In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, the demand for right-sized bespoke cardboard packaging has never been higher. For ASC Direct, a company built on a foundation of sustainable, tailor-made solutions, meeting this demand while maintaining operational excellence is a constant evolution. Recently, ASC Direct took a significant leap forward by strengthening its partnership with GTS Europe, installing two new state-of-the-art machines: an 1800 ‘Mini’ Boxstar and a 2508 ‘Pro’ Boxstar.
This latest investment, completed in March 2026, isn’t just about adding capacity; it’s about solving a complex manufacturing puzzle that many in the packaging industry face.
High variety, low volume
ASC Direct is structured in two divisions: Direct and Cartons. The Direct division focuses on e-commerce, driven by a sophisticated online ordering platform. Here, customers can use a bespoke box builder to receive instant pricing and place orders for custom-sized cardboard boxes in quantities ranging from 25 to 2,000 units. However, over 90% of orders are for 100 boxes or less.
“Producing these quantities isn’t easy, especially when every single order is bespoke,” explains James Palfery-Smith, General Manager, ASC Direct. “The challenge is fourfold: optimising stock board sizes to minimise waste, ensuring machines are versatile enough to handle everything from pallet boxes to mini wraps and trays, maintaining rapid turnaround times despite volatile board lead times, and, crucially, managing labour and setup costs on short-run orders.”
Eliminating the bottleneck
For years, a primary bottleneck in the ASC factory was the reliance on an offline rotary slitter. This machine ran all day, every day, requiring two operators and significant setup times of 10-20 mins for every order change. The cut board then had to be manually moved to converting machines and then to gluers.
In many instances, producing a single batch of boxes required three separate machines and six operators. This fragmented process resulted in 20 to 40 mins of setup time per batch, plus an additional 20-30 mins lost to moving board between machines. “All of this was downtime,” notes Palfery-Smith. “We simply weren’t making sellable boxes during those periods.”
Versatility and speed
The introduction of the GTS Boxstar technology has fundamentally changed this dynamic. ASC Direct was already familiar with the platform’s reliability, having operated a 2508 Boxstar for nearly five years alongside three Solarco short run boxmaking machines that were also supplied by GTS Europe. The decision to add a second 2508 ‘Pro’ Boxstar and the specialised 1800 ‘Mini’ Boxstar was a strategic move to eliminate the inefficiencies of the old rotary slitter workflow.
The Boxstar’s ability to slit, score, and cut in a single pass — and handle a vast array of box styles from 0401s to complex trays — means that what once required three machines and six people can now be handled far more efficiently. The ‘Mini’ Boxstar, in particular, allows for high-precision work on smaller formats, perfectly aligned with the needs of the e-commerce sector.
Partnership built on results
For GTS Europe, this installation represents another successful collaboration in helping packaging converters modernise their floor space. Arran Sethi, Machinery Sales Consultant at GTS Europe, worked closely with the ASC team to ensure the new configuration addressed their specific pain points regarding setup times and board movement.
“By consolidating processes, ASC Direct has not only increased its throughput but has also gained the agility needed to thrive in a market where ‘bespoke’ and ‘immediate’ are the standard expectations,” concludes Sethi. “For companies operating in the manufacturing and logistics sectors, the ASC Direct story is a masterclass in identifying hidden downtime and investing in versatile technology to reclaim it. In the world of bespoke packaging, the winner isn’t just the one who can make the box — it’s the one who can make it the most efficiently. With their new Boxstar fleet, ASC Direct is firmly in the lead.”
