Editor's Note: This is the first installment in Converting's multi-part series on flexo printer Proactive Packaging of Ontario, CA.

At literally thousands of plants large and small, throughout the United States, companies of kinds turn out corrugated containers. From the simplest brown box to the most intricate full-color graphics and die-cuts, the people who manufacture and convert corrugated can choose to either stay safely within the accepted parameters—or dream of something more. Gary Hartog, founder and owner of Proactive Packaging, Ontario, CA, dreams big.

Proactive Packaging was the result of Hartog's years of experience in the corrugated industry, combined with his conviction that the "rules" of converting corrugated were made to be broken. Originally incorporated in 1994 as a corrugated brokerage, it has evolved into a thriving full-service conversion and finishing manufacturer employing 61 people out of a 240,000 sq. ft. facility. Specialties include direct print and large-format digital printing. Markets include all retail and industrial product manufacturers such as snack-food, produce, hardware, and automotive packagers, plus display packaging for retail stores and TV and motion-picture customers. Business is good.

Yet Hartog sees beyond today, to a vision of a nationwide network of box plants, each with the same state-of-the-art equipment, turning out the highest quality corrugated containers for national customers. And, he has a plan to make it happen.

"Our core competency is direct flexo printing on corrugated," Hartog says. The equipment at the Ontario plant reflects that. Although Proactive has carefully retained the ability to provide litho lamination and industrial packaging for customers who require it, Hartog and his managers have become evangelists for direct printing.

"Direct flexo printing can help customers avoid having obsolete stock in their inventories," says account manager Clive Costa, as we tour the cavernous plant. "We're doing 200 line-screen work on corrugated with our flexo equipment, so customers get as close as possible to litho quality, with much greater flexibility."

Contained within the plant are a Martin 7-color flexo printer with inline rotary die-cutting, a Martin two-color printer with integral rotary die-cutting and folding/gluing, two Bobst platen die cutters, a Pacific (Bobst) high-speed folder/gluer, and, most recently, a Bobst Masterflex wide-format 8-color flexo press with inline UV capability. Computerized set-up, color management, and spectrophotometry support this printer, as does an INX ink kitchen.

For single- and double-face litho laminations, a Stock full-sheet laminator (Stock's North American distributor is Diamond Machinery) and a Crathern & Smith spot and full laminator are kept at the ready. Elsewhere in the building resides a NUR inkjet wide-format flatbed digital printer, which has proven effective on both rigid (up to 2 in. thick) and roll-fed substrates, from corrugated to wood, metal and ceramic. It provides 720-dpi printing for samples, proofs for approval, point-of-purchase materials such as banners, and short-run market tests.

An in-house die-cutting shop, graphic and structural design capability, on- and off-site warehouse storage for JIT inventory programs, and on-site vendor-operated plate management from partner Printron Engravers complete the impressive full-service picture.

Yet Hartog, a charismatic manager who takes a faith-based view of the vision before him, is still not satisfied with the level of service he's able to offer his customers and prospects. "Big national customers who sell to Wal-Mart must have better quality printing on corrugated, and they need the same top quality no matter where the boxes were printed. They also need faster delivery." That means Proactive needs even better printing capability and more plants.

To that end, the company will soon take delivery of an Asitrade (Bobst) Microgator, a so-called "cold corrugator" designed to produce high-quality flute grades, including double wall, utilizing F-, G- and N-flutes) for flexo post-printing. It will be capable of laminating graphic top sheets, with spectacular speeds in a sheet or web format. Because the outer liner is bonded using a cold set rather than heat exposure, the delicate liner surface prints much better, according to Hartog. "The machine is also equipped to run European paper grades," he adds.

By the time the machine arrives, a new plant in Stockton, CA will have been purchased to house it. Hartog chose the location for its proximity to produce-growing regions, Napa Valley winemakers, and high-tech companies needing packaging for computer, software and peripherals. According to Hartog, 60 percent of the Stockton plant's output will be shipped back to Ontario for printing. The remaining 40 percent will be available to other printers or as finished boxes. To support the Microgator, a web press will also be installed in the Northern California location. At press time, the press manufacturer had not yet been selected.

By the time the Stockton plant is up and producing product, Hartog expects to be negotiating for a third plant site, in the middle of the country (Tennessee, Kentucky, or Ohio). Whether it will be a greenfield site or an existing building remains to be seen at press time. Hartog hopes that it will be up and running in the first quarter of 2007.

Why the aggressive expansion plans, while the overall trend in the industry is consolidation? "This industry is due for a shakeup," Hartog states. "Every supplier is trying to be all things to all customers. Box suppliers need to identify what they're good at, identify who their customers should be, and stick to that plan. That's what we are doing—we have a plan and we're prepared to spend the money to achieve it." Converting will visit Proactive again when the Stockton plant is up and running, to report on how this bold plan is taking shape.

For additional Proactive plant and product photos, see the expanded, online version of this article at www.convertingmagazine.com