In vs. off (line) — A "Fight" to the Finish

"With off-line, you set the press up and as the product comes off, you put it on the finishing line, which isn't waiting for the press. It's both a makeready and cost savings," Trentman explains. "With in-line, there's a large amount of capital waiting for the other line to get set up. The finishing equipment is either waiting while the press is being set up, or the press is waiting for the finishing line. Both take time to get ready, often an average of two to five hours for either process—and that's a lot of capital being tied up."