50 years of AkeBoose: From blades to integrated flexo systems

Discovering the connection between mechanics and printing

Jasmin van der Kamp: Åke, how did you enter the printing industry?

Åke Bööse: As a young engineer, I was looking for my first job in the late 1960s. I saw an advertisement from the printing department of the Bonnier publishing group in Stockholm. Until then, I had hardly thought about how a weekly magazine was produced. When I first saw how a doctor blade system for gravure printing was prepared, I was immediately fascinated. I thought: “This will be my baby.”

From that point on, I developed different prototypes for flexible doctor blade holders. In 1976, I had the opportunity to take over a patent I had developed for a flexible doctor blade holder system with quick blade change. I saw this as the foundation for establishing my own company.

That first encounter shaped the way AkeBoose approached product development. The focus was practical from the beginning: identify a problem at the press and develop a solution that operators can use in daily production.

Solving a problem at the press

Jasmin van der Kamp: What problem were you trying to solve with this development?

Åke Bööse: The different versions were tested directly in the printing plant. We quickly identified a practical problem. The existing doctor blade holders were approximately two metres long and weighed 48 kilograms. Removing them from the printing unit for every blade change was heavy work for the operators.

I therefore developed a complete lightweight holder made from stainless-steel profiles, incorporating my flexible blade holders. It weighed only 14 kilograms.

The solution convinced the operators. In 1978, my new company delivered 48 of these complete holders to the printing plant. This was our first major order and marked the successful market introduction of the flexible doctor blade holder system, which is marketed today as the Strip-Blade Holder.

The benefit was immediately relevant at the press. Operators no longer had to handle a 48-kilogram assembly during every blade change. Reducing the weight to 14 kilograms made the task easier to manage and turned a physically demanding maintenance step into a more practical routine.

Moving from blade holders to chamber systems

AkeBoose continued to develop its products through close cooperation with customers and engineering partners. In the early 1990s, Åke Bööse began working with an engineer who designed inline printing units for companies across Europe.

Jasmin van der Kamp: How did the first enclosed chamber doctor blade system develop?

Ake Bööse: At that time, existing flexographic printing units were increasingly being upgraded with enclosed chamber doctor blade systems. The ink remained inside the chamber, and press speeds could be increased significantly.

Together, we developed a new stainless-steel chamber consisting of an inner and an outer chamber. It was equipped with my flexible blade holders for both the working and sealing blades. The system was designed to retain leakage inside the outer chamber and return it to the ink circuit by gravity.The system was called the FlexoCompact Chamber System. It was an important development for us because it extended our work from flexible doctor blade holders to complete chamber doctor blade and ink-handling solutions.

This development transferred AkeBoose’s original focus on practical handling into flexographic printing. The chamber design addressed several daily production requirements at once: controlled ink transfer, contained leakage and easier integration with the ink circuit.

Building international relationships through technology

AkeBoose’s international growth developed through demonstrations, customer visits and long-term relationships in the printing industry.

Jasmin van der Kamp: How did AkeBoose establish its first international business relationships?

Åke Bööse: After several years of manufacturing and selling doctor blade holders in Sweden, I began exploring opportunities in other European markets. We visited printing companies in several countries and established our first international contacts.

A major breakthrough came at PackPro in Düsseldorf in 1988. A French manufacturer of anilox rollers invited us to present our doctor blade system on its exhibition stand. I demonstrated how easily the doctor blades could be changed. The exhibition was a great success and resulted in many international contacts, including contacts as far away as Australia.

Over the years, I met many people in the printing industry around the world. They were friendly, open and highly knowledgeable. It was a privilege to get to know them. These relationships were very important for AkeBoose.The company’s international development did not begin with a large sales organisation. It began with technical conversations, product demonstrations and a willingness to understand how printers worked at the press.

From business contact to long-term partnership

Since 2008, Ole Agergaard has represented AkeBoose in the German-speaking markets. The cooperation grew through joint customer visits, installations and the practical improvement of chamber doctor blade and ink-handling systems.

Jasmin van der Kamp: Åke, how did this cooperation develop?

Åke Bööse: From the beginning, I recognised that Ole Agergaard was a highly skilled and resourceful technician. We carried out many interesting installations together and solved a number of inking problems. This led to further improvements in our chamber doctor blade and ink-handling systems.

