Neenah, Wisconsin based XDS recently celebrated 40 years of engineering, manufacturing, and delivering high-performance drying, curing, plate cleaning, and ink management technologies to the global printing and converting industries. What began in 1985 as The Diagnostic Group, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in fluid mechanics and heat-transfer processes, has grown into a trusted industry leader whose solutions are found across web, specialty, and corrugated production lines worldwide.
From its early days, the company’s expertise in drying science fueled rapid expansion. By the late 1980s, XDS had evolved beyond consulting to retrofit dryer enhancements and design of full specialty drying and curing systems under the XericWeb® brand. These early innovations laid the foundation for what would become decades of product advancement — driven by research, engineering rigor, and close collaboration with customers seeking greater safety, efficiency, and productivity.
“As we celebrate 40 years, I’m proud of what our team and partners have achieved,” says Jeff DeVries, XDS President. “Founded on engineering discipline, curiosity, and problem-solving, we remain committed to innovation, continuous improvement, and supporting our industries with the integrity that defines our first four decades.”
A pivotal chapter began in the mid-1990s when XDS partnered with JB Machinery, the industry’s leading supplier of drying and productivity solutions for flexo direct print in corrugated operations. The relationship quickly proved transformational. Together, XDS and JB Machinery pioneered breakthrough solutions that reshaped the drying and printing landscape. Over the next two decades, their combined engineering and manufacturing efforts drove innovations that earned JB Machinery five AICC Innovator of the Year Awards and a FEFCO Silver for Best Innovation — recognition of the technologies that continue to strengthen corrugated operations around the world.
In 2012, the partnership deepened when the Bird family (owners of JB Machinery) acquired XericWeb Drying Systems, forming XDS Holdings, Inc. This integration brought manufacturing, engineering, and product development under one umbrella, positioning XDS to expand both its web-market portfolio and its support for JB Machinery’s rapidly growing corrugated base.
Warren Bird, President, JB Machinery and XDS board member comments, “XDS has been a trusted partner for decades. Together, we’ve developed forward-thinking solutions that boost productivity, reduce waste, and enhance print quality worldwide. What truly sets XDS apart is the strength of its people — their expertise and commitment have driven our shared success and helped shape the innovations our industries depend on today.”
XDS’s technology lineup continues to evolve, offering solutions such as IrAIR+™(IR dryer for web-based operations), KleenPlate®, and inkPRO™ precision ink control, that address web-based emerging needs including inline barrier-coating drying, optimized ink and coating management, and advanced plate-cleaning systems. XDS also manufactures and services JB’s sister products for the sheet-fed flexo direct print on corrugated market including ColorDry® XL3000, AutoDryer Control™, InKomand®, AutoWash®, and more.
Since 1998, the combined XDS/JB Machinery product portfolio has grown to more than 4,500 IR drying units installed in 67 countries, representing one of the industry’s most successful global technology deployments. The growth of the XDS and JB products necessitated the 2021 expansion of the Neenah, Wisconsin location which nearly doubled the size of the manufacturing facility.
As XDS celebrates its 40th anniversary, the company looks forward to continuing its mission: delivering safer, smarter, and more efficient solutions that help printers, corrugators and converters improve productivity and meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market.
