________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Another major development is the launch of SUN’ s heavy-duty rotary die cutter.“ We got some feedback that customers weren’ t able to make what they wanted with the old version because it wasn’ t beefy enough. We believe we now have one of the most robust units in the industry,” says Carner. Several units have already been delivered, reinforcing SUN’ s commitment to responding to customer needs with innovative solutions.
As the company celebrates its 40th anniversary, Carner attributes SUN’ s longevity to its 100 percent employee-owned structure.“ Our competitive advantage comes from our agility and adaptability,” she says. With a workforce of just around 150 employees, the company can pivot quickly to meet customer demands in ways that larger corporations often cannot.“ Because we are all owners, we manage money as if it’ s our own – because it is,” she adds. This approach has allowed SUN to remain debt-free, enabling reinvestment in technology, customer service, and product
development.“ It makes a remarkable difference in how employees approach solving a problem because they know that any savings can be reinvested. For example, when we bought this building, we managed to pay the mortgage in about half the time we could have. Because of decisions like this that play out across the business, we are debt-free. There aren’ t many companies that can say that.”
Vital relationships
SUN’ s commitment to customer relationships is another key differentiator. The company goes beyond contractual obligations, ensuring long-term partnerships by addressing issues proactively.“ If it’ s the right thing to do, we’ ll fix it – whether it’ s under warranty or not,” Carner emphasizes.“ We also view our customers and our suppliers as partners, in the same way as our employees. These are all vitally important relationships that should benefit everyone involved. This approach facilitates our
236