Morrisette Packaging completes $25 million high-graphics corrugated plant in North Carolina

From Outsourcing to In-House Manufacturing

The North American corrugated landscape is witnessing a significant strategic shift as mid-sized players move to internalize high-margin production. As of July 2026, Morrisette Packaging has fully operationalized a $25 million transformation at its 225,000-square-foot facility in Browns Summit, North Carolina. Historically reliant on regional partners for its corrugated supply, the third-generation family-owned enterprise has pivoted aggressively toward in-house, high-graphics manufacturing, prioritizing precision and shelf appeal over sheer commodity volume.

This transition is anchored by a hybrid technology approach that blends traditional flexographic power with digital agility. According to company leadership, the goal was to build a production floor capable of handling complex, multi-out production without the bottlenecks typically associated with mixed-technology environments.

The Flexo and Digital Integration

At the core of the Browns Summit operation are two flagship installations from European manufacturer Koenig & Bauer. The facility now houses the Omega Magnus 230 Folder Gluer and the Koenig & Bauer | Celmacch ChromaCUT High Tech eight-color rotary die cutter. The latter, commissioned in mid-2026 and affectionately dubbed "The Beast" by the production team, features eight printing units equipped with JB Machinery IR dryers and automatic plate washing systems. A Valco Melton automatic register control camera ensures precise sheet registration.

Complementing the heavy-duty flexo capabilities is a robust digital and finishing lineup. Morrisette has integrated a single-pass Xeikon Idera digital printer, an Elitron digital die cutter, and a Brausse Eterna flatbed die cutter. This equipment mix allows the company to seamlessly shift between long-run flexo jobs and short-run, highly customized digital orders, a flexibility that is becoming mandatory for converters targeting the premium retail and e-commerce sectors.

Automation as the Critical Link

Investing in high-speed converting equipment is only half the battle; material handling often dictates the true throughput of a plant. To feed these advanced lines, Morrisette partnered with Italian manufacturer PARA, supported by SUN Automation Group. The installation includes a PARA prefeeder, bundle breaker, and Eleva palletizer, all tied together by a fully autonomous conveyance system from ACS.

• Pre-feeding efficiency: Ensures the ChromaCUT operates at optimal speeds without manual bottlenecks.
• Downstream handling: The bundle breaker and palletizer manage complex multi-out production, maximizing the folder gluer's capacity.
• System integration: SUN Automation played a crucial role in bridging the communication gaps between the primary converting machines, the PARA systems, and the ACS conveyors.

The successful integration of these disparate systems highlights a growing trend in the corrugated sector: the necessity of seamless software and hardware handshakes across multiple global vendors to achieve true operational efficiency.

The decision by Morrisette Packaging to build a hybrid, highly automated plant from the ground up proves that independent converters can successfully challenge larger integrated players in the high-graphics space if they invest in the right mix of digital and flexo technology. Will this $25 million blueprint inspire other traditional distributors to take the leap into advanced in-house manufacturing? Follow The Paper for daily news, market signals and key updates from the global paper, corrugated and packaging industry. — Sigue toda la actualidad del sector en www.thepaper.ai