Jasmin van der Kamp: Ole, what convinced you about AkeBoose’s technology?

Ole Agergaard: After 16 years in the printing industry, I left my previous company in 2007 and established a consulting and development business. My original plan was to stop working with printing ink. Less than three months later, we received our first inquiries about chamber doctor blade systems. At first, we developed and manufactured our own chambers. I soon realised that I needed a strong partner.

AkeBoose had a high level of product quality and, in my view, deserved a much larger market share. The solid mechanical engineering and the technical details of the designs convinced me immediately. The tool-free operation of the chamber systems was particularly important. It makes work at the press easier and reduces the effort required for maintenance and set-up activities.

There was also a small misunderstanding at the beginning. When I first contacted AkeBoose, I received a reply saying that the company did not want to sell to me because I had been working for a competitor. After a few emails, the situation was clarified. We finally met at AkeBoose’s stand at drupa 2008, and we have worked very well together ever since.

For production teams, tool-free operation matters because blade and seal changes take place under real production conditions. Simple handling helps operators complete routine maintenance without adding unnecessary complexity to the process.

Passing on knowledge and responsibility

After several years of cooperation, the partnership developed into discussions about the future ownership of AkeBoose.

Jasmin van der Kamp: What made the transition in 2018 possible?

Åke Bööse: After several years of working with Ole Agergaard, my wife and I began considering who might eventually take over our company. In 2017, Ole told us that he had found larger premises and that there would be room for our business there. We then sat down and discussed the possibilities in detail.

I am impressed by the systematic approach and the product development that Ole Agergaard has established since taking over the business.

Ole Agergaard: I learned a great deal from Ake Boose during our business trips and customer installations. His knowledge complemented my own experience from the chamber doctor blade industry.

To support the transition, Åke and his wife Anna remained available to us as advisers. This allowed us to transfer technical knowledge, customer relationships and practical experience directly. Åke and Anna are still co-owners and continue to support us when questions arise.

Before the 2018 transition, the business operated under the name AkeBoose Graphic Products. Today, AkeBoose is a brand of AkeBoose GmbH within the Agergaard Group.

The transition preserved more than products and customer relationships. It also transferred practical knowledge that had developed through decades of installations, troubleshooting and cooperation with printers.

Developing complete ink-handling solutions

Customer requirements have changed considerably over the past 50 years. Printing companies increasingly expect support with the complete ink-handling process.

Jasmin van der Kamp: Which requirements are influencing AkeBoose’s development today?

Ole Agergaard: Customers are looking for advice on chambers, pumps, wash cycles and set-up times. In many projects, the technology also needs to be connected to the customer’s existing infrastructure.

Where projects were previously mainly mechanical, electrical components are becoming increasingly important. Chambers are equipped with sensors, and pumps receive electrical controls and interfaces to the machine control system. We have therefore expanded our own capabilities in these areas. The integration of AkeBoose, AGSflexo and EKS technology creates additional possibilities for printers. Customers can access chamber doctor blade systems, ink supply solutions, doctor blades, end seals and printing unit technology within the Agergaard Group.

Today, a chamber system cannot always be considered separately from the pump, the ink circuit, the controls and the way operators use the equipment during production. This is why AkeBoose combines mechanical engineering with application-specific ink supply and process technology.

The group is also developing with a long-term family-business perspective. My daughter Sofie Agergaard-Wendel completed an internship at AkeBoose in Sweden as a teenager and is now actively involved in the company. She is increasingly taking on responsibility, helping to ensure continuity within the owner-managed structure.

Looking ahead after 50 years

Jasmin van der Kamp: Åke, what makes you proud when you look at AkeBoose today?

Åke Bööse: After spending so many years developing products, communicating with customers and installing chamber systems, it feels fantastic to see that Ole Agergaard has taken over the AkeBoose business and is continuing its development.

Researching and developing products and processes has always been my passion. This curiosity began when I was a child and wanted to understand why a mechanical alarm clock suddenly stopped working.

When I see how AkeBoose continues to develop while remaining rooted in an owner-managed structure, I recognise that same attitude. I am confident that the company will continue to combine technical curiosity, practical solutions and close customer relationships in the years ahead.

The technology has changed considerably since 1976. The underlying question has remained the same: how can a printing process become easier to operate, more consistent and more reliable?