BW Converting's W+D 628 is latest equipment in 40-year partnership to inspire envelope innovator’s creative foresight, personalized touch and quick turnaround

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Goelzer Industries has been a trailblazer in envelope manufacturing for decades, driven by its innovative approach to create products that not only meet but anticipate market needs.

Paul Goelzer Sr. spent years in the envelope industry before launching his own family business in 1985 in Grand Prairie, Texas, bringing a wealth of experience and a visionary approach that laid the foundation for Goelzer Industries. His strategy deviated from the standard industry strategy of focusing on large-volume production. Instead, he aimed for short runs and quick turnarounds with impeccable quality. This innovative philosophy proved especially successful in the political direct mail sector, with high-profile clients like Ronald Reagan benefiting from fast turnarounds.

Today, under the leadership of Paul Goelzer Jr., the company continues to push the envelope, setting new standards in production efficiency and product customization.

"Leading Goelzer Industries means honoring our rich history while embracing technological advancements to meet the evolving needs of our clients” said Goelzer. "We aim to anticipate and exceed expectations with every product we deliver. It’s not just a product, but a pivotal component of their communication strategy.”

Key innovations that position Goelzer and its clients at the forefront of direct mail advances include state-of-the-art multi-color printing and precision cutting tools, ensuring vibrant designs and superior product quality. Goelzer also offers specialized features such as latex, self-sealing adhesive strips, custom window placements and creative opening ideas, catering to a diverse range of business communication needs.

With such adaptability, Goelzer can ensure its customers that every product leaving their facilities is well-constructed, of perfect quality and designed to be an absolute standout in the mailbox.

From the beginning, the senior Goelzer established what became a decades-long partnership with BW Converting’s Winkler+Dünnebier (W+D) brand of equipment. Goelzer Industries has integrated advanced systems like the 410 and newly acquired 628 series machines, greatly boosting its production capabilities and creative possibilities.

"I'm a big hockey fan,” said Goelzer. “Wayne Gretzky always said he wanted to skate where the puck was going, not where the puck is. And that's the W+D philosophy, to figure out where the market's going and make sure their equipment allows us envelope manufacturers to be the very best at what we are doing."

Goelzer took another technological leap with its recent purchase of a BW Converting W+D 628 series direct mail production system to meet the growing demand for high-quality, high-performance direct mail envelopes. Producing one million envelopes a day, it combines unmatched format flexibility, quick size changes and litho-competitive flexo print quality when the W+D 201 CI flexo press is installed inline.

It joins another two of Goelzer’s state-of-the-art workhorse machines, the W+D 410 Easy Enveloper, which also produces high-quality envelopes for direct mail and is ideal for producing small to midsize runs. And the printer’s two W+D 410s have become its workhorse, quick-change champions on the production floor.

"Our collaboration with BW Converting not only enables higher production volumes but also enhances the quality and customization of our products, allowing us to rapidly adjust to diverse client specifications and reduce turnaround times," said Goelzer. “For instance, we can now easily switch between envelope sizes and specifications, significantly reducing turnaround times for custom orders."

Andrew Schipke, BW Converting’s Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Sales, emphasized that their W+D brand addresses options for every application when developing its technology, whether it's offset, flexo, inkjet, blank or web fed, short run or long run.

There’s also a commonality in the way BW Converting’s various W+D machines operate to address ease of use and skills simplification.

"That has been done purposely because we see the future of mailing products going in many different directions, and we have to react to that," said Schipke. "It's a big market — 100 billion units a year — and it's not going to be all of one type of envelope. We now can make many forms of direct mail from our machines — envelopes, self-mailers and ENVacard postcards. I think that's the big takeaway when you look at what Goelzer has done. They have a quite diverse platform of technology that they now have at their disposal, and that's what makes them strategically unique in our view."

Looking ahead, Goelzer emphasized that his company will continue to not only swiftly adapt to market trends, but also help shape them.

"To this end, we rely on BW Converting's innovative solutions,” said Goelzer. “With their equipment and our skilled team, we are not only able to fulfill our customers' demands but also anticipate future market trends to produce a product that performs better and makes the client truly proud."

Watch this podcast to hear more about how Goelzer Industries is propelling direct mail into a new age: https://www.bwconverting.com/post/2024/11/21/goelzer-industries-propels-direct-mail-into-new-age