Read the July 26th, 2023 Green Bay Innovation Group Newsletter here.
July 26th, 2023 Newsletter
Month: July 2023
GBIG NEWS | 83 Stories and Links on the Internet 07/26/2023
GBIG News
Get links to the latest news, events, stories, and interviews from our 5P news sponsors. Our goal is to remind the decision-makers in Wisconsin of the importance of our industry both historically, and more importantly, into the future.
Read the latest 83 Stories and Links on the Internet below.
Featured Stories
- It is time to tax China’s Amazon sales and Chinese Manufacturers have been a major beneficiary of the success not paying taxes.
- Why the US needs to support the domestic Paper, Pulp and Forestry Manufacturing.
- Senate bill requiring labels shopping online identifying country to protect US manufacturers from copying their products.
- US China Science technology landmark agreement must end per Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin.
- Amazon the tipping point with the Rainforest disappearing with Brazil and Asian countries building new pulp and paper mills
- China’s role in the fentanyl crisis and the CCP business model supporting it! The US has had over 1,000,000 die from it!
- Tammy Baldwin Protect Wisconsin Business from Chinese Companies Cheating on Trade Rules to protect Wisconsin Hardwood plywood Manufacturers.
- Paper giant RGE Asia linked to Indonesia deforestation despite pledges in 2115. Corporate ownership leads to British Virgin Islands.
- Paper Excellence: Justice suspends transfer of Eldorado Brazil to Paper Excellence
- Mike Gallagher: US crazy for doing business with China. China is America’s foremost threat!
- Billerud aims to streamline Wisconsin operations. What could that mean for the Rapids Mill?
Wisconsin
- Foxconn – China: It has been estimated that more than a billion dollars of taxpayer money has gone toward the deal!
- Sheboygan recognizes partnership with UW Madison. Kohler donates $8.5 million to UW Madison Engineering.
- Curt G. JOA Partners with Matrix to supply machinery for dry molded fiber
- How the cheese industry is innovating with packaging
- Madison number 1 sports town in America and UW Madison ranked in the top ten public universities in the USA
- Climb wooden steps into the Cloud on the Mountains
- New Leaf Paper acquires Arnold Grummer’s and remain in Appleton
- State budget praised supporting UW Madison, Education, Infrastructure and the People of Wisconsin
- 40 of the most influential Asian Americans Leaders in Wisconsin
- Marek Group acquires Highnote
- Contract Converting adds 20,000 square feet.
- Wisconsin Paper Caucus announces New Legislative bipartisan leadership for the Paper Industry
- Wisconsin Rapids holds meeting to discuss future of Billerud paper mill
Industry
- Georgia-Pacific produces $1 billion recyclable padded mailers to e-commerce customers
- Are small label Converters facing new headwinds in 2023
- Valmet strengthen its process technologies and services by acquiring Korbers business area tissue
- Tissue sector faces shortage of recycled paper supply.
- Private Label sales rise 8% for the first half of 2023
Paper Excellence
- Paper Excellence, A Richmond headquartered company is now poised to become one of North America/s pulp and paper companies
- Paper Excellence to invest $4 billion in new pulp mill in Brazil.
- Domtar celebrates ribbon cutting becoming a leading supplier of nonwovens with a $90 million investment.
- Paper Excellence excels at forest acquisitions
- Investigation reveals giant North American pulp and forestry company’s links to deforestation and social conflicts through ownership structure
- Paper Excellence Whistleblowers And Investigate Journalism, Project Lead to Calls For Parliamentary Hearing In Canada
- Paper Excellence Brazil Pulp Mill with easy access to the Amazon Rainforest
- Andrea Paul another painful experience with Paper Excellence
China
- Trade between the US and China drying up and it is time to support USA Manufacturing
- China: Hawley proposes bill revoking china’s preferential trade status
- China economic espionage top threat to US
- Newhouse leads bill to prohibit purchase of US land by the Chinese Communist Party especially by US Military Bases.
