Alignment of two market leaders amplifies their capabilities, innovation and service

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) is pleased to welcome another Barry-Wehmiller entity into its robust portfolio of capabilities for the printing and converting industries.

On Oct. 1, 2019, Hudson-Sharp will become a part of PCMC and Barry-Wehmiller’s converting equipment platform. Hudson-Sharp, a world-renowned leader in the making of bag converting equipment, is currently part of BW Flexible Systems, the flexible
packaging machinery division of BW Packaging Systems, Barry-Wehmiller’s packaging equipment platform.

“Over the last several years, PCMC has continually expanded our services in the flexographic printing industry, while developing new, exciting innovations,” said Stan Blakney, PCMC’s US President. “The dynamic combination of Hudson-Sharp bag converting and PCMC’s flexographic print capabilities will take our services and ability to meet customer needs to the next level.”

In 2017, PCMC acquired Graphbury Machines, a machine manufacturer and engineering-services provider for the flexible packaging industry, which has allowed PCMC to offer a wide range of products that improve flexographic printers’ production and performance. In May 2019, PCMC was a recipient of the Flexographic Technical Association’s Technical Innovation Award for its recent introduction of the SteadyPrint print-stabilization technology.

The Hudson-Sharp Machine Company introduced Inno-Lok® technology in 1997, which, literally, changed the way zippers are applied to packaging. From wicketers to stand-up pouch machines to the Inno-Lok® and Pour & Lok™ pre-applied closure product lines, the Hudson-Sharp brand has been the solution for bag converting companies for 100 years.

“PCMC and Hudson-Sharp equipment go hand in hand,” Blakney said. “The alignment of our businesses and products, with our shared knowledge of the continuum of the printing and converting processes, is only going to facilitate more innovation and help us to position our customers for more efficiencies and greater success. We are excited not only about the opportunities this will present for our customers, but also for our team members in Green Bay and in Europe.”

Rich Faber, who currently serves as Operations Leader for Hudson-Sharp’s Green Bay location and has successfully stewarded the brand for nearly 30 years, will become Operations Leader for all of PCMC. Craig Compton, currently PCMC’s Vice President of Lean Initiatives (L3), will become Vice President, Printing and Bag Converting, assuming commercial leadership of the Hudson-Sharp and PCMC print business.

Hudson-Sharp has been a part of the Barry-Wehmiller family since 2009 and has operations based in Green Bay and Brussels, Belgium. Hudson-Sharp’s Brussels location will now become the European center for the broader printing and bag converting line.

PCMC recently celebrated its 100th anniversary in Green Bay. It became part of the Barry-Wehmiller family in 2005 and has a second location in Lucca, Italy. PCMC’s printing technologies—such as the Fusion and ELS series of printers—are designed to reduce energy costs and include fast make-ready, waste-saving and quick-changeover features. Innovative equipment, such as the Meridian laser anilox cleaner, which provides a solution for one-pass anilox roll cleaning that achieves like-new surface conditions at unprecedented speeds, and the aforementioned SteadyPrint anti-bounce feature that enhances customer graphics and total brand imagery, shows PCMC’s dedication to moving the flexographic printing industry forward.