One of the leading plastics distributors and component manufacturers in the U.S., E & T Plastics has been at the forefront of finding innovative ways to develop products for their customers for 70 years. Tom Tuckey, Midwest Regional Manager for the Blaine, Minnesota facility, wanted a unique solution to cut large plastic sheets. That’s why he turned to Colter & Peterson for a new 137-inch Saber® XT paper cutter with Microcut®.
Delivered in June, the oversized Saber unit is one of the largest in existence. They use it to trim clear PETG sheets, polycarbonate, styrene, and vinyl and sell it to the display and digital screen print industries. Tuckey says it is one of only two in E & T Plastic’s industry.
“We wanted to bring something into the market that sets us apart. The materials it cuts are strictly for larger size pieces that we sell. In the two-plus months we’ve had it, the Saber has met all of our expectations.”
Located on the northern fringes of the Twin Cities, the Blaine operation is one of nine company facilities and serves domestic and some Canadian customers. Tuckey, who joined E & T Plastics twenty-one years ago, opened the 20,000-square-foot division in 2006. In doing his research, he learned how the Saber line with automated Microcut electronics can make an operation more efficient.
“I found Colter & Peterson online. I needed a large unit so I looked into the Saber, saw a video, checked the specifications, read some customer reports and contacted them,” recalled Tuckey, who manages eighteen employees between the Minnesota and Chicago facilities. “Our corporate office is in Long Island and not far from Colter & Peterson’s offices in New Jersey, so our owner visited with them. We had sheets sent up to cut, and I also saw a customer in Chicago that had a similar C&P machine, so we cut material there.”
After placing the order, Colter & Peterson provided a temporary unit until the new machine was ready to install. Tuckey said the plan worked out to their advantage.
“The temporary unit had the Microcut system as well. When the 137-inch machine arrived, our crew was very familiar with the system so no learning curve was necessary.”
Tuckey said the Saber will cut sheets up to 120 inches long, and he likes the versatility it offers.
“It is very effective whether we cut 10 or 20,000 sheets for a job. Our products have different size thicknesses, so how we use it depends on the material,” pointed out Tuckey, whose team works a nine-hour shift five days a week.
For example, clear PETG sheets are cut to size ranging from .015 inches to .060 inches, and the polycarbonate sheets are available in various thickness. Styrene is a different type of material, and it depends on if they are cutting sheets or rolled stock.
“We can cut up to two inches in height at a time, depending on the thickness,” commented Tuckey. “But the reason for purchasing the Saber was that we wanted a completely different cutting tool. It had to be able to cut thin film with clean edges. We ordered a double bevel blade and with Microcut allowing us to trim within 1/64-inch accuracy, it’s producing a very clean cut.”
