The installation of an Onset X3 wide format, UV inkjet flatbed printer from Fujifilm is providing more opportunities at Southern Carton, a family-owned company based in Lewisburg, Tennessee. Specialising in packaging, the company can now offer faster turnaround and no minimum order quantity.

With a maximum throughput of nearly 10,000 square feet per hour, the printer has a choice of unidirectional, bi-directional and super high-quality print modes that can be selected depending on the specific job requirements. Southern Carton’s Onset X3 features two channels of white ink, as well as a semi-automatic robotic handling system.

‘We’re looking for more and more opportunities because the Onset X3 is so versatile,’ said CEO Dave Kennedy. ‘It’s a great selling feature in that we can print white (ink) and our competitors cannot.’

‘We are printing on glass and a lot of acrylic,’ adds Eugene Peek, digital coordinator. ‘With the speed and flexibility of the Onset X3, we are able to accept many new jobs and turn them around same day, or within 24 hours.’

‘With regard to our close proximity to Nashville, we’re trying to get involved within the country music industry,’ added Mr Kennedy. ‘We’re also looking at wineries and craft breweries and distilleries. We are targeting potential clients who traditionally don’t want to order 1000 of this and 2000 of that; they want 50 of this and 100 of that. The Onset X3 is a game changer for us.’

The new printer has also helped Southern Carton grow from its regional base. ‘That has been a great selling feature for us,’ Mr Kennedy said. ‘A client in San Francisco asks us to run a job that might typically be done 150 to 200 miles from its plant. With the high speed output from the Onset X3, we can ship to clients anywhere and everywhere.’

The company recently completed a rush order consisting of 200 corrugated sheets printed within the same day. ‘Our customers have come to expect a very quick turnaround,’ concluded Mr Kennedy. ‘It’s now a precedent. That’s the way we built our business. Our clients know what we can deliver on the box side, and they expect us to deliver on other output, too.’