Things are jumping at Sun Valley, Calif.-based sheetfed converter Marfred Industries. If it's not last-minute orders for litho-laminated retail boxes from the corrugated sheet plant, it's probably customer approval of folding-carton graphics from the in-house design center. If it's not rapid product turnover at the new $6 million, 100,000-sq-ft JIT warehouse, it might be four-times-a-week deliveries to the Las Vegas distribution center.

"We're always on the lookout for new opportunities," says director of marketing Brian Malloy, during a recent visit by Converting. "If we can pick up a customer base, a sales force and a distribution hub, we've been fairly acquisitive."

Begun in 1964 by founder Rubin Fenster, Marfred Industries is today a third-generation, family-owned business specializing in both the converting and distribution of paperboard-based packaging and shipping supplies. End-use markets include cartons and cases for a wide range of industrial products, such as aerospace, electronics and automotive items, as well as consumer goods—cosmetics, food and specialties. Six facilities are located across the Los Angeles area, while the Vegas warehouse handles the growing south Nevada market.

Company managers attribute Marfred's steady growth to a commitment to technological superiority. That means $3.5 million in new capital equipment since 1997. And soon, through a 15-month development cycle and a $400,000 investment, the current static Web site will be replaced with a comprehensive, online-product shopping cart for customer-friendly e-commerce (See sidebar).

Keeping track of production performance on all of this—the 5,000 accounts, more than 3,000 products and their manufacture on a multitude of printing and converting machines—would be a nightmare without Marfred's unique, in-house system of Vital Factors. Nearly 240 items are detailed monthly. Numbers can be as broad as total sales billed, total labor costs or as meticulous as setup minutes on a particular flexo folder/gluer or the sq ft of material run on a specific platen diecutter.

A yearly average of these numbers is generated and compared to the previous year, as well as budgeted goals for each category. "We have monthly Steering Committee meetings to discuss all these Vital Factors and determine areas for improvement and areas of success," says Randy L. Phares, plant manager of Marfred's Container Div. "We always have at least six different committees with action plans and deadlines that report in the meeting."

The Vital Factors reports have created a baseline, "and that way we know that we're progressing," explains Barry Ridel, vp of manufacturing. Ridel should know. As a 28-year Marfred veteran, he's seen the business grow from one small office to become one of the largest, independent sheetfed converters in the U.S.

"I can tell you that our plant used to be down over 3 percent of the time for maintenance," Ridel says. "Today's it's a little under 1.3 percent. That's a major improvement in three years, and I think we can get it down to 1 percent in the next few years with our programs."

While some converters may look upon Marfred's "number-crunching" as excessive, the company's managers are sold on the idea. So much so that it will apply for ISO quality certification next year. "It'll be easy for us because we already run very 'ISO,'" Ridel says.

But that begs the question, with everything that Marfred does statistics-wise and its established reputation for quality products, is ISO certification even necessary. "Our general managers feel it's good to go through it if only to catch those areas we might have missed," Ridel says, defending the plan. "The GMs want everything quantified and qualified. I think that by going through the exercise, we're probably going to be a better company."

From a sales perspective, Marfred can't quantify a definite increase because of ISO certification. "But we will eliminate the barrier when people ask, 'Are you ISO?'" says Chris Gaff, gm of the Distribution Div. "We'll just say, 'Yes,' and be done with it. ISO is especially important to the aerospace and automotive industries, for example. They require it."

A tour of Marfred's converting plants reveals a ready arsenal of machinery to tackle any assignment.

The 50,000-sq-ft Folding Carton Div., in North Hollywood, Calif., employs three sheetfed offset presses: a 6-color, 40-in. KBA Planeta with UV-coater, and two 50-in. MAN Roland units—a 3-color and a 5-color. Along with a windowing machine, board-to-board laminator and folder/gluers, among other systems, the plant has two Bobst Autoplaten® 102E diecutters—a 40-in. and a 50-in. Cutting dies are outsourced from Atlas Die.

The 105,000-sq-ft Corrugated Container Div. in Lakeview Terrace, Calif., has three older 2-color Bobst F-Series flexo folder/gluers, a large-format Post 1080 4/6-corner gluer, a Bobst Autoplaten SPO 160S diecutter, and a new 4-color Martin DRO 1628 rotary-flexo folder/gluer with pH and viscosity control, among other hardware. Last year's addition—an Automatän 4260 litho-label laminator—has been put to good use (See End Product Profile).

Vertical integration between the divisions is clear as Folding Carton's presses often print offset labels, which are then laminated to fluted cases at the Corrugated Div. Keen coordination of efforts and JIT delivery are SOP.

Both converting plants make use of a fully staffed CAD/CAM design department. Along with graphics software, it is equipped with Artios design systems and a Barco-Kongsberg folding-carton samplemaker with cutting table and plotter.

As for future equipment, Marfred is eyeing the latest Bobst servo-driven flexo folder/gluers for the Corrugated Div. by the end of 2001. "We're looking at getting one of the first of their machines in the U.S.," Ridel says, enthusiastically, "a rotary diecutting, 3-color system." Down the road, the converter would like to add 7-color printing on corrugated. "Speeds of 11,000 sph at line screens of 140—the technology exists."

An advanced 7-color, 50-in. sheetfed offset press for the Folding Carton Div. is also on the shopping list, as well as digital prepress systems for the Design Dept.

"Our graphics capabilities are definitely helping us get work," Gaff says. "The earlier on we can be involved in a package's design, the better our chances of gaining the business. Our approach is not, 'Do you want a box and can I quote you?' It's asking the customer how are they using it, where is it being sold. We try to create a visual communication that will serve their needs best."

While digital printing is making inroads with some converters, Marfred remains cautious. Says Ridel, "Our position is...as these technologies roll out, there's some real difficulties in the beginning. Right now, digital print represents a very small part of corrugated. That's not to say we wouldn't put our arms around it if it was a proven technology, but you have to be careful about how you spend your money."

Especially with the U.S. economy's health in question lately. However, Marfred hasn't grown over the past 37 years without being flexible and prepared to change as times change. "At one time we chased volume—big customers, big sq footage," Ridel says. "Other times, it's been going after an industry like cosmetics. Today, it's to sell customers the full line, handle everything. Never say, 'No,' as Chris Gaff would say."

That kind of Can-Do attitude is just what converters of all packaging materials should adopt. Fortunately, Marfred Industries is equal parts talk—and action.

More information from:

Bobst Group, 888/226-8800, fax: 973/226-8625, www.bobstgroup. com

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KBA Planeta North America, Inc., 802/878-9400, fax: 802/878-7512

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MAN Roland, Inc., 630/920-2000, fax: 630/920-2457

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Atlas Die, 219/295-0050, fax: 219/294-2793, www.atlasdie.com

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Automatän, Inc., 715/341-6501, fax: 715/345-1004, www.automatan.com

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Artios, 949/788-7300, fax: 949/788-7330, www.artioslink.com

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Barco-Kongsberg, 937/454-1721, fax: 937/454-1522, www.barco.com

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Zytek Software, 949/753-9188

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CorruKraft, 714/562-6002

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CreoScitex, 781/280-7678, fax: 781/275-3430, www.creoscitex.com

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G2 Graphic Services, 818/623-3100

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Heidelberg USA, 770/419-6500, fax: 770/419-6608, www.heidelbergusa.com

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Applied Products, 888/700-5527

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Schroder & Bogardus, 714/630-2270

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If you found this article helpful, ENTER 237 or Inquire Online.