Automatic Roll Change for Acucote

GRAHAM, N.C.—Acucote, a custom coating and laminating converter based in Graham, N.C., recently installed a Martin Automatic ECPF splicer, and is on-course for an 18-month payback on the investment.

The company, which was founded in 1987 to supply commodity work, has more recently specialized in providing custom applications that do not fit standard stock lists. Working a triple shift pattern for five or six days a week, Acucote says its lines run best non-stop, because it removes the need for manual splicing that can be unreliable, and waste time and material.

According to Paul Sanborn, VP of manufacturing at Acucote, “We tried to develop our own solution for an unwinder, but it didn’t give us the desired results and ended up being very problematic.” Acucote knew of Martin Automatic’s reputation in web handling and approached them for a non-stop splicer. Key to the successful installation was a clear up-front understanding of what Acucote expected from its investment.

Working with Martin engineers and technical sales, Acucote equipped its adhesive coating lines with Martin splicers for both the wet and dry unwinds, and with Martin automatic transfer rewinders. As part of its mission to provide technically complex, high-value self-adhesive products, Acucote runs a wide variety of substrates, including paper, paperboard, film, and fabric. With many jobs averaging only about 5,000 feet, frequent material changes are necessary.

“When we are adding adhesive to this range of substrates, changing jobs from one to the next can be challenging, but the Martin splicers and rewinders have no problem accommodating the diversity of substrates and handling roll changes without stopping,” he stated.