Founded in 1952, Fleetwood-Fibre Packaging & Graphics (City of Industry, California) is known for its unique package designs and meticulous attention to detail. It’s widely considered an industry leader in high-end graphics printing – servicing multiple markets via its folding cartons, corrugated boxes, point-of-purchase displays and specialty packaging divisions. With an ability to offer customers these unique capabilities, complemented by a global footprint, Fleetwood-Fibre continues to influence the global packaging industry. However, recent demands from its client base required that the company seek additional production capacity. So, it looked for offset technology that could deliver on all client expectations, while at the same time keeping costs down – and found it in the Roland 700 Evolution from Manroland Sheetfed.
The newest addition to its Folding Division is the R707LV Evolution, equipped with seven units plus an inline tower coater, and fitted out to run both conventional and UV inks. The press delivers enhanced automation and innovative software packages. “Deciding factors for us were the functionality of the make-ready automation, coupled with Manroland Sheetfed’s Inline ColorPilot & System Brunner’s Instrument Flight systems,” said Mark White, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing at Fleetwood-Fibre. “The ability to make-ready simultaneously in just minutes was impressive, but the colour control capability in a closed-loop system providing gray balance and tonality control in production, was fantastic.”
Sean Springett, CEO of Manroland Sheetfed USA & Canada added: “Fleetwood-Fibre isbthe first North American user of Manroland Sheetfed’s Red Dot Design award-winning Evolution press. There’s no possibility to make-ready an offset press faster than what Evolution technology brings. It’s without doubt the pinnacle of the industry. Add to that the capability to measure absolute density inline, the ability to control solid tones, half tones and gray balance with priorities including G7, ISO/PSO, GCR and solid balance, and that puts Fleetwood-Fibre literally in a league of its own.”
Fleetwood-Fibre’s newest addition will drastically reduce its overall make-ready times. The Evolution’s automation menu allows a printer to build-up capabilities with an “a-la-carte” style of options. From the SPL package or the Direct Drive version of the Evolution, the simultaneous processes during make-ready can transition a printer in a few short minutes into the next job. “With top analysis production monitoring and a host of inspections and on-going support mechanically, electronically and operationally, Manroland provides a fantastic support package around an inspiring machine,” said Bill Price, Folding Division Plant Manager.
