Colter & Peterson Prism paper cutter drives productivity increase at Valley Die Cutting

Small companies serve as the backbone of U.S. business, so count Valley Die Cutting among them. The New Jersey company started in a garage over 50 years ago, is experiencing a growth phase that led owner John Dwyer to make some critical decisions. Needing more space, he moved into a new location in April at the same time he replaced an old paper cutter with a rebuilt Colter & Peterson Prism® 45” machine and all new Microcut® electronics.

“The Prism is smaller but faster than the older, larger cutter we had. This is a Porsche compared to a Mack Truck,” remarked Dwyer, who runs the company with his wife. “It gives us a much more precise cut and is more dependable than the machine it replaced. It also is helping us keep up with demand and we have increased our productivity by at least 25%.”

Dwyer and his wife Kay are former engineers at Mobil Oil. His father was a policeman who started the business from the family garage in 1960. Dwyer took over after his father died in 1986 and has steadily grown the business over time. Valley Die Cutting now operates with 23 employees at two locations, a 50,000 square-foot facility in Morristown and the new 62,000 square-foot building in nearby Randolph.

The 45” Prism is the third paper cutter Valley Die Cutting has purchased from C&P, joining 42” and 51” Seybold machines. Dwyer’s familiarity with Colter & Peterson made it a logical choice when he had to replace the older unit in April.

“I’ve known Colter & Peterson forever. This is the third rebuilt machine we’ve bought from them,” recalled Dwyer. “It came with Microcut and two big side tables with air to help lift and move the paper. There are companies which sell machines that are cheaper, but dependability is a big consideration for me. Considering the backing, support and warranty Colter & Peterson offers, I thought it was the smart way to go.”

It has proven to be a wise decision. The Prism line of paper cutters gets high marks for superior performance, tremendous reliability, and the cutting edge electronics technology that Microcut provides. Prism also employs high-speed steel knives that are very durable and last a long time. The Microcut® computer control system reduces operator time by storing and recalling cutting sequences. The back gauge automatically positions itself for each individual cut, which partially explains how Valley Die Cutting is keeping up with demand.

“The Prism is working to capacity, and one of the advantages is it cuts paper 6” in height,” said Dwyer, whose company does work for printers in the Tri-State area. “We run two shifts five days a week, and most of what we do is print 16-up and die-cut 4-up. A lot of it is work-and-turn, where we die cut the folder and spilt the sheet in half so there is no need to change plates. It’s quick turnaround work and that’s where the dependability factor makes a huge difference.”