Vanguard Companies is among the first packaging manufacturers in the United States to install the new HP PageWide C550VP digital press at its Kansas City facility.
Vanguard Companies is among the first companies in the United States to install the new HP PageWide C550VP digital press, expanding its digital manufacturing operation in Kansas City, Missouri. The investment builds on the company’s existing HP PageWide C500 digital press, significantly increasing digital production capacity while strengthening manufacturing resilience and creating new opportunities in corrugated packaging and point-of-purchase displays.
The investment comes as brands and retailers increasingly demand shorter production runs, faster product launches, greater customisation, and the ability to respond to last-minute changes. These demands are challenging packaging manufacturers to move faster and provide greater flexibility without adding unnecessary cost, inventory, or waste.
The new press represents the next phase of Vanguard Digital, the company’s dedicated digital printing initiative. With the addition of the new press, Vanguard Companies now has two advanced digital platforms operating side by side. This expanded capacity provides greater flexibility to manage fluctuating demand, complex production schedules, and time-sensitive customer programmes. The dual-press configuration also creates greater manufacturing redundancy, meaning production can be shifted between platforms when needed to minimise downtime from short-run promotional campaigns through to large-scale retail rollouts.
James Beard, CEO of Vanguard Companies, comments: “HP provides the technology, and Vanguard Companies transforms it into retail success for our customers. Adding a second press gives us the capacity and flexibility to take on more complex and time-sensitive programs while opening opportunities to provide digital print capacity to other corrugated converters. It strengthens our ability to move quickly, scale with our customers and pursue business that wasn’t previously within reach.”
With the additional capacity, Vanguard Companies can now produce digitally printed corrugated sheets for other converters that do not have digital printing capabilities of their own, creating an additional revenue stream while extending the reach of its digital manufacturing capabilities across the wider industry. The HP digital print technology enables the business to accelerate speed-to-market, economically produce short and mid-size runs, eliminate traditional printing plate costs, and deliver high-quality graphics.
Furthermore, HP’s water-based ink technology supports Vanguard’s ongoing sustainability efforts. Digital production eliminates the need for printing plates and minimises excess material generated during traditional setup processes, while the water-based inks reduce the need for the wash-ups associated with conventional printing, thereby decreasing ink, chemical, and water consumption.
The entire printing operation is powered by HP PrintOS, providing real-time visibility into machine status, production progress, and predictive maintenance capabilities.
Evandro Matteucci, Head of the HP Corrugated Business, adds: “Vanguard Companies’ investment reflects a broader evolution taking place across corrugated packaging, as converters look for manufacturing models that can respond to shorter runs, greater customization and increasingly compressed timelines. By combining digital and conventional production and expanding its digital capacity, Vanguard Companies is demonstrating how converters can build greater agility into their operations while creating new opportunities for growth.”