GURNEE, IL—In February 2020, Abbott Label added the Domino N610i digital UV inkjet press to its label printing arsenal to expand its digital capabilities. Soon after, COVID-19 hit and there was a huge surge in variable data printing applications. Abbott Label then turned again to Domino with the installation of the K600i dual bar digital UV inkjet printer.
Here, John Abbott, president of Abbott Label, describes his company’s growth, the impact of COVID-19, and how Domino digital printing has been a “game changer” in taking his label manufacturing business to the next level.
The interview below was captured in the following video:
“The one thing that Abbott Label does better than anybody else is service. Everything is a priority with us,” said John Abbott.
“We’re a manufacturer of stock and custom pressure-sensitive labels. We carry over 400 different sizes on our floor, ready to ship out the same day. The number No. 1 thing we focus on is service. We’re strategically located in four manufacturing facilities across the United States. All plants run three shifts 24 hours a day. Home office is here in Dallas, TX.
“And we’ve got great people. And we focus on our people. Pre-COVID, we were at 163 employees. Now, we’re at 205 employees… 25 percent we’ve added on workforce, so hiring has been a major focus on the corporation…as it has to be. We know our price is competitive, we know our quality is excellent. We’ve gone with quality vendors all the way through. We’ve got so many great accounts and great relationships over our 40 years of business…there’s really not much that we can’t do.”
Domino N610i. “It’s a Game Changer. 100%”
“We were so impressed with Domino coming out of the gates, but at that time there weren’t a whole lot of Dominos out in the United States…there weren’t a lot on the floor. There’s one thing my dad told me… ‘John, don’t ever be the guinea pig. Let other people hit their thumb with the hammer and then build off of that.’
“So, we had the HP in first. It served its purpose. Got no issues with HP whatsoever. Great company, great service, great quality…everything. But we were limited on how much footage we could run through the HP. And that’s where we brought the Domino in. We had a limit on the HP of about 5,000 feet…7,500 feet depending on the number of copies. And Domino, we’re up to 35,000…40,000 feet. It’s given us such an ability to go a different direction volume-wise through the press.
“More than anything was speed. We were able to get twice as fast through the Domino as we were through the HP. The quality looked just as good…the quality is excellent. We’ve never had an issue with quality. So, yeah…it’s a game changer…100 percent.”
COVID-19. VDP Surge. Domino K600i
“Right after we bought the press, COVID hit not too long after that and now everybody needs labels. From the QR codes to the consecutive bar codes, and that’s where the K600i came in. And the reasons we went with the K600i… one…quality. The bar codes are unbelievable. And two…speed. That thing can go up to 492 feet per minute. You can run this stuff, and it verifies it. So, time is money. With the Domino, there’s no downtime. It’s heaven for us.”
Service & Support
“Domino has always been a favorite of mine. Great people that stand behind what they say. COVID had just stricken. And the Domino guy literally loaded up his trailer, loaded up his car, drove down here, parked in our parking lot, slept in his trailer, and worked on our piece of equipment. I mean, how much more loyal and dedication can you get in that point in time in life where an employee for them did that…drove down from Chicago. It was awesome. It meant a lot.
“Domino is family. Just great people. David Ellen is one of those vendors who is more than a vendor…he’s a friend. And to work with Domino is a blessing. It was just a win-win for Abbott Label, and our customers. Thanks, Domino.”