Speed and Accuracy of End-to-End Automation Delivers Productivity Boost for ProPrint

Packaging and POS specialist discusses benefits of four Kongsberg tables with full automation at Toronto facility.

With speed to market key in the packaging and POS display industry, Richard Krakower, CEO of ProPrint, was quick to realize the benefits of using Kongsberg machines in the production workflow. When the company faced growing customer demand, he added a fourth Kongsberg cutting table to the plant in Scarborough, Toronto – a Kongsberg C64 with automated Feeder and Stacker that delivered a fully automated end-to-end digital finishing solution.

“As far as Kongsberg machines go, we have four,” said Richard. “We have one dedicated to structural design, then we have a duplicate machine outside that department and two more for production. Last year we installed the fourth - a C64 with Feeder Stacker and full automation - and that has been a dream.

It’s truly ‘lock and load and go’. If I had enough space to put five of those in, I would!

Productivity and efficiency through automation

“When you have the Kongsberg equipment that we have, the pressure, the scores, and the way the machine works is exactly replicating if I had a die and I was die cutting,” said Richard. “I have no issues with any materials, and with the digital printing and the Kongsberg, you can have a full size production sample in just half an hour, as opposed to three days.”

As well as enabling ProPrint to handle any job of any size, Richard said the automation delivers unerring accuracy while maximizing efficiency. “Between the printing and the finishing, we used to have two people on each machine,” he said. “But now with the robotic handlers and the automation, we have just one operator in that whole zone.

Automation allows operators to focus on what they need to be doing, rather than constantly watching and checking everything is going on and coming off the table correct.

Watch now

“When you look at things and you look at the lifespan of them - and how important they are to your business - it’s about ensuring you get the best technology and the best quality,” said Richard. “As far as the cutting world goes and CNC, there’s no competition in my mind to Kongsberg.”

Watch the video here to discover how the Kongsberg C64 with automated Feeder & Stacker has helped boost productivity, improve efficiency and meet the changing and growing demands for Richard and the ProPrint team.