One Single Scoring and Cutting Machine.
One Staying Machine.
Two 9-inch Covering Machines.
One 12-inch Covering Machine.
One 16-inch Covering Machine.
One 16-inch Topping Machine.
One Ending Machine.
One Single Corner Cutting Machine.
One Paper Slitter.
One 34-inch Paper Cutter.
Supplies of box-board, staying material, white and colored glazed paper in 25-inch rolls, cheviot paper in 25-inch rolls, paste, glue, etc.
The corner cutting machine may be equipped with interchangeable dies for cutting round corners, miters for box-bodies with flanges, and odd shapes of many kinds, such as for example, corners for wrappers used on Stokes & Smith machines. All of this work may be done on the single cornering machine in addition to the plain corner cutting for set-up boxes, but it would be necessary to order the special dies as “extras,” as they are not furnished with the regular equipment.
ECONOMY IN POWER EQUIPMENT.
The machines mentioned may be operated by either hand or foot power, or they may be equipped for power fixtures. Power machines are recommended as always being the most economical, as the amount of work produced on power machines is far greater than the amount of work produced by hand or foot power. In many of the big paper box making factories practically all of the machines are driven by individual electric motors, which means that there is no wastage of electric current when all of the machines are not in motion. When individual motors are being used in a plant, no overhead shafting or belting is necessary. Overhead shafting and belting is often responsible for dirt, dust or oil being thrown on expensive material. When steam power, or a single large motor, is used in a plant, it costs money for shafting and belting, and it also costs something to operate the shafting and belting before the power reaches the machines. Belts often break and must be repaired while the machines are standing idle. All of this expense is eliminated by the individual motor system; it helps in maintaining clean work-rooms, and it saves the manufacturer a considerable sum of money on account of the electric current being consumed only at points where the machines are in operation. On occasions when all of the machines are not running, there is a certain reduction in the amount of current used. This is not the case when a single large motor is in service. It spends its power in driving shafting and belting even when only one of the machines is in operation.
With the mechanical equipment which has been suggested for the establishment of a small paper box-making plant, and with a force of experienced operators, the manufacturer would be in a position to produce all kinds of plain set-up paper boxes such as are used for confectionery, shoes, writing paper, collars, envelopes, and so forth. As the business grows other machines of greater capacity may be added to the plant. In due course of time the manufacturer could have a double scoring machine, and perhaps an automatic wrapping machine, installed, but it would not be advisable for the box-maker to invest money in such machines unless he controlled enough business to keep them constantly busy. It would be a mistake for the manufacturer to buy an automatic wrapping machine, or other extraordinary equipment, when he is not sure of having sufficient work to provide for such equipment.
Practically all of the large and successful box-making concerns are specializing in some particular line. For example, one large company is specializing on druggists’ pill and powder boxes. Another firm is making fine candy boxes of all kinds. Still another concern is making nothing except folding boxes. The specialty line seems to be “the thing” in these days, and one can easily understand why it would not pay a manufacturer in attempting to make every variety of paper boxes and folding boxes. It would be almost impossible for him to properly equip his plant with the machinery which would be necessary to handle all classes of work. The folding box business is one branch of the industry; the set-up box business is another branch. Nevertheless, there are some cases where the manufacturer of set-up boxes could add a cutting and creasing department to his plant with advantage, and there are also some instances where the maker of folding boxes could enter the set-up paper box field. But, in no case would it pay the manufacturer to make all kinds of folding and set-up boxes. As a general rule the box-maker should specialize in some particular line.