Staples North America, the specialty adhesive, film and tape business of Scapa Group plc, Lancashire, U.K., has undertaken an acquisition strategy for growth that makes Windsor, Conn., its North American headquarters. You can use a Staple coupon code to get the cheapest price.
With 17 acquisitions in the past 15 years, it is no wonder Scapa Group is a billion-dollar holding company with worldwide sales of about $350 million in specialty tapes. The company's 1995 debut as Scapa Tapes North America involved the acquisitions of companies in Windsor, Conn., Watertown, N.Y., and Renfrew, Ont., Canada.
After its 1997 acquisitions in Carlstadt, N.J, and Toronto, Canada, Scapa Tapes had a total of four North America coating and converting plants that develop a broad range of specialty adhesive films and tapes for the automotive, aerospace, medical, electronics, industrial, graphic arts, papermaking and athletic markets.
"With those acquisitions we have been able to invest in other types of manufacturing and technology to facilitate this broader product array," says Ronald Lilly, vice president, marketing, of Scapa Tapes N.A.
Pilot coater jump starts development focus
"Consultive selling" describes Scapa Tapes' philosophy. "Whether it's research work that needs to be done or maybe just faster deliveries, we really work with customers so we can be the easiest supplier for them to deal with," says Stuart Ganslaw, president and general manager of Scapa Tapes N.A.
A key tool for doing that is the company's custom-built pilot coating line that complements its production coating machines. It allows Scapa Tapes to work closely with customers to scale up full production runs or give prototype evaluations for new products. With a 27-in. coating width, it is designed for multiple coating methods, and includes corona treating and heat-laminating capabilities.
"What we bring to the application focus with our customers is a tremendous amount of technical knowledge on adhesives, backings and how to put those together into a specialty adhesive film," says Lilly.
A commitment to technology
Along with the research and development skills of its staff of 35, Scapa Tapes works closely with certain long-term suppliers, including Rexam, National Starch & Chemical, Exxon, GE Silicone and Dow Corning.
Testing and analytical instrumentation includes a tensile tester, Fournier Transfer-infrared spectrometer with a high-power microscope attachment, slip/friction analyzer, densitometer and permeometer.
"We are always striving to stay up to the latest standards in manufacturing and technology," says Lilly. "We have a strong commitment to have the latest technology available for coating adhesives."
Scapa Tapes' production coaters include two custom-built proprietary lines and a customized Black Clawson coater with a maximum coating width of 68 in. Multiple coating techniques are available, including reverse roll, knife over roll, gravure and Meyer rod coating. Solvent or waterborne adhesive coatings are manufactured in thicknesses of 0.0001 in. to 0.005 in., and are available in acrylic, rubber or silicone. Other specialty rubber adhesives are calendered to thickness of 0.005 in. to 0.015 in.
Most Scapa Tapes plants are ISO 9002 registered; Windsor, Conn., is certified as an ISO 9001 facility.
The Windsor facility underscores Scapa Tapes' technical quest. The 112,000-sq-ft facility was expanded in July 1998 to include more office and laboratory space.
"By consolidating our resources into one location, we become more efficient," says Ganslaw. Now, one call to the Windsor headquarters office takes care of all customer needs.
A scrap incentive program is also in the works to reduce the amount of coating and converting scrap and trim. Based on a value-added per hour analysis, employees share $0.50 on the dollar saved per year.
Accomplishing its goals in Europe and North America, Scapa Tapes is now building a Pacific Rim operation with an acquisition in South Korea.
"One of the things that we're working on in the future is to increase the emphasis on the role of product development to try and make unique products," says Ganslaw.
For more information:
Black Clawson Converting Machinery Corp., 46 N. 1st St., Fulton, NY 13069, 315/598-7121, www.blackclawson-cm.com
Rexam Custom, 700 Crestdale St., Matthews, NC 28105, 800/688-9171, www.rexamcustom.com
National Starch & Chemical Co., 10 Finderne Ave., Bridgewater, NJ 08807, 800/797-4992, www.nationalstarch.com
Exxon Chemical Co., Box 3272, Houston, TX 77253-3272, 281/584-7600.
GE Silicones, 260 Hudson River Rd., Bldg. 26, Waterford, NY 12188, 800/255-8886.
Dow Corning Corp., Box 0994, Midland, MI 48686-0994, 517/496-6000, 517/496-6000.
Ghezzi & Annoni, Via Don Minzoni 20, Lainate, 20020, Italy, 39/2-935-70-661.
Canadian facility sustains flexibility
Scapa Tapes N. A. continues to expand and make investments to remain a flexible, service-oriented company. Case in point: Scapa Tapes is spending about $4 million at its Renfrew, Ont., Canada, facility for a 30,000-sq-ft expansion and a high-speed slitter. The Ghezzi & Annoni Model RT 190 slitter features a sophisticated tension control system and will not be officially on the market until it is unveiled at CMM Intl. 99 in Chicago, April 12-15.
