Colter & Peterson

What Colter & Peterson does

Colter & Peterson is a privately held, family-owned industrial equipment company founded in 1932 and headquartered in West Caldwell, NJ. It is the only North American firm exclusively dedicated to selling and servicing heavy-duty guillotine paper cutters, three-knife trimmers, paper handling equipment, and paper sheeters. The company sells its own PRISM and SABER cutter lines (sizes 27" to 141"), distributes CHM precision sheeters, Schneider Engineering handling systems, and Krifft & Zipsner pile turners, and offers a proprietary Microcut computer control retrofit platform (X-12PLUS, X-10, ECO, Transcend) that modernizes older paper cutters with JDF/CIP3-4 workflow integration, touch-screen automation, and real-time job data collection.

The business operates six revenue streams: new machine sales, certified and as-is used equipment through its Cuttermart marketplace, parts and supplies (including in-house manufactured replacements for obsolete components), on-site service and repair, equipment moving and rigging, and Microcut retrofits. Distribution is exclusively direct, through four North American locations (Northeast HQ, Pacific regional office in Bell Gardens CA, Midwest reconditioning facility in Des Moines IA, and the Microcut division), with inside-sales phone support (1.800.932.0780) and a Cuttermart e-commerce channel. The company holds exclusive North American distribution rights for Harris-Seybold, Dexter Lawson, Schneider Engineering/Knorr Systems, Saber, and Prism brands, and operates a 46,000 sq ft reconditioning facility plus a 26,000 sq ft corporate headquarters.

Customer end-markets are primarily commercial print shops, paper converting and packaging operations, wide-format printers, and government/institutional in-plant printing facilities. The customer base is diversified, with no single account appearing to dominate. No external funding has been raised; the company remains under continuous family ownership across nearly 93 years and three name changes (Hagman & Peterson, Peterson & Sons, Colter & Peterson). Revenue, headcount (~40), and financial performance are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Colter & Peterson

Legal name

Colter & Peterson, Inc.

Website

https://papercutters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Family-owned since 1932, Colter & Peterson is the only North American company exclusively dedicated to selling and servicing heavy-duty industrial paper cutters, three-knife trimmers, paper sheeters, and handling equipment, serving commercial print shops, converters, and government/institutional buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Paper Cutting Equipment

SIC

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)

akta.pro primary industry

Paper Converting Services (slitting, sheeting, coating, laminating, rewinding) (IMAMAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Paperboard Sheet & Roll Converting (Slitting/Sheeting/Rewinding) (IMAMAFAM)

Keywords

• Industrial paper cutters
• Guillotine paper cutting
• Paper handling equipment
• Three-knife trimmers
• Precision paper sheeters

Headquarters

HQ city

West Caldwell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Paper Cutter Sales: Sale of new industrial guillotine paper cutters including PRISM, SABER X-15, SABER XXL, SABER X-15 Plus models, along with paper handling systems, sheeters, and three-knife trimmers.
2. Certified Used & Rebuilt Equipment Sales: Sale of certified and as-is used paper cutters and paper handling equipment through Cuttermart marketplace. Certified machines come with 90-day parts warranty.
3. Parts & Supplies: Extensive inventory of parts for paper cutters and paper handling equipment, including hard-to-find parts for older machines and replacement parts manufactured in-house.
4. Service & Repair: On-site service, repair, maintenance, and inspection services for paper cutters and paper handling equipment. Includes emergency repairs outside business hours.
5. Equipment Moving & Rigging: Professional moving and rigging services for heavy-duty paper cutters and paper handling equipment, including pre-move consultation, packing, transportation, and installation.
6. Microcut Retrofits & Upgrades: Sale and installation of Microcut computer control system retrofits to update older paper cutters, including backgauge control systems, Transcend update kits with safety upgrades.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Colter & Peterson sells new and certified used industrial guillotine paper cutters (PRISM and SABER lines), CHM precision paper sheeters, three-knife trimmers (Accutrim), Microcut computer control retrofit systems, and paper handling equipment (joggers, stack lifts, loaders, unloaders, pile turners, wrap tables, palletizers). The company also provides parts, on-site service and repair, machine moving/rigging, inspection, and Microcut technical support for commercial print shops, paper converters, packaging operations, and industrial customers across North America.

Product overview

Colter & Peterson is North America's only company dedicated to selling and servicing heavy duty paper cutters, three-knife trimmers, and related equipment. The product portfolio consists of four core paper cutter brands (PRISM, SABER X-15, SABER XXL, SABER X-15 Plus), the CHM Precision Paper Sheeter, and Microcut computer control retrofit systems (X-12PLUS, X-10, ECO, Transcend) that update older machines. Supporting the cutters are paper handling systems including PRISM and Schneider Engineering joggers, stack lifts, automatic loaders and unloaders, wrap tables, and Krifft & Zipsner pile turners. The company also offers the largest selection of certified used and As-Is paper cutters through Cuttermart, along with comprehensive parts, on-site service, Polar-specific service, Microcut technical support, machine moving/rigging, and inspection services. Founded in 1932, the company operates from headquarters in West Caldwell, NJ with offices in California and Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Microcut: Computer control retrofit systems for paper cutters developed by C&P Microsystems, offering automation, increased productivity, and extended life for older paper cutters.

