Program/Presenters

Mark Andy Inc. (Chesterfield, MO)

Wednesday, April 4 • 1:30–3:00 p.m.

This optional post-conference tour occurs Wednesday afternoon following the conference and requires separate registration.

In 1946, Mark Andrews, Sr. built the first Mark Andy tape press in his basement machine shop. Soon after, the company began manufacturing narrow web presses and designing rotary diecutting and converting equipment for pressure-sensitive papers. It is now the world's number one manufacturer of narrow and mid-web printing equipment with an installed base of over 8,000 presses and 4,700 inspection rewinders. Its global brands include Comco and Mark Andy printing and converting machinery and Rotoflex finishing solutions. The company's equipment is used for producing pressure sensitive labels, flexible packaging, tags, lightweight cartons, and a variety of specialty applications.

Mark Andy has been applying Lean concepts since the mid-2000s, guided by the operating vision of president and CEO, Paul Brauss. On the tour of the 160,000 sq. ft. plant visitors will see countless examples of visual management, 5S, set-up reduction, Kanban, and its adherence to ISO 9001. Visitors will see how the company's Lean thinking has been incorporated into its press and rewinder manufacturing workflows. A highlight is the tour of the 120,000 sq. ft. machine shop.

Mark Andy executives and continuous improvement personnel will be present to discuss how the company drives and sustains its cultural and process improvements.

[Note: the tour is limited to the first 50 registrants. The $75 fee includes transportation. Following the tour, the bus will drop attendees off at Lambert–St. Louis International Airport no later than 4:00 p.m. before returning to the hotel. Mark Andy is about 30 minutes from the airport.]