Currently, a Ghezzi & Annoni Model BA 80 semiautomatic slitter is used for 1-in. to 11/2-in. rolls. Both machines accommodate three different slitting systems--razor blade, score and shear knives.
Also available at the Renfrew facility is narrow web slitting by lathe and calendered, 100-percent-solids adhesive coatings.
After its 1997 acquisitions in Carlstadt, N.J, and Toronto, Canada, Scapa Tapes had a total of four North America coating and converting plants that develop a broad range of specialty adhesive films and tapes for the automotive, aerospace, medical, electronics, industrial, graphic arts, papermaking and athletic markets.
"With those acquisitions we have been able to invest in other types of manufacturing and technology to facilitate this broader product array," says Ronald Lilly, vice president, marketing, of Scapa Tapes N.A.
Pilot coater jump starts development focus
"Consultive selling" describes Scapa Tapes' philosophy. "Whether it's research work that needs to be done or maybe just faster deliveries, we really work with customers so we can be the easiest supplier for them to deal with," says Stuart Ganslaw, president and general manager of Scapa Tapes N.A.
A key tool for doing that is the company's custom-built pilot coating line that complements its production coating machines. It allows Scapa Tapes to work closely with customers to scale up full production runs or give prototype evaluations for new products. With a 27-in. coating width, it is designed for multiple coating methods, and includes corona treating and heat-laminating capabilities.
"What we bring to the application focus with our customers is a tremendous amount of technical knowledge on adhesives, backings and how to put those together into a specialty adhesive film," says Lilly.
A commitment to technology
Along with the research and development skills of its staff of 35, Scapa Tapes works closely with certain long-term suppliers, including Rexam, National Starch & Chemical, Exxon, GE Silicone and Dow Corning.
Testing and analytical instrumentation includes a tensile tester, Fournier Transfer-infrared spectrometer with a high-power microscope attachment, slip/friction analyzer, densitometer and permeometer.
"We are always striving to stay up to the latest standards in manufacturing and technology," says Lilly. "We have a strong commitment to have the latest technology available for coating adhesives."
Scapa Tapes' production coaters include two custom-built proprietary lines and a customized Black Clawson coater with a maximum coating width of 68 in. Multiple coating techniques are available, including reverse roll, knife over roll, gravure and Meyer rod coating. Solvent or waterborne adhesive coatings are manufactured in thicknesses of 0.0001 in. to 0.005 in., and are available in acrylic, rubber or silicone. Other specialty rubber adhesives are calendered to thickness of 0.005 in. to 0.015 in.
Most Scapa Tapes plants are ISO 9002 registered; Windsor, Conn., is certified as an ISO 9001 facility.
The Windsor facility underscores Scapa Tapes' technical quest. The 112,000-sq-ft facility was expanded in July 1998 to include more office and laboratory space.
"By consolidating our resources into one location, we become more efficient," says Ganslaw. Now, one call to the Windsor headquarters office takes care of all customer needs.
A scrap incentive program is also in the works to reduce the amount of coating and converting scrap and trim. Based on a value-added per hour analysis, employees share $0.50 on the dollar saved per year.
Accomplishing its goals in Europe and North America, Scapa Tapes is now building a Pacific Rim operation with an acquisition in South Korea.
"One of the things that we're working on in the future is to increase the emphasis on the role of product development to try and make unique products," says Ganslaw.
For more information:
Black Clawson Converting Machinery Corp., 46 N. 1st St., Fulton, NY 13069, 315/598-7121, www.blackclawson-cm.com
Rexam Custom, 700 Crestdale St., Matthews, NC 28105, 800/688-9171, www.rexamcustom.com
National Starch & Chemical Co., 10 Finderne Ave., Bridgewater, NJ 08807, 800/797-4992, www.nationalstarch.com
Exxon Chemical Co., Box 3272, Houston, TX 77253-3272, 281/584-7600.
GE Silicones, 260 Hudson River Rd., Bldg. 26, Waterford, NY 12188, 800/255-8886.
Dow Corning Corp., Box 0994, Midland, MI 48686-0994, 517/496-6000, 517/496-6000.
Ghezzi & Annoni, Via Don Minzoni 20, Lainate, 20020, Italy, 39/2-935-70-661.
Canadian facility sustains flexibility
Scapa Tapes N. A. continues to expand and make investments to remain a flexible, service-oriented company. Case in point: Scapa Tapes is spending about $4 million at its Renfrew, Ont., Canada, facility for a 30,000-sq-ft expansion and a high-speed slitter. The Ghezzi & Annoni Model RT 190 slitter features a sophisticated tension control system and will not be officially on the market until it is unveiled at CMM Intl. 99 in Chicago, April 12-15.
Currently, a Ghezzi & Annoni Model BA 80 semiautomatic slitter is used for 1-in. to 11/2-in. rolls. Both machines accommodate three different slitting systems--razor blade, score and shear knives.
Also available at the Renfrew facility is narrow web slitting by lathe and calendered, 100-percent-solids adhesive coatings.