Located in Pfafftown, North Carolina is Classic Packaging Company, a family-owned printing and packaging business established in 1991. It offers a wide range of capabilities, but its primary specialty lies in expanded gamut printing for FDA-approved packaging. Given this, many of its clients are in the food industry and rely on Classic Packaging to deliver safe, top quality food packaging.
After grappling with an inefficient anilox cleaning system, Classic Packaging knew it had to upgrade the maintenance of their anilox inventory if it wanted to continuously improve upon its high-quality print capability. So Anderson & Vreeland’s East Region team, in partnership with Eaglewood Technologies, answered the call and equipped Classic Packaging with the latest anilox cleaning technology.
The Need For a Tailored Solution
Occupying Classic Packaging’s pressroom were two of the latest wide-web flexo presses – quietly running at full speed – and one older anilox cleaning system. This system, while a standard cleaning technology when purchased, was difficult and loud to operate. Classic Packaging’s press assistants were often forced to split their time between overseeing the press and maintaining this cleaning system. Eventually, the time its press assistants spent operating the anilox system rather than the press began to cost Classic Packaging money and detrimentally affect its equipment’s return on investment.
As Peter Mulheran, Vice President of Eaglewood Technologies, put it, “The old anilox cleaning system was a good option, but it was not a tailored solution to Classic Packaging’s needs“. Classic Packaging needed a new solution that would be easier to operate, meet its sustainability standards, and deliver superior anilox cleaning without noise pollution. “All of the requirements Classic Packaging identified pointed to one clear solution: the Sitexco Laser System,” said the support team at A&V. The teams at Anderson & Vreeland and Eaglewood Technologies quickly put their heads together to create an equipment package complete with the Sitexco SL1.5 Anilox Laser & Roll Cleaning System and Troika AniCAM. A&V advised, “By the end, we were able to put this new technology on the floor for less per month than what they were spending on consumables for the old cleaning system.”
Unlocking the Potential of Flexo Presses with Clean Anilox Rolls
The new Sitexco SL1.5 Anilox Laser System equipped with AniCAM for quality control replaced Classic Packaging’s old system. The positive reactions were almost immediate; the Classic Packaging team was very impressed by the system’s soundless superior cleaning, simple, intelligent interface, and environmentally-safe features. Flexo presses using the anilox rolls cleaned by the Sitexco-AniCAM system yielded improvements in densities, print quality, and color matching. “You can have the highest resolution, finest screening, and best plate system, but if you can’t print consistently, none of that matters,” explained Jeff Skolnik, A&V’s Business Development Manager Digital/Equipment. “So, when you introduce an anilox laser system that has superior cleaning properties and allows your flexo presses to print at a higher quality consistently, that’s a major deal.”
From an operational standpoint, the new Eaglewood Sitexco System and Troika AniCAM improved Classic Packaging’s bottom line. Unlike the old system, this intelligent anilox cleaner did not need an operator. It meant press assistants no longer had to spend company time overseeing the entire cleaning process. All they needed to do to clean their anilox rolls was place them into the machine, walk away, and come back later to a set of properly deep-cleaned anilox rolls. As a result, Classic Packaging saw increased productivity with less downtime. It was able to streamline its operations and develop a proven, scalable process that was easy to teach to its employees.
Through AniCAM, the team also had insight into a specific anilox roll’s cell volumes, eliminating the need for guesswork. “Using the AniCAM as part of a controlled continuous improvement program shows quick benefits. Not only in press downtime but also in ink savings too. Knowing your anilox specs going in press is a big part of successful printing,” said Sam Benson, Technical Sales Representative for Provident, distributor of the Troika Anicam.
The sustainable and safe cleaning of this proven technology was another beneficial feature for Classic Packaging. With a niche in FDA-approved food packaging, finding a cleaning system that did not use harmful substances that could contaminate food packaging in any way was essential. Fortunately, the Sitexco SL1.5 fit this requirement, allowing Classic Packaging to maintain its FDA certifications.
The Value of Clean Anilox Rolls
As a family-owned and operated printer, Classic Packaging Company is always looking for ways to maintain an edge over more prominent industry players. Thankfully, with A&V and Eaglewood Technologies’ help, Classic integrated the Sitexco System, which helped boost its print quality, optimize its workflow, and increase its ROI. “The Classic Packaging story goes to show that it is not just the principal printing companies that can afford and justify this technology. In light of this, A&V and Eaglewood Technologies are excited to work closely with Classic Packaging to continue maximizing this proven technology.“