Enhanced UV curing capabilities deliver greater process stability, improved label performance, and higher manufacturing efficiency.
Buckeye Business Products (BBP), a leading label manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio, has enhanced its manufacturing operations through the adoption of advanced UV curing technology from IST America. The investment is helping the company deliver greater consistency in silicone curing, improve release liner performance, and meet the stringent demands of high-speed label applications.
Operating from a 600,000-square-foot integrated manufacturing facility, Buckeye manages every stage of production—from raw material storage and coating to converting, packaging, and distribution. This vertically integrated approach enables the company to maintain close control over quality, lead times, and production efficiency.
Serving more than 20,000 customers across the United States, BBP manufactures a wide range of products, including thermal transfer labels, direct thermal labels, colour thermal labels, and thermal transfer ribbons. In-house production of hot-melt adhesives, silicone coating, and adhesive coating further strengthens the company’s manufacturing capabilities.
As production volumes increased, Buckeye identified silicone curing consistency as a critical area for improvement. Reliable curing of release liners is essential for maintaining stable release values, particularly in auto-apply applications where even small variations can interrupt production and reduce efficiency.
To overcome these challenges, the company invested in IST America’s UV curing technology, replacing its existing curing infrastructure with BLK water-cooled UV cassette systems featuring nitrogen inertization. The project, completed over two years, represents a significant investment aimed at improving long-term manufacturing performance.
The upgraded curing systems deliver more uniform UV exposure while minimizing oxygen interference during the curing process. This has enabled Buckeye to achieve more consistent release characteristics, improving label performance in demanding applications and reducing process variation.
In addition to supplying the equipment, IST America provides ongoing preventive maintenance and technical support to maximize system uptime. Buckeye’s engineering and maintenance teams also completed specialized training at IST Metz in Germany, strengthening their ability to maintain and optimize the new systems.
The investment has resulted in improved product consistency, increased operational reliability, and greater confidence in serving customers with high-performance auto-apply label requirements. The enhanced production capability has also supported the company’s expansion into new business opportunities where quality and process stability are critical.
Buckeye continues to invest in additional IST America curing systems as part of its long-term growth strategy, reinforcing its commitment to delivering reliable label solutions while maintaining high manufacturing standards.