Slitting — At the Core of Converting

Published: August 3, 2026, By Trevor

By Susan Stansbury, PFFC Expert Advisor 

Converting substrates into value-added products and in-process stages typically begins with slitting-winding expertise. This primary step leads to processes like sheeting, printing, perforating, diecutting, and combining with other materials. 

Some companies can convert extra-wide mill rolls; some cut unusually small ones; diameters provided range from jumbo to tiny — all depending on customer requirements. 

Converters who carry out slitting-winding steps sell the cut rolls, or they often add other converting aspects. As an example, American Custom Converting (ACC) recently scaled up capabilities with its latest investment. “We’re optimizing our acquisition of a large slitter from Jennerjahn Machine Co.,” says John Michaud, co-owner. “It offers customers small roll rewinding, plus a variety of converting applications.” In addition, ACC laminates and combines materials like tissue, films and nonwovens. 

A large slitter from Jennerjahn Machine Co. offers customers small roll rewinding, plus a variety of converting applications. Image courtesy of American Custom Converting (ACC).

Besides significant capacity expansion, the machine features a large range of roll width sizes, perforations and finished diameters. Widths include an offering from 6” to 84” and ODiameters from 6” to 18”.

As flexographic printing has grown with its improved high-quality precision and sharp outcomes, slit rolls feed this huge marketplace. On the other hand, the slowed use of offset-printed materials (and instead, growth of online digital communications) has meant there is less demand for sheeted materials and fewer suppliers. Many people can hardly remember the times when industry provided coated-colored paper and even white-coated papers for specialty magazines, brochures and handouts. 

Slitting expertise is not only affected by the latest new equipment, but a variety of other factors have kept the industry current. These include:

• The ability to adapt and upgrade current equipment to serve niche markets.
• Improved controls that result in more seamless production and productivity.
• Fast response and increased converting offerings that result in trendy products.
• Good knowledge of substrates including papers of various weights, including lightweight tissue; nonwovens consisting of various types of synthetic and cellulose fibers; films suitable for laminations (adhesive, mechanical and heat seal), strength ratings, flexibility for packaging, and more.
• Renewed interest in “natural,” unbleached papers and cardboard for boxes and packaging has become a  “green” star in the slitting-rewinding industry.
• Equipment that’s available with razor, shear or crush cutting capabilities to handle papers, label stock, laminates, foils and films.
• Drop-in slitting modules to make uncomplicated upgrades.
• Nonwovens and other substrates available in thin-to-thick choices affect the selection of slitter-winders engineered to handle variation within the roll, dust buildup and ease of changeovers.   

Several converting specialists slit materials, both competing and working together to satisfy their contracted customers who also look for fewer factories to work with, all the way to finished products you see at the grocery, or office supplier, or other retailer. 

Still, it pays to remember that production begins with slitting-winding. Awareness of related factors and capabilities is crucial moving forward with success throughout the manufacturing process and final results.

About the Author

Susan Stansbury can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. She has written for PFFC and a number of other industry publications for several years and consults with industry in planning and promotions. Her e-book, 14 Dinners and a Lunch tells the story of her years often being the lone woman in the group.