Next Generation Films of Lexington, OH, sticks with what it knows best and tries to be the best in what it does.

“We found our niche in engineering barrier films,” chief executive officer David Frecka says. “We are a specialist in 3-layer films. We can do in three layers what people are trying to do with 5-, 7- and 9-layer films. We can't hit the whole spectrum, but we can hit most.”

At Next Generation, simplicity is the key. Take what you have and continuously improve on it, Frecka says. In the past few years, Next Generation has been working with nanotechnology for its 3-layer films and experimenting with the types of film it can make with that and end-use applications for it.

“My view is that 5-, 7-layer films and up, are going to be obsolete because of new resins becoming available,” Frecka says. “If you can do it in three, why add materials?”

Next Generation plans to roll out its new nano 3-layer films in the first quarter of 2008. It already has been producing nano 3-layer plastic bags, which go perfectly with how the company has grown.

Dave Frecka founded Next Generation films (www.nextgenfilms.com) in 1994 as a bagmaking operation. However, Frecka recognized a need in the market for high-end, specialty products and sought out to fill that demand. He also realized that that there are hundreds of competitors in the plastics industry, which Frecka addressed through specialization, technology and innovation.

“Next Generation's size, experience, and technology place us in a category with few true competitors,” he says.

Next Generation has 21 blown-film lines, all less than 10 years old. The company also constantly looks for and finds ways to use less resin in its products, increase quality control and manufacturing speed, and evolve with the market and emerging technologies with its own in-house lab to design and test new products. Using ASTM specifications, and some of the company's own standards, Next Generation tests every piece of film produced to ensure maximum quality. It is one of the few manufacturers to produce FDA-approved films for direct-food contact, Frecka says.

What began as one plant in 1994 has evolved into three: Next Generation Custom Bag Div., Next Generation Engineered Films Div. and Next Generation Distribution Center. In June, Next Generation broke ground on its new corporate headquarters, which will become the fourth building on the company's campus. In August, the newest blown-film line, a 126-in., 3-layer VAREX® extrusion line from Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp. (www.whcorp.com), was installed. With a custom, high-output configuration capable of extruding up to 2,000 lbs/hr, the new line is reportedly among the highest output blown-film lines in North America.

The new Varex is Next Generation's second W&H line, which was bought to increase capacity and decrease conversion cost. With the gauge-control system on the new equipment, which is part of its other W&H line and all other blown-film lines, Next Generation is able to boost line speed and cycle turnover. This, in turn, saves customers approximately 5 percent on every run without forfeiting quality, and allows greater yield than ever before, Frecka explains.

“The Varex certainly meets our expectations,” he adds.

Having the Varex fit in with the company's operations is of the utmost importance. “(Next Generation) stays ahead by having the right equipment,” Frecka says. “Making engineered films is an art. It takes a lot of knowledge and understanding. To stretch the technology and be the best company, you have to have the best equipment.”

Next Generation also has constantly-evolving film recipes. Next Generation has based its business on solving other people's plastic-film and bag-conversion problems, Freck says. As a result, Next Generation has an extensive collection of unique film recipes that is evolving by the day.

Part of Frecka's responsibilities is to constantly look ahead and keep up with new technology and applications, as well as making sure the current products also are up to proper specifications. “We have a lot of controls so that we know what we're making on a daily basis and understand what we're doing,” he says. “We drive innovation to solve customers' problems.

“We don't buy the machine first,” Frecka concludes. “We find out what the customers need and build around that. Our mission is to engineer to the customers' needs. We're very good at defining that, and that's where we want to be.”