E.B. Box, a custom folding carton manufacturer in Richmond Hill, ON, continues to strengthen its position in the folding carton industry five years after a rapid expansion driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. To support this ongoing growth, the company is set to add a second facility, doubling its square footage, and install its second Speedmaster XL 106 from HEIDELBERG. The Speedmaster XL 106-7+L, equipped with the newest technology including Prinect Inpress Control 3 & Prinect Inspection Control 4, advances the company’s folding carton operations – further enhancing quality and reducing lead times.
Founded in 1972, E.B. Box did not begin printing its own folding cartons until 2015 when it acquired a pre-owned offset press. As the business quickly grew, the company recognized the need to invest in high-speed, efficiency-boosting equipment to stay competitive in the folding carton industry. In 2020, just before the onset of the pandemic, E.B. Box installed its first Speedmaster XL 106; it arrived at the perfect time, helping the company accommodate a significant increase in both the volume of its food packaging business and the growing demand for faster turnaround times from its customers.
Since 2020, the GFSI-certified company has been named one of the Canada’s fastest growing companies for five straight years. Irfan Rajabali, President, explains, “We’ve remained committed to the food and beverage packaging sector – understanding the needs of our clients for fast turnarounds and competitive pricing. By continually investing in technology and innovation, we’ve been able to meet these demands efficiently.”
The company’s success and growth led to increased demand over the past five years, but it remained a one-press operation – a challenge Rajabali acknowledged was becoming harder to maintain. With its XL 106, which has accumulated 125 million impressions since installation, often tied up with large projects, fulfilling last-minute requests for quick-turn jobs was increasingly difficult. “Having an additional press will enable us to significantly decrease lead times,” said Rajabali. “Fast turnarounds and high quality have always been our value to customers, and this upgrade will help us deliver on that promise even more effectively.”
Pleased with its strong partnership with Heidelberg, E.B. Box is preparing to install a new seven-color Speedmaster XL 106 with coater. This addition will boost the company’s capacity and offer greater flexibility to customers seeking expanded PMS color capabilities. The new press installation coincides with E.B. Box’s recent acquisition of a second facility, which will effectively double its operational space. With the new facility and press in place, E.B. Box is targeting a 30-50% increase in revenue.
Enhanced quality and efficiency
E.B. Box’s new XL 106, rated at the same 18,000 sheets per hour as its 2020 model, is expected to deliver a 20% boost in efficiency. This boost in performance will be driven by several new technologies, including the Heidelberg User Experience with AI-powered press assistants and an advanced logistics system. The logistics system automates the loading of the feeder and removal of printed pallets at delivery, significantly easing the burden on operators who would otherwise need to change loads every six minutes. With these efficiency enhancements, E.B. Box expects to be able to operate both presses with its existing press crews.
Primarily serving the food and beverage industries, E.B. Box is also outfitting its newest press with both Prinect Inpress Control 3 and Prinect Inspection Control 4. Rajabali adds, “With these presses running at such high speeds, automated color and quality control technology is crucial for us to prevent any print issues from quickly accumulating.”
A holistic ecosystem
For E.B. Box, ensuring product quality goes beyond just the press. The company has strategically invested in the complete Heidelberg ecosystem – from Prinect Production Manager workflow to Suprasetter CtP, as well as plates and press chemistry. “If there are any issues with our output, there’s no finger-pointing,” said Rajabali. “We’re fully dialled in with an integrated Heidelberg solution – from receiving files and outputting proofs to ensuring that sheets coming off the press are all calibrated and consistent.”
He concluded, “Everything we do is supported by Heidelberg, and we believe this partnership is key for ensuring the consistency and quality of our output and our overall growth and future success.”
