial production experience is a useful foundation for learning BW Papersystems’ machinery. ‘I have seen the challenges plants face first-hand.

I understand the pressures around production, downtime and keeping equipment running,’ he says. Kamboo plans to develop these combined skills into specialist corrugated expertise through practical experience, formal training and access to BW Papersystems’ technical resources.

Turning knowledge into support

Kamboo plans to build its BW Papersystems expertise through practical experience at customer installations and formal manufacturer training. The programme is being finalised, with corrugated training expected to take place in China and finishing training in Europe.
Kamboo has implemented a custom-built customer relationship management platform to record equipment installations, customer information and technical documentation.
The system gives technicians access to machine records, manuals and relevant information, helping them prepare for site visits and respond to problems.
The platform will be extended to cover BW Papersystems installations, building a centralised record of equipment, service histories and individual customer requirements. This will help Kamboo plan spare parts, identify recurring service needs and track the installed base as the agency grows.
National sales manager Russell Muller says understanding the customer’s operation must come before recommending equipment or services.

‘Our customers run their businesses under real pressure, and they need partners they can trust. That relationship is built long before a quote is sent. We want to understand each customer’s plant, their challenges and where they want to take their business, so what we recommend is right for them, not just the next sale. Honest advice, regular contact and keeping our promises is how we earn that trust, one plant at a time,’ he says.

A long-term play

BW Papersystems’ appointment of Kamboo builds on their existing relationship through the wider BW Group and Kamboo’s sales and service infrastructure. 
South Africa is Africa’s largest corrugated market, with much of the industry concentrated around Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Kamboo’s presence in these centres provides a practical base for developing the agency and supporting
converters nationally.
BW Papersystems’ sales executive for Africa, Frederic Duquenne says partnering with Kamboo will help expand BW Papersystems’ presence in South Africa. ‘Combining its local market knowledge with our portfolio of corrugating, converting and finishing solutions, will help customers improve productivity, quality and long-term performance.’
The immediate priority is to establish the Ward and Curioni installed base and put local service and spares arrangements in place. Over the longer-term, Kamboo aims to introduce BW Papersystems’ current corrugated technologies to South African converters, drawing on the manufacturer’s international expertise and Kamboo’s local technical team.
BW Papersystems shares our commitment to innovation, reliability, and customer success. The SpeedLiner X gives us the flexibility to support multiple RFID product formats on a single machine while scaling efficiently as market opportunities develop. Just as importantly, BW Papersystems ' decades of RFID experience and focus on manufacturing precision help ensure the quality and consistency our customers expect.
Dino Valentino, Founder and CEO of Flash4, USA
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