The Matlet Group Makes a Digital Printing Platform Decision to Drive Its Future

PAWTUCKET, RI—July 23, 2012—The Matlet Group has achieved many success stories since being formed seven years ago in 2005. Two manufacturing operations and a fulfillment company provide award-winning general commercial and folding carton packaging printing and service to Fortune 100 customers nationwide.

Now, the company is writing a new chapter with its highly anticipated decision to purchase its first wider format digital press. The selection of a new and unique HP Indigo 10000/20000/30000 series press represents a next-generation platform that will allow The Matlet Group businesses to produce both commercial and folding carton digital printing in the near future.

Expected to be installed in January 2013, this platform will be one of the first in North America for commercial print and one of the first in the world for folding carton. There are immediate opportunities to add value at Central Florida Press www.printcfp.com and Packaging Graphics www.packgraph.com, and parallel efforts will be made to bring digital solutions to each of their markets. Both facilities support NOVA Marketing Services www.novamktg.com, the company’s St. Louis fulfillment division.

“After a year of research and discussions, and the hiring of industry specialist Ed Wiegand, we are excited at the opportunity to offer new technological innovations to our customers in the coming months,” said Gary Stiffler, president and CEO of The Matlet Group.

“Our decision to make this investment is based on several factors, including an enhanced ability to service the customer. Providing the utmost in service to print customers is more important today than ever before. So is having digital capability, but it is absolutely essential to differentiate yourself in the market. We believe this new platform will help us achieve our goals,” Stiffler added.

The new HP digital press series was introduced in May at drupa 2012, the printing industry’s version of the Olympics, held every four years in Germany. It is a B2-format sheetfed platform with a unique combination of format size (29.5x20.9˝) and high image quality, with up to seven color printing, plus duplex capabilities and substrate flexibility.

Other key factors made it a compelling choice. The HP Indigo press is designed to optimize the printing process, taking high-end color work into greater volume production. More importantly, the digital platform offers a size format compatible for folding carton production, which the company views as a growth area.

“This new platform from HP is a game changer for the printing industry,” remarked Ed Wiegand, executive vice president of The Matlet Group, who has led the team on this project since joining the company in January.

“Processing digital workflow should be achieved in a matter of hours, not days. In the folding carton industry, there was a sizeable gap between conventional wide format printing and existing digital print width capabilities. With HP’s introduction, the new digital platform will give us the freedom to print a more efficient B2 format size and print on multiple substrates including clear folding cartons. We won’t be constrained from a slow conventional workflow with lengthy make-ready and waste.”

About Matlet
The Matlet Group is based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and is a member of the prestigious NMSDC Corporate Plus group of large certified Minority Business Enterprises. It combines the strength of its technology and equipment with the development of creative solutions to deliver outstanding product packaging and exceptional promotional campaigns and sales materials, along with warehousing and distribution capabilities.

Source: Matlet.