- Illegal logging in Africa is a threat to security with increasing demand from China
- China: The economic costs of America’s conflict with the security threat
- China is using the World Bank as its Piggy Bank
- China’s loans pushing world’s poorest countries to brink of collapse.
- G-7 Leaders discuss response to China economic coercion threat to Democracy and the World Order
Corrugated
- 5 Interesting Fact about the Containerboard Business
- Designing effective e-commerce packaging
- Corrugated recycling rates lower than estimated.
- North American Paper Mills discuss demand for occ pricing, new plants and shuttering down old plants
- Nine Dragons a Hong Kong based company takes downtown at two US Mills
- Graphic Packaging is shutting older facilities and building a new plant in WacoTexas with a $1 billion investment
Sponsor
- EMT Vision: We find a way to say yes by asking what if.
- Appvion launches new cleanslate film label facestock for the label industry
- Titletown Manufacturing:
- Robinson, Inc. contract manufacturing fits with on shored green energy projects
- Mark Andy teams up with Maxcess
- First Business Bank: How to protect your deposits
- Vetaphone Joins Flexo xperence center
- 15dots: Want a more diverse workforce guard against bias in your selection process
- Publication Printers achieve consistent production with adamas – EC03
- JP Morgan/ Chase Insights recession some say not so fast!
- Precision Roll Solutions names Kelly Richardson CFO
GBIG Donates to Youth Organization
The Swing Big with GBIG golf outing was a rousing success in 2023, and GBIG is donating the proceeds to scholarships and several well-deserving Green Bay-area nonprofits. One of the recipients is the Green Bay Action Sports Organization (GBASO).
GBASO is an indoor action sports complex for skateboarding, scootering, BMX, and in-line skating. GBASO’s mission is to develop our youth’s social, physical, and leadership skills by partnering with the community to provide access to action sports and educational opportunities. GBASO’s “No One Left Out” initiative provides a skateboard and protective gear to youth whose families don’t have the financial means to afford a membership.
GBASO recently moved into a massive 20,000 sq ft facility at 2351 Holmgren Way, Green Bay, next to the Epic Event Center and Ashley Furniture. To prepare for the move, GBASO launched a capital campaign to build all new ramps, runs and fly boxes, including a street and beginner area. The nonprofit organization signed a 15-year lease for the facility where youth can expand their action sports skills within a culture of education and mentorship.
GBIG’s seed money will help GBASO get established at its new home. An engraved skateboard with the GBIG logo will be displayed on the donor wall.
The GBIG donation plays an integral role in:
- Promoting Physical Fitness and Health
- Encouraging Community Engagement
- Youth Development
- Safe Recreational Spaces
- Supporting Athletes’ Dreams
GBIG’s donation positively impacts future generations and the 20,000+ people who visit GBASO each year.
VPI, Inc. Announces Inclusive Bag Toss Fundraiser presented by the Green Bay Innovation Group
APPLETON, WI –
VPI, Inc. is to host an inaugural inclusive bag toss fundraiser called Tossing for Inclusion on August 17, 2023, at GameDay Sports Bar in Appleton. This inclusive bag toss tournament and fundraiser, presented by Green Bay Innovation Group, is designed to raise money to support VPI’s community programs, but more importantly, will offer teams of all skills and abilities the opportunity to compete against one another, as peers, in support of the cause.
“We’re really excited for this event because it includes those who will directly benefit from it. Competing and socializing in an environment that welcomes and includes everyone will naturally begin to reduce barriers, and we hope that this event shows the community how easy and fun it is to include individuals with different abilities, which is crucial to building a stronger community,” says Tim Riebau, President, and CEO of VPI, Inc.
Individuals of all ages, skills, and abilities are encouraged to participate. Team registrations are $100/team and include lunch, drink tickets, and an event shirt for each player. Tournament is double elimination with two guaranteed games. More details and registration information can be found by visiting vpiwi.org/events.
