Hammer Packaging, an established leader in labels and package decoration products, has installed a Mark Andy Performance Series P7 press along with a Rotoflex VLI 440 finishing system. The new 17-inch, 10-color P7 press includes combination hot air drying/UV curing, a Mark Andy QCDC™ (Quick Change Die Cut™) unit, web turnbar, cold foil, and lamination capabilities.

Mark Andy’s Performance Series presses are designed with an overriding focus on fast changeovers, reduced waste, and increased productivity. These features are what stood out for Rochester, N.Y. based Hammer Packaging.

“In selecting this new press we were focused on lead time efficiency, specifically in terms of changeovers, speed of the press, and overall quality of the completed work,” says Jim Hammer, president & CEO of Hammer Packaging. “The changeover process is what drew us to the P7; how quick it was to change from one job to the next was exactly what we were looking for in a press. The production speeds, quality of the print, and the width of the machine were also an excellent fit for our mix of work.”

Hammer Packaging supplies a wide array of products for many national brands. These products include cut and stack, shrink sleeve, pressure sensitive, foam, and in-mold labels. In addition, it is the largest supplier of premium seed packets for the horticultural market. To support this range of products, Hammer Packaging is adding its first Mark Andy press to an already impressive arsenal of 8 web presses. Existing printing capabilities include sheet-fed offset, VSOP (Variable Sleeve Offset Printing), narrow-web flexo, and digital.

Throughout its more than 100-year history, Hammer Packaging has staked its success on investment in leading-edge technologies and innovations. Partnering with Mark Andy provides a foothold in the future.

“Mark Andy provides responsive customer service and we have been impressed with the people and the technology it offers,” says Mr. Hammer. “Mark Andy has many future innovations in the pipeline that are of interest to Hammer Packaging. We value innovation.”

The early results from the Mark Andy P7 press have lived up to Hammer Packaging’s expectations. Productivity is up close to 60% over its current flexo machines and speeds have increased due to better registration and new blade holder technology, reports Mr. Hammer. These quick results can also be attributed to the quality of the onsite training provided by Mark Andy technicians. “Our operators are very pleased with the machine and technology. They all took to the machine very well,” he adds.

The Rotoflex VLI 440 inspection rewind system is designed for high-speed production of film, film packaging, and other tension-sensitive substrates. The system acquired by Hammer Packaging includes a roll mapping option that coordinates with press-side inspection systems to provide a defect map for individual rolls. “We selected the VLI because of the available equipment options and lead time, and to more efficiently remove print defects from print master rolls,” offers Mr. Hammer. “We were drawn to this option because we expect to see improved press and slitter throughput with this capability.”

“Hammer Packaging is excited about our growing flexo presence in the packaging market,” concludes Mr. Hammer. “We will not only look for redundancy in equipment and processes, but we see growth in wider formats with inkjet technology. We are excited about what Mark Andy has to offer!”