For a company that continues to develop and change, it's very fitting to have bought a press called Evolution, and now own another press called Revolution.

Prairie State Group (www.psglabels.com) began as a single company, producing pressure-sensitive labels, then grew into two companies as it entered the flexible-packaging market. Today, it continues to explore various sectors in the converting industry, snapping up new business through cold-seal technology.

Back in 1989, Rick Heinzen, PSG president, started Prairie State Graphics, a p-s labels business. After successfully growing that venture, Heinzen noticed the growth in the flexible packaging market and teamed up with Graham Redding, PSG executive vice president, to pursue that sector.

In 1999, they created Prairie State Impressions to handle the flex-pack market. They purchased a 20-in., 8-color OMET (www.matik.com) press for short- to medium-run flexible packaging and pressure-sensitive products. It complemented the four Mark Andy (www.markandy.com) presses they already had for the p-s label business. As their label and packaging business prospered, Heinzen and Redding found themselves in need of a new press, more room and someone to handle the plant operations while they continued to grow their client base.

Along came Dan Doherty, then president of Fort Dearborn Flexible Packaging, who had previously worked with Heinzen. Looking for a new challenge, Doherty took on the role of PSG vice president of operations so that Heinzen and Redding could focus on expanding the business.

To address the crowding issue, PSG moved to Franklin Park, IL, and at the same time, installed the first 26-in., 9-color Evolution press from Paper Converting Machine Co. (www.pcmc.com) to handle the continuously growing flex-pack business. PSG was impressed by the combined narrow-web and wide-web technologies used by the Evolution, which also opened the door to the snack food, meat and cheese, and confectionery market with its cold-seal capabilities—yet another growth opportunity for PSG.

Due to the successful installation and operation of the Evolution press, PSG continued to evolve and press-maker PCMC did as well.

“We got to know PCMC as we grew,” Doherty says.

So when it came time to order another press for the laminated flex-pack business, PSG did not hesitate looking to PCMC. Like the Evolution, PSG was able to get the very first of the next generation of PCMC's Evolution series—the Revolution.

“We sat down with all the engineers who built the Evolution and discussed what worked and what didn't with the Evolution and helped shape the Revolution,” Doherty explains.

What PSG ended up with was a servo-driven, 10-color (9-color when using the UV-coating deck or laminator) 26-in. press. It has an in-line lamination module and an eXtreme™ drying system, which uses compressed air technology. It also features a corona treater system and a quick-change sleeve design, ideal for PSG's short-run projects. The Revolution runs at speeds up to 1,000 fpm and can handle unsupported film, paper and carton substrates.

The press was installed in early February and soon after it was built, PSG began running half a dozen jobs on it while PCMC trained PSG's operators. “It's already outperforming the other two (Evolution and OMET) presses,” Heinzen says. “It can do the work of the other two presses combined.”

PSG plans to use the Revolution for its short- to long-run, high-end graphics flexible-packaging business. The press' cold-seal lamination module will come in handy for energy/health bars and other snack food packages.

“We've been in the snack bar business for the past four years, and we hope to grow that business with this new press,” Doherty says.

If history any indication for the success of the Revolution, PSG may want to start looking for yet another bigger facility. “It can potentially double our business,” Heinzen concludes.

For more photos, see this article's expanded version online at www.convertingmagazine.com