VPI’s mission is to promote the dignity and worth of individuals who have disabilities or are disadvantaged and to assist them in developing their optimum level of social, vocational, and economic independence in the community.
VPI, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization provides a variety of community programs and services – including education, early intervention, employment, mental health, and social and recreational services, and packaging solutions to the Fox Cities and surrounding areas. By providing efficient contract packaging and production services to private industry with an inclusive workforce, VPI has been able to deliver community programing and services to support the changing needs of community members with disabilities or disadvantages.
Amundsen Davis Law: Addressing Mental Health Issues in the Workplace
- Event:
- Amundsen Davis Webcast
- August 8, 2023 | 12:00 PM CT
There is an ever increasing awareness of mental health issues in the workplace, especially since mental health issues can lead to hazardous working conditions. But what responsibility does an employer have to address these issues?
Join Suzannah Overholt and Craig Kubiak on August 8 at 12 PM CT for a discussion on the legal pitfalls employers must be aware of when addressing the well-being of their employees.
Topics of discussion will include:
- When an employee’s mental health issue considered a workplace hazard?
- What reasonable accommodations can you provide to employees?
- OSHA, ADA and FMLA considerations
Ashwaubenon Walk: July 2023
We will finish out the Ashwaubenon walk and continue our series covering the State of Wisconsin. The amazing thing about Ashwaubenon is the wide range of companies involved in the 5P, Converting and Supporting Industries. In this issue, we will go from Manufacturers of Pouches to Recycling Companies, to Promotional Items, to Transportation and Engineering & Design. We have companies starting in Green Bay area and servicing customers across the USA and International Markets!
Eagle Performance Plastics announce the successful completion of its expansion of 27,000 addition
Eagle Performance Plastics announces completion of 27,000 square foot addition, fueling efficiency improvements and investments in raw material and machining equipment.
Appleton, WI 7/6/2023 – Eagle Performance Plastics, a leading supplier of custom-machined and fabricated parts serving OEMs around the world. Using the latest technologies, we manufacture plastic components for a wide variety of industries including packaging, food processing, conveyors and special machinery, among others. Eagle is proud to announce the successful completion of its 27,000 square foot expansion project. The new addition represents a significant milestone for the company, further enhancing its manufacturing capabilities and setting the stage for improved efficiencies. The expansion also marks a substantial investment in raw material and machining equipment, enabling Eagle Performance Plastics to meet the evolving demands of its diverse customer base. The expansion project was completed in early 2022, and the past year was spent improving processes and layout efficiencies of the now 70,000 square foot facility.
The state-of-the-art expansion is a testament to Eagle Performance Plastics commitment to delivering excellence to its customers. By increasing its manufacturing footprint, the company aims to bolster its capacity and streamline production processes. This will result in shorter lead times and increased responsiveness to customer needs, ensuring that Eagle Performance Plastics maintains its position as a preferred supplier in the industry.
About Eagle Performance Plastics: Eagle Performance Plastics is a leading provider of high-quality plastic solutions since 1971. With a commitment to excellence, the company offers a wide range of custom plastic components and assemblies to various industries, including packaging, food processing, conveyors, automation, pharma, and more. Eagle Performance Plastics leverages cutting-edge technology and has a dedicated team of experts to deliver innovative, reliable, and cost effective solutions to its customers.
GBIG: Corrugated Updates
Wisconsin has a large number of corrugated plants in Wisconsin, USA, and International based companies with plants in Wisconsin. However, we have seen China and Indonesia based companies purchase USA companies and we expect the acquisitions will continue. We have seen Asian companies control upwards to 35% of the USA recycled pulp market and with Paper Excellence recent conversion of a printing paper machine to packaging, it will increase to 40-45% of recycled pulp putting pricing pressure and availability on USA based companies. We have seen Asian companies dominate the uncoated FREE SHEET market share at 35% plus in the USA. The Asian and Indonesian companies are integrated companies owning their own pulp manufacturing capabilities and ownership of major pulp mills across the globe! They will be able to import pulp into the USA at low costs that American manufactures will not be able to compete! We can anticipate the Asian and Indonesia based companies will be purchasing more companies in the USA especially in converting and packaging! We have seen USA companies shut down older plants and add new plants in the USA.
