Two years ago, Team Concept Printing in Carol Stream, Illinois purchased a new forty-five-inch SABER® paper cutter from Colter & Peterson to handle an influx of work. Experiencing more growth and needing another machine, management didn’t hesitate returning to its source. Three months ago, they installed another forty-five-inch SABER, a reconditioned unit complete with an automated Microcut® Plus electronics system. And their productivity continues to flourish.
Vince Manini, vice president and a partner in the award-winning, multi-product commercial printer, said adding the shop’s fifth paper cutter has allowed his business to maintain momentum during a very busy period without missing a beat.
“Our business has experienced across-the-board growth, from conventional to digital and direct mail printing. We’ve also added wide format signage work and needed another machine to handle the faster turn times,” said Manini, whose sixty-four employees often complete jobs in forty-eight to seventy-two hours.
“We liked how the new SABER cut our work, and C&P also has been good at responding to us whenever we had any issues,” continued Manini. “When something happens they are right on top of it. [They] had the forty-five-inch reconditioned machine available and it has all the bells and whistles with Microcut.”
The SABER paper cutters are getting a workout. They cut material printed on the shop’s Komori Lithrone SX-29 press, with operators keeping busy during two eight-hour shifts five times a week, and occasionally on weekends. Rugged and durable, each SABER has a six-inch lift gate that can handle five inches of material, “saving time when it comes to loading and unloading,” says Manini. “The newest machine is handling the overload, and it helps because now we have two guys knocking out projects faster. As soon as we print the material, it needs to be cut to size. The SABERs handle a wide range of difficult substrates.”
As a commercial printing business that will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in 2018, Team Concept Printing services printers, brokers, marketing agencies and designers. That means doing a variety of work, ranging from books, folders and postcards to stationery, flyers and packaging products.
“Depending on the substrate, we use the SABERs to cut material for the wide format signage work,” remarked Manini, whose team operates from a 30,000-square foot facility in the far western suburb of Chicago. “With the economy doing well, the conventional side of our business has increased, both with local and national accounts. If you have equipment that others can count on, more work gets sent our way.”
Staying ahead of the work is key, says Manini, and another reason why he added the reconditioned SABER paper cutter.
“The Microcut PLUS system gives us a real advantage,” said Manini, citing a twelve-inch-wide format touch screen and the ability to convert JDF files.
Microcut memorizes programmable cut sequences that can be recalled, saving enormous set-up time compared to other machines that can cut only one sheet at a time.
“It gives us real time management data and C&P also updated the other machine, so both are really fast,” remarked Manini. “Having the dual arms on the SABERs is a big factor. It trims thick board stocks and plastics, and we feel it helps a lot with the accuracy of the cuts and less draw. Our productivity level is up at least 15 percent, and that all adds up in the long run.”
