Over 130 Years of Excellence
In 1870, Challenge Machinery Company began business in Chicago under the name of Shniedewend & Lee. When their building was destroyed in the great Chicago fire of 1871, they rebuilt, but were burned out again in 1887. In 1893, James L. Lee, his son J. Edgar Lee, and son-in-law Charles R. Shupe reorganized the company and renamed it The Challenge Machinery Company. Challenge was named for its ability to overcome hardship and meet difficulties with creative solutions. Challenge moved to Grand Haven, Michigan in 1903, and has since been building innovative and quality equipment from that location for the graphic-arts industry.

Quality and Safety Standards
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has strict standards for guillotine paper cutters, and they chose the chief design engineer at Challenge to be on the standards-formulating committee. All Challenge equipment is built to ANSI standards. Every electrical component is either UL listed or approved. The machine designs are created with the safety of the operator as the primary concern.

Reasons for Choosing Challenge

• 130 years of excellence having survived and grown through fires, depressions, wars, and competition from both domestic and foreign manufacturers.
• Over 50,000 Challenge cutters have supported binderies since the first one was manufactured in 1887.
• Quality and safety that is the standard of the industry.
• Consistent, repeatable, and accurate backguage positioning.
• Proven design complemented by innovative technological improvements.
• Skilled dealer network of sales and service excellence.
• Resale value - truly an investment, not just a purchase.
• Warranty - two full years, top to bottom.