Plenty of printing companies talk about breaking into packaging. Hialeah, Florida-based Up2Speed actually did it, and the journey from a modest garage operation to a thriving packaging specialist is a story worth telling.
Founded in 2003, the business was built on craft from the very beginning. But it was a simple, almost obvious conviction that set its course: everything comes in a box. That belief drove a deliberate push into packaging long before it became fashionable, and it continues to shape every decision the company makes today.
Investment in press technology proved to be a genuine turning point. Upgrading to a state-of-the-art Komori 40″ press didn’t just modernise the shop floor, it transformed it. Makeready times fell sharply. Substrate waste dropped to a fraction of what it once was. In the cut-throat world of competitive packaging, those gains go straight to the bottom line and keep lead times tight.
Quality control has been woven into the process rather than bolted on afterwards. Automated inspection systems catch and isolate defects in real time, so only compliant sheets progress through production, delivering the reliability that high-value packaging clients demand.
The adoption of LED UV technology has added another dimension. Jobs move directly from press to finishing with zero drying downtime, something that’s rapidly shifting from a competitive advantage to a basic requirement for any converter worth their salt.
The ambitions don’t stop there. Up to Speed is actively expanding its finishing capabilities, with foil stamping, lamination and mounting solutions all in the pipeline, a clear signal that the goal is a fully integrated, end-to-end packaging offer.
Yet for all the technology, what still defines the business is something refreshingly straightforward: direct, responsive relationships with customers, led personally by its owners.
