Kapco Celebrates 40 Years of Business
- Published: July 30, 2014
KENT, OH | Kapco (Kent Adhesive Products Company) is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a manufacturer, coater, and converter of pressure-sensitive flexible materials. Kapco began manufacturing in a 2,500 sq-ft facility in Kent in 1974. Thanks to consistent growth, the company is now in its fourth Kent location, a 120,000-sq-ft facility.
Kapco has five business units including Converted Products, Graphic Products, Book Protection, Digital Products, and Custom Coating.
Company says the Converted Products division has been a key growth business specializing in products supporting the electronics, appliance, packaging, general industrial, and transportation markets. Kapco offers value-added converting such as rotary, steel rule, flatbed, and laser die-cutting, slitting, and sheeting.
Established in 1983, Kapco Graphic Products Division began manufacturing and distributing p-s sign vinyls, banner materials, and sign supplies. From there the Digital Products business unit evolved—supplying a complete line of water-based inkjet and solvent media for large-format printing and mounting adhesives, laminates, and backers—in 1995. Digital Products has since grown to be the company’s largest division.
In October of 2013 the company completed a significant upgrade to its 80-in. coater, which included two-sided custom coating capabilities on both paper and film products at a web width to 80 in. wide. The most essential enhancement of the upgrade allowed the ability to apply two coatings, either the same or different, in a single pass. The coater upgrade also included additional drying capacity for heavy coat weights on a single side and improved measurement devices to ensure coat weight and correct moisture content. Kapco says the coater’s advanced capacities tie into its top coating capabilities, letting it supply coated products for almost all the digital print methods available in the market place.
Recently the additions of three new presses have advanced converting capabilities. Two presses with print stations, dual-side corona treater, and multiple die stations were added as well as a FME modified Heidelberg.
Kapco remains a privately owned business, with Ed Small serving as president. Looking back on the past 31 years of working for the company, Small says, “We have a lot of good, hardworking employees that are dedicated to making Kapco successful. Twenty of our team members have over 20 years of service. It has been fun watching our employees develop, be promoted to new roles, and thrive. I am proud to see the company evolve and grow throughout the years.”
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