The Amazon effect has had a substantial impact on corrugated packaging. It should continue to grow! Unfortunately, 44% of products sold on Amazon in the USA from Asia are TAX FREE! 70 to 80% of Walmart products are coming from Asian Companies.
This past 5 years has been a bright spot for Wisconsin and USA Paper, Pulp and Corrugated Industries! However, we are experiencing weakened demand for corrugated boxes and other products. We saw in the fourth quarter a drop in containerboard production. We are seeing in the first 6 months of 2023 more downtime, shutdowns of older facilities and companies putting on hold expansion plans. We have seen downward pressure on OCC prices in 2022 averaged $132 a ton and in the last quarter OCC has taken a major dive. However, we have not seen a substantial price drop for corrugated products!
Tossing for Inclusion: Bag Toss with a Twist
Grab a friend and join us at our inaugural Tossing for Inclusion bag toss fundraising event on August 17 at GameDay Sports Bar in Appleton.
This inclusive bag toss tournament fundraiser is designed to raise money to support our community programs, but more importantly, will offer teams of all skills and abilities the opportunity to compete against one another, as peers, in support of the cause.
Team registrations are $100/team and include lunch, drink tickets, and an event shirt for each player. Tournament is double elimination – two games are guaranteed.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Please register your team by July 30. You can register online though Eventbrite by clicking the button below or by filling out our team registration form and mailing it in or dropping it off at VPI, Inc. 2730 N Roemer Rd. Appleton, WI 54911 with your team entry fee.
Individuals of all ages, skills, and abilities are encouraged to participate!
By simply registering a team to compete, you are making a difference in your community.
GBIG NEWS | 76 Stories and Links on the Internet 07/12/2023
GBIG News
Get links to the latest news, events, stories, and interviews from our 5P news sponsors. Our goal is to remind the decision-makers in Wisconsin of the importance of our industry both historically, and more importantly, into the future.
Read the latest 76 Stories and Links on the Internet below.
Featured Stories
- Paper Valley PCB cleanup of the Fox River New book and the economic long term benefits for our communities.
- Speaker Robin Vos pushed to eliminate technical college funding authority. There was NO PUBLIC Hearing on it!
- Paper Excellence links to destroying habitat in Indonesia
- UW Madison receives two Federal grants to Wisconsin startups in Fusion Energy.
- New Women Forest Products Scholarship Program – Wisconsin Paper Council
- Wausau sues 3M and other manufacturers over alleged PFAS Contamination
- Green Bay Packaging new folding carton division expansion
- Procon welcomes Kelly Helein as new VP of Business Development. Procon is the largest independent converter in the USA.
- Prescott, WI: 3-D printing material enables new way to make soft touch parts
- UW Madison pushes back against criticism on diversity holding the Engineering Building Hostage
- UW Madison Secretary of energy touts biofuel role in Fusion transition and the work done at UW Madison
- Republicans vote to cut UW budget $32 million and the State has a $7 billion surplus!
- Walsworth Publishing in Ripon donates $100,000 to Boys and Girls Club
- Evers was unable to undo the $32 million cut to UW Madison Engineering New Building putting it on hold. Wisconsin desperately needs Engineers
Events
- PCMC 3 day Flexo Printing seminar July 11-13th
- Is Wisconsin a bright spot for fusion energy technology-UW Madison Engineering meeting in Madison
- Women in 5P Industries Presents Women’s Leadership Series with Susan Stansbury: Evolution not Revolution
- The 5PSHOWCASE on Sept. 28th will be at the held at the expanded Radisson Hotel & Conference Center with over 75 Exhibitors in Green Bay
- Hamilton Wood Type: Wide range of wood type on display in 2023 exhibit from around the world
- Women of Influence in the New North Region August 1st.
