Unwavering Warneke: this Denver folding carton converter adapts to whatever obstacles are tossed in its way

Paperboard Packaging, March, 2004 by Esther Durkalski

A year ago, the company purchased a two-color Heidelberg 102 CD with a tower coater, which is used primarily for pharmaceutical work, keeping the machine running at full speed.

Warneke Paper Box is a huge proponent of Heidelberg machinery. The company has five Heidelberg presses, including a 29-inch, six-color CD 74 offset press, the first in the United States. The press was a beta test site for Heidelberg and was linked with the German company's headquarters for quality assurance and design needs.

"We're able to do 5,000 to five million runs a day," Steve says. "It's very versatile and has a faster setup than we've seen before." Warneke continues to look for equipment that runs like that--fast, efficient and accurate. That's how Steve came across Berlin-based System Kurandt GmbH color and glue control and monitoring devices, sold by hhs. The Kurandt LNK200 detects undergluing and overgluing. The other Kurandt devices check diecutting registration and color density, all while running at up to 80,000 per hour.

"I can tell customers that they'll never get a bad box," Steve says. "Especially when you take the human error out of the equation."

Warneke's Heidelberg/Creo direct to plate system uses Artpro software and a digital Trendsetter Spectrum with an Imation Matchprint laser proofing system. The system eliminates variables that occur in other proofing processes, Steve says. The laser proofs are comparable to press sheets and it locks in precise registration between colors. Every customer receives a flat and 3-D proof.

When Steve joined the company 34 years ago, about 90 percent of the business was setup boxes. Today, about 9 percent is setup. Warneke has reinvented itself to adjust to those changes and with the right technology, it is poised to do it again.