With a diverse group of profitable customers in several markets, a product mix of bags and rollstock, and a long-standing reputation for service and quality, you might think that flex-pack converter Cello-Pack Corp. of Buffalo, NY, would be resting on its laurels, satisfied with its $20 million plus in annual sales. You'd be wrong.

"We're a medium-sized, progressive company, and we wanted new technology and first-class equipment to boost the level of service we offer our customers, and to support our expanding customer base," explains Richard Mills, Cello-Pack's vice president of operations.

The company, which got its start in 1948 producing bags for apple growers in Western and Central New York state, already boasts four wide-web flexo presses (Padane, CMF), capable of printing up to eight colors. Also on tap is a water-based, wide-web adhesive laminator (Dri-Tec) that handles complex multilayer constructions using substrates such as polyethylene (PE), nylon, polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP) and metallized films. Typical laminations include PE/PE, PP/PE, PP/PP, PET/PET, and PET/PE.

Three slitters (Valmet Titan, Stanford) convert printed stock into varying widths and diameters. A large converting department takes printed master rolls and turns them into several bag formats. Bagmaking encompasses wicketed, bottom-seal, zipper, reclosable tape, and gussetted bags of all types.

When it came time to add another flexo press, Cello-Pack managers wanted to take advantage of the benefits of gearless technology. Their choice became a 50-in. Infiniti gearless press from PCMC, Green Bay, WI.

"PCMC offered us the leading technology in gearless presses, and the sleeve presentation system was also valuable to us, to reduce our downtime between jobs," says Mills.

Up and running since March 2001, the Infiniti press joined the other four wide-web presses inside Cello-Pack's 60,000-sq-ft facility. "With our market diversity, it was vital that we be able to offer our customers literally any repeat that they desired," Mills says. "Infinitely variable repeats allow us to go after new markets, as well as servicing our existing customers better."

Mills feels that gearless technology is progressing to the point that these types of presses will gain the majority of the new-press flexo market.

Gearless press technology, now offered by several suppliers, provides converters a number of advantages. Besides an obvious reduction in capital costs by substantially reducing or eliminating plate cylinders and associated plate-cylinder equipment, gearless presses offer the utmost in flexibility. From a strategic basis, infinitely variable repeats give flexo converters like Cello-Pack the ability to better compete, on a print-quality basis, with gravure.

According to Tom Jacques, PCMC global business development manager, gearless presses can even help converters overcome process mistakes. "One of our customers experienced improperly made plates on an Infiniti. Normally, this would mean scrapping the plates, potentially costing thousands of dollars, and losing money on the job. However, they were able to adjust the infinitely variable repeat capability on the press to compensate. As a result, they didn't have to redo their artwork, and they printed something commercially acceptable," he says. "You can't do that on geared presses."

Cello-Pack currently boasts a diverse client list. Although the company prides itself on being a full-service converter, and runs jobs ranging from baking and confectionery packaging to party supplies and household-product packaging, sales and marketing continue to focus on market sectors that appear to be most promising: among them fragrance, industrial and cheese packaging.

Cello-Pack's fragrance customers package automotive air fresheners in large and small laminated PET bags. "These types of jobs call for very high print quality with tight register, yet they have to be run efficiently—we often build the press run with side-to-side and end-to-end combinations. Some are simple line work, some involve difficult process printing," Mills says.

Industrial and cheese packaging also call for a high level of quality but coupled with quicker job turnaround. "Here's where PCMC's sleeve technology comes in handy," he says.

The sleeve presentation/ exchange technology standard with the Infiniti press enables two operators to spend only a few minutes changing anilox sleeves between jobs. This leads not only to reduced downtime but also lessens the chance for injuries to operators from lifting and bending.

For Cello-Pack's operators, gearless-press technology represented a new challenge and called for new skills. Mills had nothing but praise for PCMC's handling of the necessary operator training.

"Not only did they perform on-site training on operation and maintenance of the new press," he explains, "but they had our operators fill out questionnaires so that the trainers would know exactly what skill level each individual had, and could tailor the training to that skill level."

With the new press, Cello-Pack managers feel they have only enhanced their ability to take a flex-pack job from preliminary artwork to finished stock or bags, nationally or internationally, for a variety of markets. "The gearless technology of the Infiniti, and the 50-in. width, was just an ideal fit with our current equipment," Mills says. "We're definitely positioning ourselves for future growth."