Education
- Advances in nanotechnology through at UW Madison research
- St. Norberts to build new business educational building
- Republicans target efforts with plan to cut UW Systems budget impacting UW Madison Engineering Building
- UW Madison Mechanical Engineering: Innovative Technologies for the World
- US value colleges ranking best packaging programs with UW Stout as #3 and Northwood College #13.
- 2023 most well attended paper engineering programs with UW Stevens Point as number two.
- Michigan Technology University ranked number two as best forestry programs in the USA
- UW Madison is a national leader forest science and research
- UW Green Bay water quality program for teens
- UW Platteville field trip with other UW schools explores water challenges in Southwestern Wisconsin
- UW Stevens Point Forestry students learn the science of tree felling
- Wisconsin bill tweaking tuition reciprocity deal with Minnesota could have financial impact on the UW System.
- Attacks on higher education forcing Professors to leave Florida
- Republicans approve $3.5 billion income tax cut and reduce state funds to UW System
- UW Green Bay wins grant to make Wisconsin a global leader in sustainable ag
- UW Madison: Secretary of Energy touts biofuels role in clean energy and UW Madison is leading the way. Let’s build the new Engineering Building!
- UW Engineering faculty receive 2023-2024 warf fellowship awards
- UW Madison recycling technique could keep flexible packaging out of landfills…Support University of Madison Engineering and our packing industries!
Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Driftless Region largest used book store
- UW Madison Alumni Get to know Wisconsin from rivers to forests to cities.
- Quad debuts new built Quad Brand Campaign
- The oldest city in Wisconsin is 142 years older than America itself….GREEN BAY
- Ahlstrom introduces new release liners for pressure-sensitive tapes with recycled and unbleached fibers
Industry
- North America Printing and Writing Markets still Weak due to High Inventories.
- The New Cyber Landscape
- Brand owned and design of labels and its impact on consumers
- LCS Communications closing doors in Warsaw Indiana
- State of the industry in folding carton sustainability
- Proampac Wins Tive 2023 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards
Paper Excellence
- Report: Paper Excellent, the owner of Northern Pulp, is part of the corporate group of Asia Pulp & Paper and Sinar Mas.
- CBC Investigates: Who’s behind Canada’s new pulp-and-paper powerhouse, and where’s the money coming from?
- Investigation reveals giant North American pulp and forestry company’s links to deforestation and social conflicts through ownership structure
- Domtar celebrates airlaid nonwoven expansion $90 million acquisition in Jesup Georgia
- Paper Excellence acquires America’s Domtar in Blockbuster $3 Billion Deal to Expand Into Us Market
- Paper Excellence locations with major Manufacturing and Converting across the United States
- Paper Excellence to buy Brazul’s Eldorado from J & F for $4.7 billion
- Sinar Mas Group, said it plans to invest $3.63 billion in building a new paper factory and accompanying facilities in West Java
Forestry
- Climate change impact on the Michigan forests
- Couple shares before and after planting 2 million trees in the Amazon
- Logging Indiana Hoosier national forest.
- Biomass plant in Indonesia got millions in Green Funds
- Why the world needs millions of trees and how to plant them
- Ashland wildlife lab’s tools and know-how key to detecting illegal Timber imports
- More than 800 million trees felled in the Amazon in 6 years to meet beef demand
Sponsor
- Titletown Manufacturing LLC.: Aluminum fabrication services deliver high-quality components
- Appvion develops new sustainable coatings for label facestocks
- Robinsons custom metal fabrication supports customer growth
- Conductive Science chooses Vetaphone
- How to Save Money on Shipping Crates with Duracrate
- Precision Roll Solutions roll setups differ between ev battery and paper runs
