SUN Automation Group
SUN Automation Group is a US company that supplies machinery and services to the corrugated board box making industry. The company manufactures machinery, machinery components (parts), and rebuilds and retrofits older machinery. The company holds over 35 patents for corrugated machine and part designs. The company is headquartered is in Glen Arm, Maryland with regional locations in the United Kingdom and China.
History[edit]
Sun Automation Group was founded in 1985 in a small townhouse in northern Baltimore County by two corrugated patent holders, Lou Sardella and Pat O’Connor. In 1986 the company was named SUN Automation Group and primarily manufactured wheel treads for corrugated sheet feeding. One year later, SUN released a patented lead edge feeder..[1]
In 2001, SUN purchased the Langston Corporation, manufacturer and multiple patent holder of equipment that converts paper into corrugated board, prints and finished paperboard. When Langston was purchased, SUN re-opened its Bristol, UK location and became an international organization. In 2007, the company created an entity in Guangzhou, China.
In 2012, SUN became an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) when it launched it’s first piece of equipment, a Rotary Die Cutter, to the Corrugated Industry. In 2013, the company was officially designated an ESOP and became 100% employee owned and operated. In 2016, the company expanded into a 183,000 ft2 facility, occupying 33-acres of land in Glen Arm, Maryland.[2] In 2019, SUN Automation Group expanded its product line and partnered with Taiwan-based Flexo Folder Gluer and Rotary Die Cutter manufacturer, Latitude Machinery Corporation.
Corporate Structure[edit]
As an ESOP, SUN is 100% owned and operated by its employees and governed by a board of directors. SUN Automation’s internal departments are organized around three divisions: (1) Equipment Sales, (2) Support and Service, and (3) Aftermarket Parts, Retrofits and Upgrades. SUN products are categorized by three corrugated functions: Feeding, Printing and Converting. The company is a member of the following trade associations: TAPPI, AICC, FEFCO, ACCCSA, CPI, FBA, SPA and FESPA.
Products[edit]
In its infancy, SUN created orange wheel treads for sheet feeding.
In 1987, the company created and offered a patented lead edge feeder[1] for Rotary Die Cutters and Flexo Folder Gluers.
In 1993, the company designed a standalone inside print unit for inside printing.
In 1999, the company introduced their machine retrofits and upgrades product line.[3]
In 2000, the company released a patented tungsten carbide anvil trimmer for rotary die cutting equipment.[4]
In 2001, the company acquired Langston® Machinery and it’s patents, designs, and inventory.
In 2005, the company introduced their single blade and double blade ink systems to the market.
In 2012, the company launched its own Rotary Die Cutter to the Corrugated Industry.
In 2016, the company supplied the first single pass aqueous digital printing machine for corrugated packaging. The machine is still running today in the United Kingdom at HSG Packaging.[5]
In 2019, SUN introduced a patent-pending electric ink pump system, and a patented replaceable feed roll covers[6]
Patents[edit]
SUN Automation Group holds multiple patents, including but not limited to:
- US Patent #: US4681311A[7] | Issued June 1986 | Intermittently protruding feeder for paperboard blanks
- US Patent #: US5184811A[1] | Issued October 1988 | Method and apparatus for feeding sheets
- US Patent #: US5183251A[8] | Issued July 1990 | Conveyor system and feeding sheets
- US Patent #: US6179763B1[3] | Issued March 1993 | Box making machines and method of retrofitting
- US Patent #: US6609997B1[4] | Issued May 2000 | Method and apparatus for resurfacing anvil blanket of a rotary diecutter for box making machine
- US Patent #: US7069856B2[9] | Issued May 2004 | Method and apparatus for managing box-finishing machine
- US Patent #: US8418834B2[10] | Issued July 2010 | Prefeeding corrugated boards to box finishing machines
- US Patent #: US9493307B2[11] | Issued March 2014 | Conveyors for box making machines
- US Patent #: US20170225424A1[12] | Issued February 2016 | Creasing corrugated board
- US Patent #: US8100397B2[13] | Issued August 2019 | Feeder with adjustable time cycle and method
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 US Patent #: US5184811A [1], "Method and apparatus for feeding sheets", issued 1988-10-13
- ↑ "Former aircraft machining plant in Baltimore County sells for $5.7M". Baltimore Business Journal. June 17, 2016. Retrieved 2020-04-09. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 US Patent #: US6179763B1 [2], "Box making machines and method of retrofitting", issued 1999-03-10
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 US Patent #: US6609997B1 [3], "Method and apparatus for resurfacing anvil blanket of a rotary diecutter for box making machine", issued 1999-12-23
- ↑ "US-based Sun Automation announces successful CorrStream beta testing with HSG | RISI Technology Channels". technology.risiinfo.com. June 1, 2016. Retrieved 2020-04-08. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Worldwide Patent #: WO2019165423A1 [4], "No-feed-roll corrugated board or paperboard sheet feeder retrofit apparatus and method", issued 2019-02-26
- ↑ US Patent #: US4681311A [5], "Intermittently protruding feeder for paperboard blanks", issued 1986-06-23
- ↑ US Patent #: US5183251A [6], "Conveyor system and feeding sheets", issued 1990-07-05
- ↑ US Patent #: US7069856B2 [7], "Method and apparatus for managing box-finishing machine", issued 2004-05-13
- ↑ US Patent #: US8418834B2 [8], "Prefeeding corrugated boards to box finishing machines", issued 2010-07-26
- ↑ US Patent #: US9493307B2 [9], "Conveyors for box making machines", issued 2014-03-11
- ↑ US Patent #: US20170225424A1 [10], "Creasing corrugated board", issued 2016-02-08
- ↑ US Patent #: US8100397B2 [11], "Feeder with adjustable time cycle and method", issued 2009-08-17
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