11/06/2025
Southern Champion Tray (SCT), a folding carton manufacturer based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has successfully commissioned a Boardmaster inline flexographic printing press from HEIDELBERG, significantly increasing its productivity. The photo shows the management teams of Southern Champion Tray led by CEO Brian Hunt (second from left) and HEIDELBERG with Clarence Penge, President of HEIDELBERG USA and Felix Müller, Managing Director at HEIDELBERG Weiden plant (fifths and sixth from left).
The US folding carton manufacturer Southern Champion Tray (SCT), based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is setting new standards in folding carton production: The company has successfully commissioned a Boardmaster inline flexographic printing press from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG). The investment made by SCT is part of a comprehensive modernization project. Founded in 1927, the family-owned company, which now has 900 employees, has invested a total of $60 million in a new location with highly automated production in order to position the company competitively for the future. Southern Champion Tray produces sustainable packaging, particularly for the food industry, including retail, bakeries, and delivery services, and is responding flexibly to the growing demand for customized packaging from its customers with the Boardmaster. The Boardmaster replaces a 25-year-old machine and offers a new dimension of efficiency and quality with its non-stop job changes, automated plate setup, and AI-controlled Intellimatch scanner technology, which leads to a drastic reduction in waste. This has enabled SCT to significantly increase productivity and shorten delivery times—a decisive competitive advantage as Southern Champion pursues the winning aspiration of “making every interaction effortless for the customer”.
"In the past, flexographic printing was not efficient enough for smaller runs, but HEIDELBERG's Boardmaster has changed that and exceeded our expectations—not only in terms of efficiency, but also in terms of print quality and ease of use. It is a key component of our strategy to redefine customer service," said Brian Hunt, CEO, Southern Champion Tray.
With a production speed of up to 600 m/min and a web width of 1425 mm, the Boardmaster is twice as productive as the system previously installed at SCT. The integrated drying technology also opens up new possibilities for applying coatings that can replace plastic coatings in the future.
HEIDELBERG serves attractive growth segments in the packaging sector
With the Boardmaster technology, HEIDELBERG is driving the global trend toward more sustainable packaging solutions in the growing market for folding cartons. As a system integrator, HEIDELBERG also focuses on partnerships to open up new market segments and increase the competitiveness of its customers. For example,
HEIDELBERG has teamed up with Solenis to develop a process that enables the industrial, partial, and therefore cost-effective application of barrier coatings to flexible paper packaging, particularly in the food sector, for example for chocolate or pasta, etc. Flexible paper packaging is predicted to grow by 4.5 percent annually until the end of the decade. As a system integrator, HEIDELBERG has integrated Solenis' technology into the roll flexographic printing process with the Boardmaster.
"The high international demand from customers for the Boardmaster underscores that we are operating in attractive growth markets with our solutions. The global trend toward more sustainable packaging solutions made of paper or cardboard will continue to rise worldwide," said Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at
HEIDELBERG. "We deliver state-of-the-art technology and reliable service to optimize our customers' production and reduce their costs."
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is a leading technology company that has been standing for innovation, quality, and reliability in mechanical engineering worldwide for 175 years. With a clear focus on growth and as a total solution provider, HEIDELBERG is driving further development in the core areas of packaging and digital printing, software solutions, and lifecycle business with service and consumables so that customers can achieve maximum productivity and efficiency.
The company is also focusing on expanding into new business areas such as high-precision plant engineering with integrated control systems, automation technology, robotics, and the growing green technologies sector. With its strong international presence in approximately 170 countries, the creative power and expertise of its roughly 9,500 employees, its own production facilities in Europe, China, and the USA, and one of the largest global sales and service networks, the company is ideally positioned for future growth.
Image 1: Southern Champion Tray (SCT), a folding carton manufacturer based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has successfully commissioned a Boardmaster inline flexographic printing press from HEIDELBERG, significantly increasing its productivity. The photo shows the management teams of Southern Champion Tray led by CEO Brian Hunt (second from left) and HEIDELBERG with Clarence Penge, President of HEIDELBERG USA and Felix Müller, Managing Director at HEIDELBERG Weiden plant (fifths and sixth from left).
Image 2: Southern Champin Tray responds flexibly to the growing demand for customized packaging, especially in the food sector, with the Boardmaster from HEIDELBERG.
Image 3: With the Boardmaster, HEIDELBERG serves attractive growth segments in the packaging sector as a system integrator.
Image material, and further information about the company are available in the Investor Relations and Press Lounge of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at www.heidelberg.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and estimates by the management of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft. Even though the management is of the opinion that these assumptions and estimates are accurate, the actual future development and results may deviate substantially from these forward-looking statements due to various factors, such as changes in the overall economic situation, in exchange and interest rates, and within the print media industry. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft provides no guarantee and assumes no liability for future developments and results deviating from the assumptions and estimates made in this press release.
