The Long Haul
With state-of-the-art printing technology, Carded Graphics has positioned itself for continued growth.
September 2008 by Tom Polischuk
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It is not surprising that offset printing is still the process of choice for many folding carton converters in the packaging market. Many suppliers with a long history of providing high-quality printed products to their customers hold firm to their successful roots.
Carded Graphics, located in Staunton, Va., is one such folding carton converter that focuses entirely on offset printing—sheetfed offset, specifically. It uses the standard-setting, high-quality capabilities of offset to provide printed products for its customers in such markets as food, medical, consumer goods, tobacco, hardware, pharmaceuticals, and specialty products and applications.
Carded Graphics has been in business for 25 years, according to Murry Pitts, company president. He bought the company in April of 2006 from Manchester Industries of Richmond, Va. “At the time, Carded Graphics was a small regional folding carton producer located in Staunton,” he relates. “Prior to 2006 I owned a company called Pell Paper Company headquartered in Elizabeth City, N.C., which was founded in 1928. I merged the two companies together in May of 2006 in our present highly modern facility in Staunton.”
The company is in business for the long haul. “Our number one operating philosophy is doing what the customer wants and needs,” says Pitts. “This feeds into our goal of having long-term customers as partners for long-term growth.” To accomplish this, the company focuses on technology, speed to market, service, and quality to set itself apart from the crowd.
Enhanced operations
Carded Graphics recently expanded its existing building by 60,000 sq. ft. to accommodate its acquisition of a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 press and future press growth. The expansion effectively doubled the size of the company’s facility to 120,000 sq. ft. With the installation of this new press, the company was able to replace two older presses. It now operates a 6-color plus coater Roland 700 press, along with the Speedmaster XL 105, which includes an aqueous coater and provides hybrid UV capability. According to Heidelberg, this press is one of the first XL 105 presses with hybrid UV capability to be installed in the U.S.
The new press allows Carded -Graphics to handle an expanded range of materials. “We can print on just about any substrate possible—CCNB, SUS, SBS, poly 1-side and 2-side, chip, N-flute, plastics, and 70-80 lb. litho,” says Pitts. “Our capability now covers the full spectrum. Some of our customers request foil board and other substrates, and we can now do that internally. There isn’t much we can’t print now.”
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