Flexible-packaging converter Kendall Packaging is bucking the trend of the economy in the past 18 months. The Milwaukee-based company is making capital investments, hiring staff, entering a new market—and anticipating continued strong growth.

Contributing to those successes is a partnership with supplier Flint Ink Packaging Division in Ann Arbor, MI. Via close collaboration, Kendall's Pittsburg, KS operation has expanded its technology, switched to more robust ink systems, honed its 4-color process-printing performance, cut downtime—and best of all, attracted new business. The partnership also saved Kendall nearly $15,000 in press-returned inks within four months of implementing an ink-blending and inventory-rework program. In addition, the company is saving 2.5 hrs/day in manual blending time.

If managers at 54-year-old Kendall subscribed to the adage, "If it isn't broke, don't fix it," the Kansas operation might not be enjoying as much success as it does today.

"Business was good, but we wanted it to be better," says Randy Mjelde, Pittsburg plant manager. "When Flint Ink proposed to help us increase our efficiency and be more profitable, we took a closer look at them." To be prudent, the company reviewed proposals from other suppliers as well.

After six months of audits, tests, and trial runs by the Flint Ink Packaging Division, Kendall signed on with Flint in September 2001. "We saw more of Flint Ink in that six months than we ever saw from any of our suppliers in all the years we worked with them," says Mjelde. "The service was excellent, and it's been that way ever since."

A 24/7 enterprise, Kendall both surface- and reverse-prints flexible packaging for pasta, cheese, seafood and snack packaging, and reusable cold packs. Polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, metallized and nylon films are converted at speeds of up to 800 fpm. Its suppliers include ExxonMobil Chemical, AET Films, Amtopp and Trespaphan of America, among others.

Equipment at the 35,000-sq-ft plant includes an older six-color CI-flexo Padane Zodiac 136 press, an eight-color CI-flexo PCMC Vision II press, a J.M Heaford Cobra video plate-mounting system, a Bobst-Schiavi Eco Convert Junior solventless laminator, Valmet Titan SR5 and SR7 slitters, and a Stanford Products LLC rewinder. The converter also houses a lab with a Hewlett-Packard 5890 Series II gas chromatograph, a Tinius Olsen 1000 tensile tester, and an X-Rite 938 spectrophotometer with QA Master 2000 color-control software.

Audits of Kendall Packaging's printing processes revealed that it could immediately improve efficiencies and reduce costs by refining its ink systems. "We switched to three very robust ink systems—a CHROMABOND™ CMYK system, a proprietary white for lamination, and POLYGLOSS™ for surface printing," explains Mjelde. "They were less expensive than the old ink systems, and the performance was better."

With the new four-color ink systems identified, Flint worked with Kendall to create a new fingerprint for the PCMC Vision II press. "We optimized our color separations to get the best four-color quality process," explains Mjelde. He notes that Kendall and Flint perform fingerprinting on a regular basis to maintain the current high level of print quality.

Ink-blending technology also quickly became a reality. Kendall's personnel went with the Flint team to locations using blending technology to witness the process. "They also provided specific documentation on how blending and dispensing could increase efficiencies and save money," says Mjelde.

After Kendall chose Flint's state-of-the-art ink dispensing system, it was running at full capacity after only three days of training. Within three months, Kendall cut rework inventory by 25 percent, or 4,817 lbs, and saved nearly $15,000 in ink costs. The company anticipates eliminating old ink inventory by next year.

Mike Southern, ink room manager, handles Kendall Packaging's ink blending and says he eliminated color inconsistency and reduced downtime now that he produces only the ink needed for a particular job. Southern has also gained about two-and-a-half hours a day since he no longer blends ink by hand. The found time is used to refine processes and look for additional cost-saving opportunities.

Kendall then improved its four-color process printing. "The first thing Flint recommended was a switch to a finer-line anilox roll. Now we get great mileage with our white ink," says Mjelde. Every four-color process job Kendall runs has a white background. The Flint Ink white, which was specifically formulated for food packaging applications, has low retained solvents and high bond strengths.

The new CHROMABOND process-ink system also extended the length of four-color runs. "The old system's colors didn't hold up and we had to interrupt the run, shut the press down, and clean the plates. The Flint process inks run longer and maintain color strength and gloss," he says. Mjelde notes that the change has also improved solid and vignette print jobs, which are in greater demand from packaging end users.

While honing its process printing, Flint supported Kendall's adoption of spectrophotometry. The converter selected an X-Rite 938 with QA Master 2000 software. "Technology-assisted color control was an invaluable recommendation. We've eliminated the press operator's subjectivity. Every customer's color is exactly right," says Mjelde.

Kendall's new efficiencies have enabled it to pursue a new market—ream wrap. "Ream wraps are transitioning from paper to film, and we believe we have the right film and ink system to capture a significant portion of that business," Mjelde says.

In business for the long haul, Kendall expects success from itself—and its new ink partner. "We want a long-term relationship with the Flint Ink Packaging Division. So far we've had great satisfaction turning to them for support, for new technology and growing new business," says Mjelde.