In June 1988, Miami Paper Corp. and Flambeau Paper combined their respective resources to create Cross Pointe Corp. (subsidiary of Pentair Inc.). The formation of this new company allowed both companies to better serve customer with a wider selection of high-quality printing paper.
Cross Pointe’s product line feature premium paper grades. A high percentage of the paper manufactured is deinked, with a recycled content of 50% or more. Strong demand for paper made from recycled fibers has helped fuel Cross Pointe’s growth despite a softening paper market.
In response to increased demand for its product, Cross Pointe recently constructed a converting and distribution center in West Chicago, IL. The family provides 152,000 sq ft of space for converting and warehousing operations. Roll stock is delivered by rail and truck.
On average, about 300 to 400 tons of roll stock are in process inventory and available for sheeting. According to Jim Winn, vice president of marketing, “The new facility was designed to consolidate efforts. Plus, we also were looking to increase our sheeting capacity to satisfy the needs of a growing out-of-stock carton business.”
Investment In Control
Cross Pointe had previously relied heavily on outside converters to sheet its roll stock. By setting up its own sheeting operation, the company could have greater control over the quality of the finished product.
The new sheeter had to satisfy Cross Pointe’s demands for accuracy and production. “We needed to precision sheet without guillotine trimming. We also needed a sheeter that could meet our tonnage goals,” Winn said.
After studying the equipment available, Cross Pointe selected the MSH Sheeter from Maxson Automatic Machinery (Westerly, RI). “We chose the Maxson because of its accuracy and high-speed capabilities,” Winn explained. “it met our tonnage goals. Also, we were impressed with the sheeter’s heavy-duty construction.” Another important factor for Cross Pointe was delivery. “Delivery of the new sheeter was reasonable and in line with our startup schedule,” Winn added.
At Cross Pointe, the MSH Sheeter handles both text and cover stock in basis weights ranging from 50 to 146lb. Since accuracy was important, the sheeter has dual motor drive, which provides a sheet-length accuracy +/- 0.015 in. The sheeted stock is then packaged into cartons without needing secondary trimming.
The MSH Sheeter operates at speeds of up to 1,100 fpm and is capable of producing 104 tons of sheeted stock in 24 hours. The sheeter features Maxson’s Airfoil Overlap system, which eliminates jams at the point of overlap when sheeting at high speeds. This device forces the tail end of the first sheet down while forcing up the leading of the oncoming sheet.
Options for Better Production
To optimize efficient sheeting, Cross Pointe chose options that would reduce downtime. These included shaftless roll stands, an extending grid and a shuttle car system. “We selected options which would allow us to pick up additional tonnage,” Winn said.
To speed setup during roll changes, Cross Pointe selected four shaftless roll stands. The shaftless roll stand eliminates the need for overhead hoists when loading rolls into place and activates the roll stand. The back stand automatically grabs the roll and lifts it into running position. As a result, a four-roll set change is complete in 20 min.
Another option selected to reduce downtime was an extending grid, which allows for continuous operation during skid changes. The grid fingers shoot out over the pile, collecting the sheeted stock until the operator moves a new skid into position.
An added timesaver is a shuttle cart system, which eliminates the need for a forklift truck while offloading skids. During skid changes, the operator lowers the table and offloads the finished skid onto a shuttle cart. The shuttle cart moves the skid off the side and out of the way. At the same time, a second shuttle cart is placed over the table and raised into position. The skid that is finished can then be removed at convenience of the operator.
“One of the benefits of sheeting in-house is we can provide our customers with faster turnarounds,” Winn said. “Since consolidating our warehouse, converting, and distribution functions, we can serve 80% of our market within 24 hours.”
Quality control is another benefit of sheeting in-house. “Our goal was to reduce dependence on outside sources for sheeting. The Maxson sheeter has accomplished this goal, and the result is greater in-house quality control,” Winn said.
Reprinted from Pulp & Paper, October 1990
