And having won over even the most demanding of clients in the quality-obsessed direct mail, security, printing-and-finishing and pharmaceutical industries, Pack-Smart has recently added the Ontario government to its list of happy customers and partners.
“Recently we got involved with the Ontario government’s Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy (AMIS), which is a provincial industry assistance program that will help us develop a new line of unique packaging technology,” Dlugosh-Ostap explains.
“We will receive $790,000—or 10 per cent of the entire $7.9-million expansion project—that we will have to pay back,” he reveals, adding the money will be used to support the development of next-generation equipment that will not only improve the appearance of final packaging, but will also help promote more sustainable manufacturing and packaging practices.
So far, Dlugosh-Ostap’s plans have found a very receptive ear at Queen’s Park with Sandra Pupatello, minister of the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.
“Here’s a company with innovative people and products,” Pupatello said during an official visit to the plant recently to mark the partnership.
“That’s a winning combination that puts Ontario ahead in world markets and creates good jobs at home.
“Our government wants to do everything it can to help companies like this succeed.”
Says Dlugosh-Ostap: “We really don’t want to be just a solutions provider for our customers; we also want to be their business partner.”
In terms of its design philosophy, Dlugosh-Ostap explains that Pack-Smart is focused on the continuous development of innovative, electronically-geared machinery that is flexible and modular enough to handle a full gamut of packaging and light assembly tasks.
“As well, the machines that we will continue to design will enable our company’s customers to shorten processing times, while also using more ecologically-friendly plastics and adhesives,” he reveals. “This will enable them to save on raw materials—all the while improving the packaging’s appearance.”
As part of this overall trend, he says, some outdated packaging concepts are being replaced with new formats making widespread use of rigid and flexible window technologies, which in turn drives Pack-Smart’s design ideas.
“So whenever possible,” he explains, “we try and talk to our clients about utilizing the PLA (polylactic acid) corn-based resins instead of petroleum-based materials.
“When used in conjunction with our technology, clients can effectively reduce the cost of packaging by 50 per cent, compared to clamshell packaging.”
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