Products and services

• PRISM Paper Cutter Industrial guillotine paper cutter available in 31.5", 36", 45", and 54" sizes, featuring Microcut computer controls, hydraulic clutch, and CIP 3/4 JDF capability, targeted at commercial print shops and paper converting operations.
• SABER X-15 Paper Cutter Heavy-duty industrial paper cutter for demanding jobs, available in 37", 45", 54", and 62" sizes with patented DC drive system, automatic knife adjustment, and CE-compliant safety features.
• SABER XXL Paper Cutter Wide format industrial paper cutter for large format projects between 65-126", designed for cutting thick materials like plastics, card stock, coroplast, and styrene with precise Microcut control technology.
• SABER X-15 Plus Paper Cutter One of the largest guillotine paper cutters at 141", featuring computerized back gauge system, 5" maximum cut height, multiple air blower motors, infrared safety eye beams, variable knife speed, and CE/CSA safety compliance.
• CHM Precision Paper Sheeter Synchro fly twin knife and fixed bed knife sheeters available in 57" and 67" models with cutting accuracy of +/- .020", maximum cutting speed of 1,000 ft/minute, and Montalvo closed-loop web tension controls, designed for paper converting and packaging operations.
• Microcut X-12PLUS Retrofit Control System Top-of-the-line retrofit computer control system with 12" wide color touch screen, CIP3/4 capability, network compatibility, and automatic cutter programming via Microcip software, used to modernize older paper cutters.
• Microcut X-10 Retrofit Control System Economic retrofit control option with 10" wide color touch screen for all size paper cutters, featuring self-diagnostic electronics for paper cutter automation.
• Microcut ECO Retrofit Control System Economic retrofit control system with 7" capacitive touch screen, designed for smaller format paper cutters 37" or smaller.
• Microcut Transcend Update Kit Paper cutter update kit that controls and monitors all clamping, cutting, and safety pin operation, bringing old paper cutters up to modern operational and safety standards.
• PRISM Paper Jogger

Quantifiable outcome

• PRISM joggers can increase productivity up to 30%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered marketing partnership, core partnership, new partnership and component supplier.

• Ultimate TechnoGraphicsmarketing partnershipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2020Partnership for joint webinars demonstrating how to automate cutter programming by combining Microcut with Ultimate Bindery software. Shows integration capabilities between the two systems for automated finishing workflows.
• Schneider Engineeringcore partnershipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2005Colter & Peterson represents Schneider Engineering for full line of peripheral paper handling equipment including joggers, loaders, and unloaders. Schneider Engineering purchased Knorr Systems assets, which C&P had previously represented, expanding the peripheral equipment portfolio.
• Krifft & Zipsnernew partnershipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorColter & Peterson has partnered with Krifft & Zipsner, a German engineering company recognized worldwide for precision-built pile turners and material handling solutions. This partnership introduces Krifft & Zipsner pile turners to the U.S. market, combining C&P's service and nationwide reach with K&Z's engineering excellence for printing and packaging operations.
• CHM (China Herun Machinery)core partnershipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPartnership with CHM, the leading paper sheeter manufacturer in Asia producing over 300 machines annually from a half-million square foot facility outside Shenzhen. Colter & Peterson ensures CHM products meet American standards and offers machines with full two-year warranty.
• Montalvocomponent supplierTechnology or IntegrationAmerican-made Montalvo web tension controls and pneumatic brake units are standard on CHM sheeters supplied by Colter & Peterson. Montalvo systems provide individually programmable closed-loop web tension controls for each roll.
• Nord Motorcomponent supplierTechnology or IntegrationGerman Nord motors are standard equipment on PRISM automatic paper loaders, providing efficient and reliable operation for material handling.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Challenge Machinery Company: US-based manufacturer of Challenge-brand industrial paper cutters, joggers, and paper drilling equipment. Directly competes with Colter & Peterson in the North American heavy-duty paper cutter market with overlapping products (e.g., hydraulic paper cutters) and similar commercial print shop customers.
• Wohlenberg (Heidelberg): German three-knife trimmer and book cutting equipment manufacturer now owned by Heidelberg. Directly competes with Colter & Peterson's Accutrim three-knife trimmers in binders and book printers, sharing the same commercial print finishing customer base.
• Perfecta (Muller Martini): German manufacturer of Perfecta-brand industrial paper cutters and cutting systems, now part of Muller Martini. Competes with C&P's PRISM and SABER cutters in European and global commercial print shops with comparable guillotine cutter specifications and automation features.
• Baumann Maschinenbau: German manufacturer of Baumann-brand paper cutting and handling equipment for the graphic arts industry. Directly competes with Colter & Peterson in industrial guillotine cutters and material handling for print finishing operations across European and global markets.
• Standard Horizon / Standard Finishing Systems: Japanese-owned global supplier of bindery and print finishing equipment including paper cutters, folders, and bookbinding systems. Competes with Colter & Peterson across paper cutting and adjacent finishing equipment categories serving commercial printers and in-plant operations.
• MBM Corporation: US-based manufacturer of paper cutters (Ideal-brand), paper shredders, and document destruction equipment. Competitor in the North American paper cutter market with a broader product range extending into office and light commercial cutting equipment, overlapping with C&P's smaller-format cutter offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Polar (Heidelberger Druckmaschinen / Heidelberg): Polar Mohr paper cutters are the dominant European cutter brand, now part of Heidelberg — the world's largest press manufacturer. Polar competes head-to-head with PRISM/SABER in commercial print shops and C&P actively services Polar machines (they are not the OEM), making Polar a direct product competitor with broader corporate reach.

Regional players

• Southworth International Group: US manufacturer of paper lifts, stack turners, and material handling equipment for print and packaging operations. Competes with Colter & Peterson's PRISM paper handling equipment line (stack lifts, loaders) in the print finishing handling equipment subsegment primarily in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colter & Peterson