Accent Impression Grows Folding Carton Production With Heidelberg Easymatrix

Influenced by market demand for packaging during COVID-19, Accent Impression, a commercial printer located in Montreal, Quebec, recently expanded its folding carton production by purchasing an Easymatrix die cutter from Heidelberg. The Easymatrix, which complements the company’s existing Speedmaster XL 106, secures Accent Impression’s position in the packaging sector and sets the company up for future growth.

Credit: Heidelberg USA

Poised for Growth

Started in 1989, Accent Impression, a family-owned and operated business, has focused on the commercial segment for most of its 30 years of operation. Equipped with a Speedmaster XL 106 that it installed in 2015, the company already had the capability to print on board stock but lacked the automated finishing equipment needed for efficient folding carton production. “We always wanted to move into packaging and had our eye on the Easymatrix for many years,” said Vice President of Operations Adam Zara, “but we kept postponing investments due to other business priorities.” After seeing the demand and need for packaging during COVID-19, however, the company knew it was time to accelerate its decision.

Installed in March 2021, the Easymatrix, which runs at speeds of up to 7,700 sheets per hour, is the company’s first full-size 41” die cutter. Having drastically improved Accent Impression’s productivity over the very manual platen die cutters it was running previously, the Easymatrix has already generated a lot of business for the company. “The arrival of the Easymatrix gave our existing clientele the confidence to send us the packaging work they were previously sending to other vendors,” said Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Anthony Zara. “Through efforts to enhance our sales force and product development team, we’ve also been able to attract many new customers.”

Initially, Accent Impression’s goal was to shift its business from 100% commercial work to a 50% commercial-50% packaging model over the course of two years. Producing primarily food-based and machinery packaging, Accent Impression, together with the Easymatrix and XL 106, has been able to provide its packaging clients fast turnaround times for quick time to market. Demand has been so high that the company is already seeing its production split evenly.

Tailor-Made for a Commercial Printer Getting into Packaging

Cost-effective and operator-friendly, the Easymatrix “is tailor-made for a commercial printer getting into packaging,” said Adam. Thanks to the intuitive touchscreen interface, along with the motorized cutting pressure adjustment and quick-lock technology for dies and stripping tools, the Easymatrix boasts short makeready times and is easy to run. After a two-week training, Accent Impression felt confident operating the Easymatrix despite never having run a full-size die cutter previously.

Today, Accent Impression continues to be impressed by the level of service it receives from Heidelberg for the Easymatrix. “We wanted a machine that provided the same level of support that we get for the Speedmaster XL 106, and we’re able to get that with the Easymatrix,” said Adam. “This machine delivers on everything we need – for half the price we could have paid for other die cutters and in half the delivery time.”

SOURCE: Heidelberg USA