Phoenix-based Label & Printing Solutions, the US arm of Etiquetas e Impresiones de México, and a long-term user of Mark Andy flexo technology has invested in a 20” 11-color Performance Series P7 press to handle its pressure sensitive label work.

 Established in 1997 to supply labels to a fruit juice manufacturer in Hermosillo, Mexico, the company has used a variety of Mark Andy flexo presses over the years, from 830, to Scout and 2200 models up to Performance Series P5 and P7.  Currently, the company has nine Mark Andy presses in daily use, eight in Mexico and the latest 11-color P7 in Phoenix. 

 Ricardo Stone, who co-founded the company and acts as General Manager, explained the business philosophy: “We have always looked to pioneer new products and new methods of production.  We were the first Mark Andy user to adopt LED-UV back in 2013 on one of their P5 presses.  With ambient temperatures on the production floor in the Sonoran desert region of Mexico often more than 120F (50C), any reduction in heat generation was welcome – and the fact that LED is more energy efficient and therefore cheaper overall was an added benefit.” 

 In the early 2000s, Ricardo Stone turned to filmic materials with the addition of chill drums on his then-new presses.  Today, around 20% of his label output is film, but 35% of his total business is packaging produced with PET and BOPP, and it’s this side that is growing fastest.  “We laminate PE and BOPP in-house to produce pouches.  In Mexico, we do it offline but have perfected a technique here with solventless adhesives to laminate online on the Mark Andy P7 – it’s tricky and requires accurate control of a counter-rotating anilox, but it works well and allows us to start and stop without having to clean-up the machine.” 

 Asked why he continues to invest in narrow web technology rather than looking at what wide web CI has to offer, he said that production flexibility is the key.  “We’re not interested in mega-run work – typically, our customers ask for 10,000 to 15,000 pouches, not 1 million, and narrow- to midweb makes the most sense for this type of work.  Chasing volume does not fit well with our ethos of service and quality – price alone means a race to the bottom, and since we’re seeing a 12% year-on-year growth, I’d say we’ve got it right!”  With the development the company continues to do with extended gamut work, it’s hard to argue this point. 

The 43,000sq/ft (4,000 sqm) plant in Phoenix, which Stone is looking to extend by another 8,600 sq/ft (800 sqm), employs 12 on single shift operation at present, with another 70 people employed at the plant in Mexico.  “We’d like to add a second shift here but recruiting good skilled staff is becoming ever more difficult,” he said, echoing the words of many in the industry and hinting perhaps at the need to embrace more automation.   

 The Phoenix plant mostly serves food and beverage customers in the south and western states of the US like Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and California, where annual sales top $10m.  With his three daughters actively involved in the business, Ricardo Stone is building a strong family legacy based on innovation and the use of the latest technology.  

 Speaking for Mark Andy, Sales Manager LATAM John Vigna commented: “It’s always an honor to support a longstanding customer like Ricardo, especially with his pioneering spirit that allows him to make such creative use of Mark Andy technology to grow his business.  I’m looking forward to introducing him to the raft of new developments that we exhibited at the recent Labelexpo in Chicago, which I’m sure can feature in his future plans.”