When Tim Burke and John Schultz established Custom Design Applications in Batavia, Ohio in 2010, they set out with one aim in mind: to design and build the highest quality products at the best possible value. Now, in the year it celebrates its 10th anniversary, the company continues to be an industry leader by bringing innovation to the field, adopting cutting-edge technologies, and expanding to new customer sectors. As a solutions provider in the flexo and digital industry sectors, with a strong reputation for client service, the company has an extensive background of specialty applications. Tim Burke himself brings more than 30 years’ experience to the business and says he is committed to go above and beyond to make sure customer needs are not only met but exceeded.
From a background with Comco Machinery, now part of Mark Andy, they have created a custom engineering group that supplies a variety of markets with flexo and digital print, including the automotive and aerospace sectors, as well as specialty plastics for a variety of uses. Machine types range from HP coating and drying lines, offline E-beam coaters, thermal spray welding wire machines, stabilizer bar assembly machines, and 36” (915mm) wide slitting and laminating systems for UHMW plastics up to ¼” (63.5mm) thick. “As a custom design outfit, we are rather diverse in our day to day projects,” he commented.
It was back in 2010 that Tim first made contact with Vetaphone. “I knew the company and how they had invented and pioneered surface treatment and was keen to work with them in the US market on the service and support side. But, as our business took off, we actually became a customer of theirs and now specify Vetaphone Corona wherever we can on our equipment,” he explained. Keen to establish a single source of supply for consistency and convenience sake, Tim Burke says his favorable impressions following a visit to Vetaphone’s HQ in Denmark, coupled with the simplicity and efficiency of design, made the choice easy. “It also helps that HP is a regular and multiple user of Vetaphone technology, which is great testimony to the manufacturer.”
Primarily, Custom Design Applications is involved in the flexible packaging sector with digital print, although according to Tim Burke, the market for paperboard applications appears to offer great potential. To date, the company has provided aqueous, UV, and E-beam coating solutions for customers working with a variety of substrates that include PET, PE, and BOPP for multi-layer pouches, metallised films, paper and paperboard. All of which keeps a staff of five busy in the company’s compact 10,000 sq/ft premises.
The company is very proud of reaching its 10th birthday with a healthy year-on-year growth around 15%. Being a custom company, no two years are the same in terms of the type or number of machines it manufactures, but all have a commitment to quality design and are built to facilitate easy upgrades to meet changing market demand. “We know we share that philosophy with Vetaphone and see them as a long-term partner, not least because of the after sales service they provide, including marketing support,” he concluded.