Thanks to a new rotary diecutter, Rock-Tenn has a lot to brag about. After installing a Bernal Intl. machine in May 2000, the Marshville, N.C.-based folding carton facility whittled its 7-day production schedule to 41/2 days, while attracting more business prospects than it can list.

Before buying the machine, Rock-Tenn had a platen diecutter. It thought rotary technology was better suited for its customers in the personal care, lawn and garden, and electrical supply industries. Bob Brennan, Rock-Tenn general manager, explains that the business is high-volume, with relatively few sizes and styles, and almost exclusively machine-filled cartons.

"The rotary cutting technology offers advantages for high-volume, few sizes and styles—crisp, clean cutting and scoring. It's a good marriage for our business," says Brennan.

Capable of running a 32-in. web at 750 fpm, the diecutter boasts a 15-min. or less die change due to its servo technology. Its special features include a dual-station cutter, which allows cutting, creasing and embossing on separate stations. "If you need to make a cutting adjustment, you can do that without having counterproductive effects on your scoring and vice versa," Brennan says.

A facility that produces tens of millions units monthly, Rock-Tenn runs clay coated news back, solid unbleached sulfate, solid bleached sulfate, milk-carton stock, rigid polyvinyl chloride and metallized polyester laminated to a paperboard substrate. Rigid PVC is a new concept to the company that has its roots in the paper industry. Application challenges include ink adhesion and scoring/creasing, but Brennan expects to overcome these easily. Printing is performed on a Comco Intl. UV flexo press that matches the speed and width of the cutter.

Improving productivity, opening capacity and reducing waste were all goals of the machine installation. According to Jason Ahrens, Rock-Tenn assistant general manager, these goals were not only met, but exceeded. The company cut waste by more than 50 percent, while nearly doubling productivity. And although it's producing 10 percent more product this year than last, the company has opened enormous capacity by reducing its 7-day production schedule to 41/2 days.

To ensure smooth installation, Rock-Tenn partnered with Bernal and formed a team called "Firestorm." An acronym for "Flexo Inline Rotary Equipment Speeding Toward Outstanding Results at Marshville," the group was charged with full responsibility for equipment installation.

The Firestorm team removed the old cutter and installed the new cutter, shutting down the press for 36 hrs. However, the installation of the new cutter required more than 36 hrs. Firestorm accomplished this by placing a rewinder inline with the press, building a web path above the cutter site, and running the press roll-to-roll while cutting the product offline on another cutter—all while installing the new cutter.

"I don't want to exaggerate, but it was one of the best equipment installations I've ever seen," comments Ahrens.

After installation, start-up was a whiz because operators and key diecutting personnel had already received hands-on and classroom training at Bernal while the equipment was being manufactured, as well as training during the machine installation.

With values of being safety-minded, environmentally sensitive, proactive and customer-focused, Rock-Tenn fosters shared success among its stockholders, employees, suppliers and customers.

According to Ahrens, "These business values are not just buzzwords. It's truly how we operate." He continues, "It's our vision that we be prosperous, but we can't be prosperous independent of the people we engage every day."

With the new diecutter, the vision of shared success grows stronger.