Taking Packaging to Heart

It's easy to tell when someone truly enjoys what he or she does. There's the way a person answers questions—with energy and exuberance. There's the pride that comes through when a person talks about his business and the affection with which he speaks of his employees. So far, this describes Tom Picciolo, Jr., president and CEO of Century Packaging (East Brunswick, NJ, www.centurypackaginginc.com), and he has reason to speak with pride. His 23-year-old company has grown from being a $350,000/year company to $10 million/year enterprise.

Built from the ground up

In 1986, partners Picciolo and John Ranone operated the new folding carton printing business with a one-color, 29˝ Meihle press, one diecutter, and two folder/gluers. A self-confessed hands-on owner, Piccolo proudly says that 23 years later, both he and Ranone still come to work every day at 6:00 A.M. and stay until 5 o'clock. "We don't miss a day," he says. Picciolo handles the sales end, and Ranone overlooks the entire plant. How do the employees feel about such hands-on management? "They love it," asserts Picciolo. "I have four employees who have been with us since 1986. [New employees] know me when they come, they find out about Century, and they stay on with us."

Not only that, but Picciolo takes care of his employees with a comprehensive benefit plan and slightly higher salaries than competing package printers. He calls it his ratio of scale. "I think that we pay a little more than the average folding carton company out there as far as scale," he says. "They have all their paid holidays and all their medical. The environment is pretty good here." Picciolo adds that he and Ranone aren't on top of the employees all the time. "Everyone does [his or her] own job," he says. "They are all family-oriented people, and they are here to work."

Century Packaging's 48 employees come to work at the same location Picciolo and Ranone did back in 1986. The facility is 45,000 sq. ft. and now features an impressive array of equipment. Picciolo doesn't have any immediate plans for expansion. "I just want to stay where we are, stay the size that we are, and just upgrade our equipment as each year passes by and to be more efficient. I feel right now we're state of the art," he says.

Picciolo says he'll outsource work if need be, but not unless it's absolutely necessary. "I'm very particular about my packaging," he asserts. "I look it over. That's why I'm here every morning at 6 o'clock. I take my packaging to heart."

Continual reinvestment

Residents of New Jersey and surrounding areas know that if you want to locate people, the best way to do it is ask what exit they are near on the New Jersey Turnpike. Picciolo owns a building located just about a mile from exit 9. "First U-turn and we're right there," he says. His customers are mainly within 200 miles and the location of his shop is convenient to both Philadelphia and New York City. Owning the building means his largest capital investments are in equipment, and Century Packaging is home to much more than the single press and two diecutters from 1986. Equipment here includes three printing presses, four diecutters, six folder/gluers, a window machine, paper joggers, aerators, and guillotine cutters.

Century draws from several suppliers: Bobst (www.bobst.com) for diecutters and folder/gluers; American International Machinery (www.aim-inc.net) for folder/gluers and the window machine; and manroland (www.manroland.com) and Mitsubishi (www.mlpusa.com) for the presses. The company is currently negotiating for a new Bobst diecutter/stamper.

Picciolo's background is sample making and design, and, to that end, Century Packaging also employs a Datatech (www.data-technology.com) sample making table. The CAD table allows the company to turn around a sample for a customer in five minutes. "I have a CAD person here who was originally a diemaker," says Picciolo. "Both of us put our heads together and get into different packaging designs that are different than what you see on the retail shelves, because everybody wants to stand out from the other person. So we try to create different designs."

Newest investment

Century Packaging's newest purchase is a Mitsubishi Diamond 3000LX. Acquired to stay current with the latest printing technology, Picciolo marvels at its reduced makeready times and press speeds. "With our new Mitsubishi, our makeready times are much quicker," he says. "I can put a 6-color job on and have color up within 15 minutes. It's an incredible press."

Speed is important across the industry these days with short runs continuing to dominate. Century's clientele includes cosmetics, pharmaceutical, health care, nutritional, food, and automotive products companies. "Today we can't be choosy about what industry we deal with," Picciolo admits. "To me, short runs are just as good as long runs." The firm can turn around a job in 24 hours. "We call ourselves 'the house of the emergency runs,' " Picciolo jokes.

Another factor for choosing the Mitsubishi was its ability to handle various grades of paper. According to Picciolo, it runs from 80 lb. paper to 40-point board. This flexibility combined with short makereadies allows Century Packaging to expand its services. "We can run paper up to as many colors as needed," says Picciolo. "It's a 6-color press, but even if it's an 8-color job, I can put the sheets back with a makeready time of 15 minutes. So I could run paper for them, and I could run folding carton board for them."

And, of course, these days, the importance of speed cannot be overstated. Century went from running about 8,000 sph to 16,000 sph.

Nothing without people

Picciolo believes he has the best employees in the industry, and says he hasn't had any trouble attracting them. "As long as you strive to satisfy the employees as far as salaries, I think there's no trouble getting anyone." Having the right environment pays big dividends as well. "I think it's their vacations, their holidays, and being in a family environment type of situation," he says. "Each one of them—I know them personally. I go out on the floor every morning myself and talk to them. We have a good relationship with them. They come into my office, we sit down, and we talk things over—how we're going to run things. We're a good team together."

Stay current

Picciolo advises that to stay successful, offset printers must stay current. "I think we all have to stay up with the times in terms of speed, quality, and makeready time. Because that's where, if you don't stay up with the times, the customer is going to pay," he says. Pointing toward his new press, he adds, "With this press here—in 15 minutes, I'm up and running. And that's going to go back to the customers as far as pricing when I do my estimate. It goes right back to them, because I don't have to spend that much time."

"I think companies have to reinvest in their equipment. That's what I do. I don't' drive around in a $150,000 Mercedes. I put my money back into my company and we try to stay with state-of-the-art equipment." pP