Matthias Hartung
Press Officer – Corporate, Print Systems, and Technology
Tel.: +49 (0)6222 82 67174
Email: matthias.hartung@heidelberg.com
11/06/2025
The US folding carton manufacturer Southern Champion Tray (SCT), based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is setting new standards in folding carton production: The company has successfully commissioned a Boardmaster inline flexographic printing press from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG). The investment made by SCT is part of a comprehensive modernization project. Founded in 1927, the family-owned company, which now has 900 employees, has invested a total of $60 million in a new location with highly automated production in order to position the company competitively for the future. Southern Champion Tray produces sustainable packaging, particularly for the food industry, including retail, bakeries, and delivery services, and is responding flexibly to the growing demand for customized packaging from its customers with the Boardmaster. The Boardmaster replaces a 25-year-old machine and offers a new dimension of efficiency and quality with its non-stop job changes, automated plate setup, and AI-controlled Intellimatch scanner technology, which leads to a drastic reduction in waste. This has enabled SCT to significantly increase productivity and shorten delivery times—a decisive competitive advantage as Southern Champion pursues the winning aspiration of “making every interaction effortless for the customer”.
"In the past, flexographic printing was not efficient enough for smaller runs, but HEIDELBERG's Boardmaster has changed that and exceeded our expectations—not only in terms of efficiency, but also in terms of print quality and ease of use. It is a key component of our strategy to redefine customer service," said Brian Hunt, CEO, Southern Champion Tray.
With a production speed of up to 600 m/min and a web width of 1425 mm, the Boardmaster is twice as productive as the system previously installed at SCT. The integrated drying technology also opens up new possibilities for applying coatings that can replace plastic coatings in the future.
HEIDELBERG serves attractive growth segments in the packaging sector
With the Boardmaster technology, HEIDELBERG is driving the global trend toward more sustainable packaging solutions in the growing market for folding cartons. As a system integrator, HEIDELBERG also focuses on partnerships to open up new market segments and increase the competitiveness of its customers. For example,
HEIDELBERG has teamed up with Solenis to develop a process that enables the industrial, partial, and therefore cost-effective application of barrier coatings to flexible paper packaging, particularly in the food sector, for example for chocolate or pasta, etc. Flexible paper packaging is predicted to grow by 4.5 percent annually until the end of the decade. As a system integrator, HEIDELBERG has integrated Solenis' technology into the roll flexographic printing process with the Boardmaster.
"The high international demand from customers for the Boardmaster underscores that we are operating in attractive growth markets with our solutions. The global trend toward more sustainable packaging solutions made of paper or cardboard will continue to rise worldwide," said Dr. David Schmedding, Chief Technology & Sales Officer at
HEIDELBERG. "We deliver state-of-the-art technology and reliable service to optimize our customers' production and reduce their costs."
Press release Southern Champion Tray
Press release 175 years of HEIDELBERG
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) is a leading technology company that has been standing for innovation, quality, and reliability in mechanical engineering worldwide for 175 years. With a clear focus on growth and as a total solution provider, HEIDELBERG is driving further development in the core areas of packaging and digital printing, software solutions, and lifecycle business with service and consumables so that customers can achieve maximum productivity and efficiency.
The company is also focusing on expanding into new business areas such as high-precision plant engineering with integrated control systems, automation technology, robotics, and the growing green technologies sector. With its strong international presence in approximately 170 countries, the creative power and expertise of its roughly 9,500 employees, its own production facilities in Europe, China, and the USA, and one of the largest global sales and service networks, the company is ideally positioned for future growth.
Image 1: Southern Champion Tray (SCT), a folding carton manufacturer based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has successfully commissioned a Boardmaster inline flexographic printing press from HEIDELBERG, significantly increasing its productivity. The photo shows the management teams of Southern Champion Tray led by CEO Brian Hunt (second from left) and HEIDELBERG with Clarence Penge, President of HEIDELBERG USA and Felix Müller, Managing Director at HEIDELBERG Weiden plant (fifths and sixth from left).
Image 2: Southern Champin Tray responds flexibly to the growing demand for customized packaging, especially in the food sector, with the Boardmaster from HEIDELBERG.
Image 3: With the Boardmaster, HEIDELBERG serves attractive growth segments in the packaging sector as a system integrator.
Image material, and further information about the company are available in the Investor Relations and Press Lounge of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at www.heidelberg.com.
This release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and estimates by the management of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft. Even though the management is of the opinion that these assumptions and estimates are accurate, the actual future development and results may deviate substantially from these forward-looking statements due to various factors, such as changes in the overall economic situation, in exchange and interest rates, and within the print media industry. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft provides no guarantee and assumes no liability for future developments and results deviating from the assumptions and estimates made in this press release.
Press Officer – Corporate, Print Systems, and Technology
Tel.: +49 (0)6222 82 67174
