California-based Vital Pack has invested in a GM DC350Flex finishing line with high-speed diecutter and semi-auto turret rewinder to meet growing demands from its label customers. As the second purchase from GM, the new converting machine will significantly accelerate output and deliver more added value.

Based in Signal Hill, in Los Angeles County, CA, Vital Pack was first established as a label and packaging distributor in 2019. Partnering with over 100 manufacturers, the company supplies a wide range of industrial and retail packaging and shipping solutions, including stretch films, corrugated packaging, flexible packaging, labels, tapes and more in both standard and custom formats.

Having identified an opportunity in short and medium run production, CEO James Luyben soon decided to bring digital label manufacturing in house. A Konica Minolta digital label printer in combination with a DC350Nano finisher from GM was installed in 2021.

“During COVID-19, our vendors were really struggling with labor and materials, so we decided to take control and become a label manufacturer ourselves to mitigate the supply chain disruptions,” Luyben says.

The timing was perfect, and the new Vital Pack Label Lab division hit the ground running. Luyben, who has been in the packaging industry for over 25 years, explains, “We went from being a distributor to being a label printer almost overnight. That was a big shift, but it proved to be a very successful decision, because we could offer the agility and efficiency that our customers needed.”

Levelling up with GM finishing

Vital Pack Label Lab’s client base is made up from a variety of businesses, from small startups right up to well-established brand names, mainly in the food, industrial, and personal care sectors.

“People need short runs of labels and quick turns; and they want to move away from flexo to digital. That’s where we come in,” says Luyben. “We’re also very service-oriented and understand our customers, helping them to achieve their goals with their packaging.”

Having decided to augment finishing capabilities and add more capacity as the next part of the label journey, the company went in search of the right solution. While visiting Labelexpo Americas, the team investigated the market thoroughly, looking at many different converting options. However, the positive experience with their first GM machine had made a great impression, as did GM’s new DC350Flex finishing line, which they saw running live on the stand in Chicago.

“Our GM Nano machine has been such a robust piece of equipment, and we’ve been very happy with its performance and the quality of the products,” adds Luyben. “GM Tech Support has also been incredibly helpful over the years, ensuring smooth operation and quick resolutions whenever needed. When we saw the new DC350Flex with the DieCut120 high-speed die cutter in action, we knew we had our answer.”

A faster future with high-speed diecutting

Launched at the US show in 2024, GM’s DieCut120 High-Speed Single Anvil Die Cutter can run at speeds up to 400 fpm (120 m/min) in semi-rotary. The integration on the DC350Flex finishing line results in a highly cost-efficient solution for high-volume runs, rush orders and short runs of digitally printed labels.

As one of the first in North America to deploy the DieCut120, Vital Pack Label Lab is reaping multiple benefits from this breakthrough technology. This new capability allows the company to respond to the dynamic market demands with quick adjustments to label designs and sizes, lower waste and minimal downtime. With fewer parts than traditional double-anvil systems, the DieCut120 is also less complex, making it easier to maintain. Moreover, fast diecutting contributes to overall sustainability by reducing production times and energy consumption.

“We’ve tripled our speeds with this new DC350Flex with fast die cutting, which will make a huge difference in our production. Furthermore, it perfectly sets us up for the next stage, as we continue to expand in the digital label market,” concludes Luyben.

GM CEO Uffe Nielsen comments, “This flexible converting platform fitted with our new DieCut120 single anvil, high-speed die cutter is a great fit for Vital Pack. They saw what the DC350Nano can do, now the DC350Flex will take this successful business to new heights with cost-efficient converting that gives them a real competitive edge in a very crowded space.”