As the marketplace began to change rapidly a few years ago, managers at the Guelph, Ontario, Canada, division of flex-pack converter Hood Packaging took a close look at its plant operations. What they learned, and ultimately implemented, were needed redesigns in production to drive print quality higher and create the kind of service customers demanded. Today, the 28,000-sq-ft facility is a focus of ingenuity, hard work and wise decisions.

The plant's two-pronged approach targeted both machinery and materials. "Believe in your product and your people, and use only the best materials," says John Harper, Guelph Div. general manager.

On the materials side, that philosophy led the Guelph team to partner with the Flink Ink Packaging Division (Ann Arbor, MI), bringing on an in-house Flint Ink Graphic Technician (GT) and launching an ink-inventory management program. The combination has driven down costs significantly and improved Guelph's flexographic printing capability.

The changes have also helped the company and its customers grow business. "Our partnership with Flint Ink and their support of the quality printing we now produce is an integral part of our success," says Harper. For substrates, Guelph counts ExxonMobil Films, Fraser Papers and Cascade Tolko among its top providers.

Hood Packaging's Guelph Div. is one of 16 North American Hood plants. Parent Hood Companies is reportedly the continent's largest non-integrated multiwall-bag producer. Guelph converts self-opening square (SOS) and satchel bags, and has film-window capabilities. Customers in North America and the Caribbean include pet-food, cookie, coffee, sugar, flour, snacks, tortilla, and bakery-mix manufacturers. The plant operates three shifts, five days a week and prints 91 million impressions annually on clay-coated and kraft paper.

Economically refurbished machinery has also contributed to Guelph's rebirth. Hood Packaging upgraded its Webtron Zigzag presses (now PCMC Inline Systems, Green Bay, WI) with servo drives, CC1 (Manchester, NH) video web-inspection systems, computerized operator-control stations, inline laminators, and new unwinds and rewinds. The converter's eight H.G. Weber bagmakers (Kiel, WI), which amazingly date back to the 1930s to 1950s, now also sport servo drives, as well as new gluers and slitters. The company has added a new high-speed tine-tie machine.

"Our equipment prints and converts custom-designed multiwall bags that rival any that are produced on today's multi-million dollar high-tech presses," explains Guelph production manager Dave Smith.

Low cost to Hood Guelph means using cost-effective materials. "Total cost of ownership is a better gauge of cost than price. The materials we buy impact our entire operation. An example is our ink purchases," says Smith. "We could cheapen our product with cheap supplies, but we won't cut corners on quality. We know this would have a negative impact on our products' ability to satisfy our customers."

Following its adoption of the Flint Ink AQUASHEEN™ ink system, Guelph has eliminated color inconsistency, increased productivity 25 percent, reduced downtime 40 percent and cut ink waste 60 percent. AQUASHEEN is a proprietary water-based ink system developed exclusively for the package-printing market. "The effectiveness of the ink and the impact it has had on our program to drive efficiency has reduced the 'total cost of ownership' for our ink purchases," notes Harper.

During the height of the plant's redesign, the Guelph team had a lot to overcome. Print quality was not up to expectations, and downtime was a serious problem. With runs of 10,000 to 50,000 pieces, quick turnaround was a must.

At the same time, the company decided to reassess ink purchasing and issued an RFP. "Flint Ink came forward first and even offered to design a trial program, which we used to qualify six different suppliers," says Harper. The trials took six months. After all evaluations were completed, Flint Ink won the business; first becoming a supplier and later a partner.

As Guelph's printing improved, Flint Ink refined the product to keep pace with changing needs resulting from various equipment enhancements. "Our customer's image is on display on the package," says Smith. "They want sharp, eye-catching graphics, and they don't want any color variation. Today, we've eliminated color variation, and we're routinely complimented on the consistency, and intensity, of our colors."

Citing a successful 8-color job created for Alpo dog food, which called for especially rich reds, blues and vignettes, Smith notes he and the Guelph team achieved great color and quick turnaround on the order. "150,000 pieces were in and out in 10 hrs. We had no downtime trying to achieve color. The final product looks as good as gravure."

Reducing ink inventory was also a goal for Hood Guelph. Before implementing the new system, buckets of ink were piled wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in unused product. Today, before any new ink is blended, the company examines the formula to see if inventory can be reworked.

Having a graphic technician from Flint Ink onsite has made the Guelph operation very flexible and supports the quick order turnaround that customers expect. "Our Flint Ink GT is invaluable," Harper says. "He's available 24/7 to develop formulas and resolve printing challenges. And he works press-side with our customers to ensure inks will to meet their specifications and secure timely job approvals."

Gaining quick approvals helped Guelph grow business with a customer that was straying. "Business with Shur Gain (a division of Maple Leaf Foods) had dwindled a bit," explains Harper. "But our improved printing and service resurrected the relationship. We're back on track with nearly 100 percent of Shur Gain's pet-food packaging business. Plus, they tell us our quality package printing has helped develop new markets."

Hood Packaging Guelph Div.'s future continues to look bright. As the company's customer base grows, new products are under development and expansion appears imminent.