Training & Education

Informed buyers make better decisions. Trained operators make better production. DCA exists for both.

How we work

See the equipment. Train your team. No purchase required.

Die Cutting Advisors has made a direct capital investment in placing production-grade Crest clamshell presses at two partner facilities in the United States. These are not showroom pieces or occasional-use demos — they are active production presses, running real jobs on real materials, made available to manufacturers who want to see a Crest press in action, train their operators, or spend time with the equipment before committing to a purchase.
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Few equipment representatives put capital on the ground this way. DCA did because informed buyers make better decisions and trained operators make better production — and neither should require a trip overseas.

Facilities

Partner Training Facilities

DCA has placed a production Crest clamshell press at each of two partner facilities, chosen to give manufacturers two different platen sizes to evaluate and two geographies to travel to. Both facilities host visits from manufacturers — customers, prospects, and industry professionals — who want hands-on time with the equipment.

Large modern white industrial building with multiple windows, a glass entrance, purple doors, and a loading dock under clear blue sky.

Mathias Die Company — South St. Paul, MN

DCA placed a Crest 32×47 clamshell press on the floor at Mathias Die Company, a working converting shop in South St. Paul, Minnesota. The press runs active jobs every day. Manufacturers can schedule a visit to see it in production, run their own materials through it, and experience the difference make-ready-free cutting makes in a real shop. Training sessions at Mathias are open to anyone in the industry — no purchase required and no active evaluation required. The sessions are designed for operators, production managers, and anyone looking to deepen their understanding of clamshell die cutting.

Address: 391 Malden St, South St Paul, MN 55075, United States

Wide aerial view of a modern industrial building with solar panels on the roof, surrounded by a parking lot with cars and greenery under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

National Steel Rule Tech Center — Linden, NJ

DCA placed a Crest 23×32 clamshell press at the National Steel Rule Tech Center in Linden, New Jersey. The press is available for demos, hands-on training, and material testing for manufacturers evaluating equipment at this platen size. It is a good fit for shops cutting smaller sheets or running shorter production runs who want to see the Small Crest configuration in action before they commit — and for East Coast manufacturers who would prefer not to travel to Minnesota for a demo.

Address: 750 Commerce Rd, Linden, NJ 07036, United States

On-Site and Ongoing Support

Training does not end at the partner facility — and it does not end when a press ships. DCA supports customers directly at their own facility during installation and startup, and provides ongoing remote support as long as the relationship continues.

On-Site at Your Facility

After a Crest press is installed, DCA provides on-site operator training at the customer’s facility — with the actual operators on the actual press, running the materials the shop runs every day. This is not a generic walkthrough. Sessions are tailored to the customer’s production environment, job mix, and the operators’ experience level, so the team is set up to run well from day one.

Remote and Ongoing Support

Not every training need requires a flight. DCA provides phone, video, and screen-share support for customers with follow-up questions, new operator onboarding, or in-production troubleshooting. Ongoing training is part of the relationship after the sale — it does not end when the press ships.

Industrial metallic machine labeled Crest, featuring multiple compartments, control panel with buttons and display, and safety guards, set against a plain light background.

Who This Is For

DCA’s training and education programs are a good fit for manufacturers who:

Are evaluating clamshell die cutting for the first time and want to see a press running in a real production environment before they commit
Are comparing presses across manufacturers and want hands-on time with a Crest press to inform the decision
Have just purchased a Crest press and need their operators trained before installation or shortly after
Are adding new operators to an existing Crest press and want them trained to the same standard as the original team
Want to refresh or deepen their team’s knowledge of make-ready-free clamshell die cutting best practices

FAQ

Find answers to commonly asked questions.

No. Training sessions at Mathias are open to anyone in the industry. You do not need to have purchased a Crest press or be in an active evaluation. The sessions are designed for operators, production managers, and anyone looking to deepen their understanding of clamshell die cutting.

DCA has placed production-grade Crest clamshell presses at two partner facilities in the U.S.: Mathias Die Company in South St. Paul, Minnesota, which hosts a Crest 32×47 press, and the National Steel Rule Tech Center in Linden, New Jersey, which hosts a Crest 23×32 press. Both facilities host manufacturers for demos and hands-on training.

Yes. DCA provides on-site operator training at the customer’s facility as part of the engagement around a new Crest press. Sessions are tailored to the customer’s production environment, job mix, and operator experience — the goal is to have the team running well from day one, not walking through a generic curriculum.

Training does not end when the initial sessions wrap up. DCA provides phone, video, and screen-share support for follow-up questions, new operator onboarding, and in-production troubleshooting. The relationship with manufacturers continues well past installation.

Start with a conversation. Reach out through the contact form or email to explain what you’re trying to accomplish, and DCA will recommend the right format, facility, and timing. Partner facility sessions and on-site training require scheduling ahead; remote support can typically be arranged quickly.