Paterson, NJ – Colter & Peterson has for over 80 years manufactured and rebuilt machines to cut every type of paper substrate. Another reason why C&P is North America's foremost authority and largest independent distributor of paper cutters is how its knowledge is applied to other industries. That expertise factored heavily into Fabreeka International's decision to purchase a pair of reconditioned Lawson 47" and 60" paper cutters to trim materials used in building construction.

"We had the machines installed in early April and they are doing great," said Mike Arena, Fabreeka's longtime Plant Manager who has worked at the company for 40 years. "We replaced two cutting machines that were about 100 years old with the Lawsons, and they are very precise and help us with quicker turnaround of jobs."

Fabreeka International www.fabreeka.com manufactures components used to control vibration isolation and impact shock control for several markets. In this case, the Lawsons cut material used for industrial construction. The company, which opened its doors in 1936, has U.S. operations based in Stoughton, Mass., a southern suburb of Boston, but has offices worldwide on every continent. The U.S. plant handles domestic customers from coast-to-coast, plus clients in Canada and Mexico.

"We are using these machines to cut material anywhere from 1/16" up to 1" thick. It is a rubber reinforced fiber material and most of what we do is custom work, with many different sizes and molds," informed Arena, whose company employs 30 workers at the 44,000 square-foot facility in Stoughton.

"The pieces these machines are cutting measure between 3" x 5", up to 24" x 24". The Lawsons are doing the job helping us meet our 1-2 week lead times, and they each cut 2,000 to 3,000 pieces of material every week."

Lawson paper cutters have earned a workhorse reputation for being versatile, fast and reliable, so it may be another century before Fabreeka replaces them. Both cutters are equipped with Microcut, an automated and advanced back gauge control cutting system that can boost productivity by 50% or more. It memorizes cutting sequences to deliver accurate, precise cuts within 1/64th of an inch. That frees up operators to handle other tasks, and the electronics package is designed to make operation safe and efficient.

"I didn't know anything about Colter & Peterson until after the first of the year when we began looking at options to replace the older cutters," recalls Arena. "We took a ride down to their facility in New Jersey and were impressed by their professionalism and knowledge, and how they looked at our situation to get the job done.

"The safety factor has improved by adding rhe Lawsons, which meet OSHA standards. We had to make some adjustments when we installed them since our older machines had a special angle on the blades. But with these machines, we don't have to take the time to clamp and measure before every cut, and the digital readout has removed the guesswork. That's how we've improved our efficiency."