Converter Expands to Full-Service Provider
Canadian Plastics
From its origins 30 years ago as a "converter's converter," offering other printers of flexible packaging a place for small printing runs and overflow work, Custom Medallion Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.) h...
From its origins 30 years ago as a “converter’s converter,” offering other printers of flexible packaging a place for small printing runs and overflow work, Custom Medallion Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.) has become a $20 million full-service flexible packaging manufacturer.
The company recently installed a laminator and micro-perforating machine, and has set-up a quality control and product development lab. The lab includes an Instron tensile tester and Datacolor International color matching system.
In addition, the converter is implementing a new business system that includes bar coding for inventory control, plant data collection, scheduling and accounting.
Custom Medallion extrudes film for in-house use, and has four flexo presses, specialty sleeve-making machines and bag making equipment.
“We’re applying the micro-perforating concept to a market that hasn’t used it yet — the horticultural industry,” explains Don Stegmaier, vice-president sales/marketing. Instead of punching large holes in the top of horticultural sleeves (triangle shaped bags for live, potted plants), Custom Medallion will produce more aesthetically-pleasing perforated sleeves.
The micro-perforating unit, manufactured by BPM Engineering of England, was installed on an existing slitter/rewinder unit. The film passes over a heated roll with rows of pins. The size of holes is varied by adjusting the time the film spends in contact with the roll.
“The benefit to melting the holes is that the plastic around the edge of the hole is reinforced,” says Stegmaier.
The laminator is a unit that has been completely rebuilt with state-of-the-art controls and hydraulics. The company also has plans to purchase a laminated pouch making machine to manufacture a stand-up pouch with recloseable zipper.
The addition of the lab is a response to market demand for quality documentation and certificates of analysis. In addition, president Ken Wasylyk says the color matching system will enable the company to re-use more “work-off” ink and improve lot-to-lot consistency of printed materials.
