In April 2023, Acme Corrugated Box unveiled its latest equipment upgrade: The jumbo converter that reduces setup time by more than half and combines large box manufacturing with cutting-edge capability and speed.
Not all box manufacturers produce oversized boxes, most commonly used for automobile parts, mattresses, furniture, and other large goods. Since the addition of a Serenco jumbo converter in the early 2000s, Acme Corrugated Box counts itself among those who do.
“We debuted the Serenco around 2006,” says Ryan Stashko, Manufacturing Services Supervisor Project Manager at Acme Corrugated Box. “It served us well for many years.”
But as the Serenco became one of the older pieces of converting equipment on the manufacturing floor, Acme Corrugated Box saw an opportunity to add more value to its customer offering and to improve production speed. “About five years ago we began looking at new jumbo converter options,” Stashko says.
INTRODUCING K1-X
After reviewing jumbo converter options worldwide, Acme Corrugated Box landed on Global Boxmachine’s K1-X Jumbo Flexo Converter. On the forefront of industry standards, the K1-X offers heavy-duty electronic and OEM components capable of running an astounding 4,800 sheets per hour. Even more, its standardized fully-automated system cuts Acme Corrugated Box project setup time by 75%.
“With the Serenco, it sometimes took our crew up to an hour to mount printing dies and enter specifications from a job ticket, like box dimensions and print style,” Stashko explains. “With the K1-X, we’re looking at closer to 15 to 20 minutes.”
K1-X’s other big differentiator is its printing and die cutting capabilities. “The Serenco had one printer and no ability to die cut. The K1-X offers die cutting capabilities and two printers – another win for efficiency and end results for clients,” says Stashko.
Acme Corrugated Box’s decision to go with the K1-X was also based on turn-around. Its distributor, Illinois-based Global Boxmachine, LLC – one of the leading distributors of corrugated box making and converting equipment – could deliver the K1-X to Acme Corrugated Box in less than a year, much sooner than the 2-year lead times offered by most others.
PREPARING THE PLANT
The K1-X arrived at Acme Corrugated Box’s recently-expanded Pennsylvania facility in late February. In early March, the Serenco was decommissioned.
“Whenever we decommission longstanding equipment, we keep a few samples from its last order run,” Stashko says. “The Serenco was no exception. We’ll frame and display them alongside the others.”
Removal of the Serenco took about a week. K1-X’s installation on the same spot on the plant floor followed over the next three weeks. During this timeframe, Acme Corrugated Box partnered with other box suppliers to assist – a common practice in box manufacturing.
“One of our goals, which we accomplished, was to keep the window of time between jumbos as short as possible. Thanks to our partners, we minimized disruption to our customers.”
The new K1-X Jumbo Flexo Converter is now completely assembled – and has a nickname.
“We’re only a few months from introducing another new piece of equipment – a converter for traditionally-sized boxes, called the Falcon,” Stashko says. “Our team decided to stick with the aviary theme and call the K1-X the Osprey. Ospreys, after all, are the larger of the two birds and the K1-X produces the largest boxes.”
The K1-X “Osprey” is the eighth piece of converting equipment in Acme Corrugated Box’s 320,000 square foot facility. The Falcon, joining this fall to accommodate growing order volume, will be the ninth.
Looking for a corrugated box manufacturing partner capable of producing boxes of any size? Learn more.
