Matik North America

Folding and gluing equipment manufacturers don't run the loudest marketing campaigns for their products, but there's plenty of innovation in the marketplace to shout about. FOLDER/GLUERS DON'T attract the attention that new presses and prepress software do. But that's not to say manufacturers of this finishing equipment don't have a reason to brag. According to Craig Jasper, sales director for converting equipment and product packaging at Roberts PolyPro, in the past five years, significant advancements have been made in the safety, quality, and value-added areas of folding and gluing equipment. With safety a top priority for every converter, some companies have taken such measures

Short-run printing is no easy task, but when done right, the rewards can make it all worthwhile. PACKAGE PRINTERS ARE facing a future marked by shorter production runs that may pose challenges for even the best of today's printers. Meeting these challenges head on will require investment in technologies that are geared toward the ultimate in flexibility. Printers will be getting all the help they need from press manufacturers who are making tremendous strides towards maximizing the uptime potential of their new press offerings. "The well-known trend in the market is toward smaller runs for various reasons," observes Terry Trexler, product manager

Narrow-web flexo converters look to benefit from new technologies and market trends, but competitive pressures will be formidable. BRAND OWNERS WANT high-quality packaging and labels that increase product differentiation, produced in shorter runs. Those are taxing demands, but the narrow-web flexo industry is positioned to deliver. Today's market trends offer an opportunity for narrow-web flexo converters to grow their businesses in the face of industry consolidation, competition, and financial pressures. It's a simple formula: What consumers want is what consumer product companies (CPCs) want their converters to deliver, and new narrow-web technologies are making that possible. "Narrow-web converters, press manufacturers, and CPCs are all

Divide and conquer may be the key to success in some endeavors, but for package printers, combining processes is a clearer way to winning. COMBINATION PRINTING MEANS different things to different people, but that's the nature of the beast. It includes different printing processes, along with various other processes, to accomplish one thing—add value to the printed product. That is the game—adding value to the product to meet customer needs. By combining a number of processes, printers can use the strengths of each particular process to provide the best possible look for a product. There are several requirements driving

With no gears to wear down or adjust, gearless presses help reduce maintenance in the printing process. PRESS MAINTENANCE IS a four-letter word. It's essential for high-quality printing results, but the more time a printer spends on maintaining the condition of its equipment, the less time it spends printing—meaning lost profits. There may be an answer to the evils of maintenance, however, for those companies willing and able to front a hefty capital investment. Gearless presses, driven by servo-motor technology, hit the market about 10 years ago, boasting such advantages over conventional presses as infinite repeat sizes, easier registration, and improved quality control

ADI International In-line folder/gluer integrates with any printer/slotter for cost-efficient production. Write 842, Visit www.arcdoyle.com American International Machinery North American supplier of the Signature™ brand of folder/gluers with 24 models in sizes from 24˝ to 57˝. Write 843, Visit www.aim-inc.net B. Bunch Company Offers a wide range of equipment for in-line use with label, tag, and forms presses. Write 844, Visit www.bbunch.com BOBST GROUP Extensive range of folder/gluers produce a great variety of boxes in a wide range of sizes at high production speeds. Write 845, Visit www.bobstgroup.com Brandtjen & Kluge Complete line of automatic folding and gluing equipment for the finishing of

It's not a simple two-step process, but many suppliers are offering slitter/rewinders that help converters simplify and manage all of their slitting/rewinding needs. SLITTING/REWINDING IS an everyday aspect of the package-printing job, often taken for granted as a necessary evil. But, behind this mundane reality are technologies that can impact a company's bottom line. From heavy-duty knives to wide-diameter rewind rolls, there are multiple components to each slitter/rewinder machine. packagePRINTING spoke with several suppliers about this off-press component of the package-printing job and the machines that help make it possible. Films, papers, and foils With a wide array of substrates dominating the package-printing industry,

Sophisticated and versatile folding and gluing equipment keeps converters out of sticky situations. by Kate Sharon IN PACKAGING'S DEMANDING market segments, there is no room for poor quality, low productivity, or high operating costs. With that in mind, folder/gluer manufacturers have committed themselves to developing new equipment and refining older technology that enables converters to keep up with their customers' challenging and strict quality requirements, as well as provide them with the means to cut costs. Makereadies and changeovers are two areas where folder/gluers afford converters the opportunity to save money. "In today's highly competitive market, companies are looking for ways to cut

Technologies such as shaftless drives and sleeves are leading the way for web offset productivity. WEB OFFSET PRINTING is feeling the pressure coming from the improvements being made in flexographic printing. However, similar to the other printing processes, web offset is continually making strides to reduce makeready times and improve productivity. And it's doing this while playing off its inherent strengths and capabilities for high-quality printing. Ted Barry, vice president of sales for Matik North America (a U.S. distributor for Codimag and Giebeler), lists some of web offset's competitive strengths as: printing characteristics similar to gravure and superior to flexo where fine screens

Augment slitting/rewinding operations with these recent technology releases. Automated edge trim unit Tidland Corp. (800) 426-1000; Fax: (360) 834-5865 Tidland's Automated Edge Trim system allows exact repositioning of knives, simultaneously and bi-directionally, using touch screen controls. Changes to the knife position are made away from the slitting process and require no operator contact with the slitting equipment, increasing safety. Operators do not have to stop the press to reposition knives, avoiding costly re-starts and wasted materials. Absolute repositioning of knives in exact increments increases accuracy, and changes as little as 1⁄8˝ to 1⁄16˝ can be made in ratio to the movement of the