American Carton Company Improves Die-Cutting Productivity with BOBST Converting Technology
Print this Article | Send to Colleague
American Carton Company (ACC) has recently increased its capacity and upgraded capabilities with the latest BOBST NOVACUT 106 ER. The cutting accuracy, faster setups, and higher speed of the new machine have proven to be game changers for the company.
ACC serves many different types of clients with innovative packaging solutions, typically working with medium to medium-large manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, medical devices, automotive, personal care products, and hardware, mainly across Texas and the neighboring states. It offers a full-service solution from structural design to manufacturing and distribution with quick turnarounds.
Originally founded by Joe Harris with a business partner in 1992, ACC is today managed and owned by Joe’s daughters, Jana Harris as President & CEO and Jenise Harris Cox, who is the CFO. Located in Mansfield, Texas, the company is a subsidiary of Harris Packaging Corporation and a member of The Independent Carton Group (ICG), an association of 19 independently owned and operated folding carton manufacturers.
BOBST has been a long-term supplier to ACC, with every die-cutter and folder-gluer on the factory floor today purchased from the Swiss company. Originally, most machines were bought pre-owned, but that strategy changed over time.
“ACC used to purchase used equipment rather than new. However, we came to realize that the pre-owned BOBST machines were more reliable and also better supported than used machines from other companies. As a result, when we began purchasing new equipment, BOBST was heavily favored,” explained Trent Tucker, who has been General Manager at ACC since 2009. Having worked with BOBST for over 30 years at various companies, he knows the strength of the supplier and its machinery well.
Smooth operation and accurate die-cutting
The most recent addition at ACC is a BOBST NOVACUT 106 ER - Autoplaten® die-cutter, bought to add much-needed blanking capacity to the carton plant. “Our newest die-cutter, the NOVACUT 106 ER, has started up very smoothly with very good training and support from BOBST. Immediately, we saw that the run speeds and setup times were superior to our other machines,” said Trent. “The die-cutter has also reduced hand scraping which has the added benefit of improving safety for our operators.”
ACC chose to fit the new die-cutter with BOBST ACCUREGISTER, an optional ‘no sheet-edge contact’ system, which Trent says has been a game changer. “The accuracy of the registration with ACCUREGISTER has been great, reducing the number of feeder trips, which in turn has helped productivity,” he said.
Trent also highlighted the new HMI (human-machine interface) SPHERE which offers a simple step-by-step job set-up guide for the operator and allows monitoring throughout the run. “Being able to save the job settings will be very beneficial for future repeat setups,” he added. “This technology has been particularly helpful when training newer operators to run the machine. It makes many aspects much easier to learn and control.”
Staying competitive with upgrades
ACC’s long experience with both new and used BOBST machines has given the team a unique insight into the importance of upgrades and enhancements; an aspect that is a high priority for BOBST.
Upgrades give customers a particular advantage, offering a multitude of ways to extend the lifespan of machines, add features, boost their performance and improve productivity. This has helped ACC stay competitive as market demands changed.
“Some of our older machines from other manufacturers lacked the support to keep the aging equipment going. However, BOBST has always had a solution to keep their machines up-to-date and operational, in that way ensuring we get maximum value out of each piece of equipment,” said Trent.
Evaluation always leads to BOBST
ACC continually appraises the offering from other manufacturers but always returns to BOBST based on its technology, the upgradeability of equipment and the service. Going into more detail about the selection process during the latest investment, Trent explained, “We evaluated several different equipment manufacturing companies against a set list of criteria. We wanted to purchase from a company with proven performance and good reputation in our industry; one that offers dependable support, reliable technology, and cost-effective solutions.
“In the end, BOBST offered excellent technology at a very competitive price. The proven performance of our previous BOBST equipment, the technical support and our positive experience also weighed heavily on our final decision,” he concluded. “The new NOVACUT 106 ER has greatly improved the cutting department throughput and I would certainly recommend that any folding carton company seriously consider BOBST for their equipment needs.”
Harold Leete, BOBST National Sales Director Folding Carton, said, “BOBST has a long history of supporting American Carton with machines for all its converting needs and we are delighted to continue that partnership. The NOVACUT 106 ER Autoplaten® die-cutter offers a fantastic solution with exceptional die-cutting and an excellent price/performance ratio which puts American Carton in the best position in a very competitive market.”
