AMR Hewitts Print Packaging first with Dymatrix 113 in ANZ
02-04-2012
AMR Hewitts Print Packaging is the first company in the ANZ
region to purchase the state-of-the-art Heidelberg Dymatrix 113
die-cutting machine. Managing Director Lou Mimmo talks about the
motivation for the purchase and how the new die-cutter will raise
productivity and enable the company to meets its quality
mandate.
A leading packaging printer, AMR Hewitts Print Packaging has positioned itself at the quality end of the market, manufacturing a range of packaging products for a diverse customer base spanning pharmaceutical, complementary health and cosmetics through to boutique foods and automotive retail lines.
AMR Hewitts Print Packaging was established in 1985 after packaging manufacturer AMR (Australian Modern Reproduction) acquired Hewitts Printers, a commercial print company. By 1990 the new company had dispensed with commercial print work to focus solely on manufacturing high quality packaging products.
"We have long held the philosophy that packaging should reflect a brand's positioning," says Lou. "When we decided to put all our efforts into packaging, we went to market with a quality proposition that centred on producing packaging that would assure consistency in branding from advertising to the point of sale. At the time our existing packaging contracts were in ladies hosiery and this approach proved to be very successful. Within 18 months we had moved from the smallest operator in the category, to the largest".
Today AMR Hewitts Print Packaging is recognised for its quality and for working at the leading edge across a number of market segments. Lou says to maintain this position the company "needs to work with state-of-the-art equipment. This is the reason we've chosen the Dymatrix 113 - so we can continue to demonstrate market leadership and meet our own very strict KPIs for quality and productivity".
"Our internal KPI for full on-time delivery sits at 99.5% and we have very strict internal quality controls also. To meet our KPIs we need to give our team all the right tools. When we started to see defects coming through in the cutting area we knew we needed to bring our die-cutting equipment up to speed".
He continues. "I saw the Dymatrix in operation in Germany, in both showroom demonstrations and at customer sites. Its performance on the job was very impressive, and I could immediately see the productivity and quality benefits of the machine".
A favourable exchange rate and an increased workload led AMR Hewitts Print Packaging to place an order for the Dymatrix 113 earlier this year and the company expects installation by July. Lou says with the Dymatrix 113 there are "a lot of technical advantages, but a few things were standouts for me such as being able to electronically adjust the cutting plate, which is usually a manual task. From an engineering perspective the gearbox on the Dymatrix is thermically separated to the cutting mechanism. This means there is no need to warm up the machine enabling us to achieve consistent cutting pressure even from a cold start - on our old machine we'd have to wait a couple of hours for it to get going".
"Another feature I think is worthwhile mentioning is the clear window at the rear (of the cutting station) that enables you to see through the cutting station and quickly identify where sheets are catching. This feature saves on time and waste sheets, both of which add up to cost savings".
He says the new machine, which cuts, strips and blanks, will definitely enable the company to target new work. "We've never had a machine that blanks so output will be greater and it will remove a manual handling process as well. The Dymatrix runs a lot faster than our current machines and the fully automatic logistics system for stack changes on and off the machine allow the machine to run non-stop from the start of the run, even on very long runs. Plus its high level of automation will enable us to reduce make ready times considerably giving us greater capacity".
AMR Hewitts Print Packaging operates Heidelberg solutions in pre-press and the pressroom and Bobst finishing equipment. Lou says he only looked at these two brands when shopping for a new die-cutter. "I considered very closely the options available to us and while on paper there was little difference between the models offered by both suppliers, in operation the Dymatrix has a number of unique benefits. At the end of the day I believe the Dymatrix machine will give me more sheets on the floor and that's good news for our bottom line".
A leading packaging printer, AMR Hewitts Print Packaging has positioned itself at the quality end of the market, manufacturing a range of packaging products for a diverse customer base spanning pharmaceutical, complementary health and cosmetics through to boutique foods and automotive retail lines.
AMR Hewitts Print Packaging was established in 1985 after packaging manufacturer AMR (Australian Modern Reproduction) acquired Hewitts Printers, a commercial print company. By 1990 the new company had dispensed with commercial print work to focus solely on manufacturing high quality packaging products.
"We have long held the philosophy that packaging should reflect a brand's positioning," says Lou. "When we decided to put all our efforts into packaging, we went to market with a quality proposition that centred on producing packaging that would assure consistency in branding from advertising to the point of sale. At the time our existing packaging contracts were in ladies hosiery and this approach proved to be very successful. Within 18 months we had moved from the smallest operator in the category, to the largest".
Today AMR Hewitts Print Packaging is recognised for its quality and for working at the leading edge across a number of market segments. Lou says to maintain this position the company "needs to work with state-of-the-art equipment. This is the reason we've chosen the Dymatrix 113 - so we can continue to demonstrate market leadership and meet our own very strict KPIs for quality and productivity".
"Our internal KPI for full on-time delivery sits at 99.5% and we have very strict internal quality controls also. To meet our KPIs we need to give our team all the right tools. When we started to see defects coming through in the cutting area we knew we needed to bring our die-cutting equipment up to speed".
He continues. "I saw the Dymatrix in operation in Germany, in both showroom demonstrations and at customer sites. Its performance on the job was very impressive, and I could immediately see the productivity and quality benefits of the machine".
A favourable exchange rate and an increased workload led AMR Hewitts Print Packaging to place an order for the Dymatrix 113 earlier this year and the company expects installation by July. Lou says with the Dymatrix 113 there are "a lot of technical advantages, but a few things were standouts for me such as being able to electronically adjust the cutting plate, which is usually a manual task. From an engineering perspective the gearbox on the Dymatrix is thermically separated to the cutting mechanism. This means there is no need to warm up the machine enabling us to achieve consistent cutting pressure even from a cold start - on our old machine we'd have to wait a couple of hours for it to get going".
"Another feature I think is worthwhile mentioning is the clear window at the rear (of the cutting station) that enables you to see through the cutting station and quickly identify where sheets are catching. This feature saves on time and waste sheets, both of which add up to cost savings".
He says the new machine, which cuts, strips and blanks, will definitely enable the company to target new work. "We've never had a machine that blanks so output will be greater and it will remove a manual handling process as well. The Dymatrix runs a lot faster than our current machines and the fully automatic logistics system for stack changes on and off the machine allow the machine to run non-stop from the start of the run, even on very long runs. Plus its high level of automation will enable us to reduce make ready times considerably giving us greater capacity".
AMR Hewitts Print Packaging operates Heidelberg solutions in pre-press and the pressroom and Bobst finishing equipment. Lou says he only looked at these two brands when shopping for a new die-cutter. "I considered very closely the options available to us and while on paper there was little difference between the models offered by both suppliers, in operation the Dymatrix has a number of unique benefits. At the end of the day I believe the Dymatrix machine will give me more sheets on the floor and that's good news for our bottom line".
