Ken Fontaine, president and CEO: “If you have a short turnaround time, but want high-quality products, you come to us.”

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Each client has a specific re­quirement in mind, but one thing remains a constant among all industries – the need to have quality products. Sup­erior-quality products deliv­ered on time and within bud­get is Amgraph Packaging Inc.’s specialty. For 25 years, the Versailles, Conn.-based firm has been a leading supplier of flexible packaging to the food, tea, seed, health and beauty, lawn care and pharmaceutical industries.

With a wide range of graphics and pack­aging capabilities, President, CEO and second-generation owner Ken Fontaine re­fers to Amgraph as a high-end converter. “Our clients are people who re­quire demanding graphics and services,” he states. “If you have a short turnaround time, but want high-quality products, you come to us.” Service sets the company apart, Fontaine adds. “The difference between us and our competitors is that we do high-end packaging consistently each and every time,” he continues. Fontaine adds that Amgraph goes above and beyond for its customers. In fact, the company recently worked with one of its repeat clients to meet a last-minute request. “They were launching 10 new items and they realized that they had to change the art work [in the packaging],” Fontaine recalls. “Typically for new items like this, the turnaround time is three to four weeks, but we were able to do it in three days. Most companies will say ‘no,’ but we did it and with no additional charge. We can’t do that every day, but if [our long-term clients] have emergencies, we are there to help them.”

A Greener Operation
Since its inception – and long before “go­ing green” was a trend – Amgraph has in­vested heavily in making its facilities environmentally friendly. That trend continues today, and as the company celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, it has added 35,000 square feet to its facility, creating 125,000 square feet of space. The new plant adds 50 percent more operating space and new printing, laminating, extruding and slitting capabilities, Fontaine explains.

He adds that the expanded plant allows Amgraph to better service its customers’ needs as they seek more sustainable packaging options. “Since our inception, we’ve built a reputation for environmental stewardship,” Fontaine stresses. “We have always backed our commitment with ongoing capital investment in our facility, operations, personnel and processes. Through our ‘green plant’ ex­pansion, our customers, employees and our neighbors can rest assured that we are do­ing everything in our power to oper­ate a clean and healthy plant.”

New green capabilities include the installation of Rotomec’s MW 80 and CL850 laminator, as well as Catbridge slitters. In addition, Amgraph also installed a new extrusion line that features a closed-loop and web tension control that auto­matically make changes “on-the-fly” for more consistent packaging.

Hard Work Pays Off
Standing behind its products and staying true to its clients has led Amgraph to 25 successful years. Although Amgraph faces typical challenges such as the increasing cost of op­erating a business, the company continues to put its employees first. “We are a great company,” Fontaine notes. “It took us years to get here, but our most im­portant asset has always been our people. We work hard to keep our people.”

In fact, Amgraph’s employees start off by attending a week-long classroom training session where they learn about quality, the company’s standards and how to operate machines, Fontaine explains.

In three years, Fontaine says he wants Amgraph to be a multi-plant company. One thing is for sure, however. Amgraph plans to keep its operations in the Fontaine family. Hard work is the key to success, Fontaine notes.