Rol-Tec investment brings new machine

ASHWAUBENON, Wis.—Rol-Tec Inc. has invested in a second precision laser engraving machine to meet growing demand for in-the-round flexo printing sleeves and cylinders.

This second Kronos engraving system virtually will double Rol-Tec's production capacity, and adds efficiencies and new output capabilities. This allows Rol-Tec to not only remain the sole U.S. source for the complete system of mandrels, base sleeves, rubber covering and laser engraving, but to expand its impact and work capabilities to meet rising demand, according to President Matt Umentum.

Rol-Tec purchased its first laser engraving system in 2013. The new system will be built in Austria and installed at Rol-Tec's primary manufacturing facility in Green Bay. The purchase of the two machines over the last four years amount to roughly a $1.5 million investment, Umentum said.

Both Kronos systems now used by Rol-Tec can engrave cylinders up to 126 inches long and diameters from 2.7 to 15.7 inches, Umentum said. The new precision laser engraving machine has a load capacity of 2,200 pounds.

"The added weight capacity is significant for customers in the pattern engraving business, though flexographic print cylinders and sleeves don't typically weigh that much," Umentum said.

Since 1998 Rol-Tec also has produced custom rubber, silicone and cast urethane parts for a wide range of industrial customers throughout North America. Those customers often include laminators, makers of various labels, towel and tissue manufacturers, printers, and paper and plastic engravers. Large paper towel and printing companies are an area of emphasis for the Wisconsin-based company. For example, Rol-Tec's capabilities include lamination for consumer diapers.

Vertical integration of in-house precision mold design, mold production, compound compressing, machining and grinding has allowed Rol-Tec to be cost-effective on small and large volume orders. The company routinely uses specially formulated compounds to meet highly demanding applications.

"As the U.S. becomes more complicated with manufacturing processes, our growth is more directly tied to differentiating ourselves by investing in new technologies and capabilities," Umentum said.

As a manufacturer of rubber-covered rollers and fiberglass sleeves, these machines can help customers reduce purchasing logistics while eliminating delays caused by shipping components between multiple suppliers.

"We have been manufacturing rubber-covered rollers and fiberglass sleeves for the converting and printing industry for years," Umentum said. "This was a great advantage to our customers by reducing purchasing logistics and eliminating delays caused by shipping components between multiple suppliers."

In other words, if there's an issue with the make of a sleeve, it is not an issue to make an adjustment, or even a new product, because it is a single-source operation, Umentum said.

The strategy of single-source and continued technological investments seems to be working for Rol-Tec, a company of 65 employees that has seen "roughly 7 percent revenue and employee" growth during the last five years in an industry that has seen relatively flat growth overall, Umentum said.

Rol-Tec also is focused on further diversifying its product and service lines, which include manufacturing precision-molded products for the U.S. military. The firm remains open to other acquisitions as a way to achieve further growth, Umentum said.

In January 2016 Rol-Tec acquired Sleeve Solutions, which at the time was a leader in precision fiberglass sleeve design and manufacturing technology. Moving the manufacturing operation then to Green Bay allowed Rol-Tec to be fully integrated, from the manufacturing of the parallel or tapered sleeve, to the rubber cover of the sleeve and final laser engraving.

"We wanted to provide customers a way to control the entire process from the sleeve manufacturing to the last engraving," Umentum said.