Package Design | packagedesignmag.com

(July 2009) posted on Sun Oct 11, 2009

By Ron Romanik

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McLean Packaging has built a fine reputation over the years, but last year they took their business and customers to another level. CEO Joe Fenkel and his staff have made a few critical and successful decisions that have turned out very well, including purchasing a new facility in Moorestown, NJ, and installing a ROLAND 700 Ultima press there. Although this year's holiday buying season is a distant thought for consumers, it is currently top-of-mind in Moorestown, where holiday season packaging production should stay busy through August. Many of McLean's clients are internationally recognized brands such as Godiva, L'Oreal, Elizabeth Arden, Estée Lauder, and Procter & Gamble's beauty division. "Our customers have been coming to us for more difficult, unique packages," says Jeff Besnick, McLean's general manager. "With the ROLAND 700 Ultima, we're able to take on jobs most other shops cannot do."

Building long histories
 

At McLean, which started with setup box manufacturing in 1961, many customer relationships extend to more than 20 years. While premium packaging has long been its forte, the company added significant new dimensions in the process by consolidating and moving equipment and people from Philadelphia to Moorestown in 2007.

"Prior to adding the new manroland press, we did not have a press that could offer such unique characteristics and graphic solutions," Besnick says. "Being able to offer dimensional coating and other special effects on a package, plus having the ability to run so many different substrates is making a huge difference. This press handles paper, paperboard, box grades, plastic, Mylar, and foil substrates."

Besnick says that the ROLAND 700 Ultima, running two full shifts five days a week, can print nearly every kind of substrate on any given shift. "For example, we'll run 80-lb. half-mil Mylar for a box wrap, then 14-gauge plastic for some folding carton grades. These jobs may be two-color or 10-color and can range from 3,000 sheets to 100,000 sheets. The ROLAND 700 handles it all, effortlessly."

During the busy season, Besnick says that there are numerous new product launches in the works and at least two customers per week are at the Moorestown facility overseeing press approvals and other related activities. That's where the multiple capabilities of the press really impress. "Due to our ability to do so many things on the fly with this press," says Besnick, "we can satisfy new customer requirements every day."