History

Rayven’s History

Rayven Inc. was founded by Mr. Gerry Ingalls in 1954. Mr. Ingalls’ background was in the caulking and mastic business, and he was intrigued with the new (at the time) pressure-sensitive adhesives. DuPont had developed Mylar (polyester) film at this time, and Mr. Ingalls had an idea to create a printable label from this film. Over two years, he built a coating line in St. Paul and started to produce polyester label stock.

In the 1960s and 1970s, architects and engineers used appliqué film to apply title blocks and repetition to their drawings. This applique film was a thin matte acetate film with adhesive and a paper release liner. The most common imaging methods were screen printing, offset printing, and letterpress printing. The market leader at that time was Stanpat Products of New York, which is now a Rayven brand.

Xerox’s invention of the toner-based plain paper copier in the 1960s created a new, quick, and inexpensive imaging method. An engineer that knew Mr. Ingalls tried the Stanpat applique product in the Xerox machine with disastrous results. The acetate film was not capable of handling the fusing temperature of the copier and melted inside the machine. He said that if someone could develop an applique film that could withstand the heat of the copier, it would be a great product.

Using his experience with polyester films and extensive research into the toner chemistry and fusing temperature of the new copier, Mr. Ingalls created the “ReproFilm” product. This was the first applique or transparent label film for copiers and laser printers. The initial offering was a matte coated 1 Mil polyester sheet with solvent-based adhesive and a paper release liner (Type 310).

Due to stability and curl issues with the paper, “ReproFilm” changed to developing Polyester Release Liners. The market needs also point to Clear Glossy and Opaque White Film versions of the product. Various sizes were made to accommodate American as well as metric copiers.

In the 1980s, Rayven Inc. expanded its manufacturing plant with more considerable warehouse addition and a new R & D Lab. Rayven Inc. began selling release liners as a separate product line, and production of protective over-laminating films was started.

In the 1990s, Rayven began an expansion of its coating capacity and capabilities. New coating chemistries were developed in the imaging, adhesive, and release coating markets. Coating lines were widened to address volume needs, and new slitting and sheeting upgrades were made.

In the 2000s Rayven added a wide web (72″) high-speed coating Line with UV curing capabilities. Coating technology improved with the addition of a slot die coating head for surface coatings and adhesives.

In 2010, Rayven began production at its second factory located in Owatonna, Minnesota.

In 2015 Rayven  added 2 custom designed hot melt coating machines for specialized tape production to the St. Paul facility. The company installed a 72″ wide 2 drum paper slitter in the Owatonna, Minnesota facility to increase slitting capacity.

In 2016 Rayven added a new 64″ wide high-speed thermal coating line to its Owatonna, Minnesota facility. This new coating line has 2 cartridge coating stations, backside printing, and remoistening capabilities, and it can coat 100 percent solids chemistries.

In 2017 Rayven received a patent (US 9,539,797) for its novel transfer tape construction and method of manufacture. Additionally, a third high-speed center winding slitter was added to the Owatonna, Minnesota facility.

In 2017 Rayven developed an ultra soft matte film for the flexible packaging market.

In 2018 Rayven added a 66″ wide thermal coating line in its Owatonna facility. That brought the total number of coating lines at this facility to three. The coating line is be focused on surface coatings for the flexible packaging industry.

In 2018 Rayven commissioned a new thermal coating line at the Owatonna facility. The new high-speed line is designed to service the rapidly growing flexible packaging market.

In 2019 Rayven added an automated sleeve storage system to its Owatonna facility and an additional Titan film slitter (Rayven’s 3rd Titan slitter).

In 2020 Rayven upgraded and modernized its 54” coating line in Saint Paul. These changes added the latest technology to the coating line for increased capacity and efficiency.

In 2020 Rayven commissioned the newly upgraded thermal coating line in Saint Paul. Midwest Engineered Systems expertly completed the critical controls aspect of the project in record time.

On December 8, 2021, OpenGate Capital portfolio company Duraco Specialty Tapes, a leading provider of pressure-sensitive tapes, labels, coated films, and release liners, announced that it acquired Rayven, Inc. (now Rayven LLC).