ABOUT US

Sipe Steel Rule Die was founded in 1975 by Keith Sipe in Woodburn, Indiana. Like many great businesses, Sipe began with a simple need and an inventive solution. Keith needed registration numbers for his boat, so he created his own cutting dies by setting steel knives into wooden boards. What started as a solution to a personal project quickly turned into an opportunity. Keith began producing steel rule dies for local printers from his garage.

As demand grew, the business eventually outgrew the garage, prompting Keith to move operations to a facility on Front Street in Woodburn. This move provided the space needed for Sipe to continue growing and serving a larger customer base.

In 1986, George Schrumpf, a salesman for a local wire die manufacturer, purchased the company from Keith. George saw an opportunity to expand Sipe beyond simply manufacturing steel rule dies. He began investing in equipment that allowed the company to provide die cutting services as well, giving customers a more complete finishing solution.

Continued growth led to another major milestone in 1997, when Sipe built a new 10,000-square-foot facility on Roemer Drive in the Woodburn Industrial Park.

In 2000, the company purchased its first full-size die cutting press, capable of handling sheets up to 28" x 40". A second full-size die cutting press followed in 2003, and in 2004 Sipe added a full-size foil stamping press, continuing the company's evolution into a full-service print finishing operation.

In 2001, Steve Hatlem became George's business partner. Steve brought a strong manufacturing background to the company and helped improve production processes, expand capabilities and establish a second shift. As the company's services continued to grow well beyond steel rule die manufacturing, it began doing business simply as Sipe - a name that better represented the broader range of services it could provide.

In 2006, Sipe moved from its 10,000-square-foot Woodburn facility to a 19,000-square-foot building in Centennial Industrial Park in Fort Wayne. The new location provided additional room for growth while also placing the company closer to many of its customers.

Another significant expansion came in 2014 with the addition of Sipe's first digital 3D UV machine. This technology allowed Sipe to apply specialized dimensional spot coatings that added texture, depth and visual impact to printed pieces. Combined with its existing die cutting, foil stamping, embossing and laminating capabilities, Sipe could now provide customers with a complete range of high-end finishing services the "icing on the cake" that transforms a printed piece into something that stands out.

These expanded capabilities also opened the door to a growing new market for Sipe, Consumer Packaging.

In 2022, as Sipe approached its 50th anniversary, Andy Hord became the fourth owner of the company. Andy brought experience from the label printing industry along with a strong background in sales and marketing. Building on nearly five decades of craftsmanship and manufacturing experience, he saw an opportunity to continue expanding Sipe's role in consumer packaging while bringing additional printing and production capabilities under one roof.

Today, Sipe has grown far beyond the steel rule die company that began in a Woodburn garage in 1975. While steel rule dies, die cutting and specialty finishing remain an important part of who we are, our capabilities now include flexographic printing, digital and flexographic label printing, foil stamping, embossing, laminating, folding and gluing, 3D spot UV, folding cartons, flexible packaging and promotional products.

What began with a handmade die for a set of boat numbers has evolved into a company capable of helping customers take a project from print to finishing, packaging and promotion.

After more than 50 years, the equipment, technology and services may have changed, but the idea behind Sipe remains much the same, find a way to make it, make it well, and continue finding new ways to help our customers stand out.