August 2024 - Page 3 of 3 - Green Bay Innovation Group

VPI to Host Second Annual Tossing for Inclusion Fundraiser

Posted on August 12, 2024August 12, 2024 by admin

APPLETON, WI – VPI, Inc. will host their second annual cornhole tournament and fundraiser called Tossing for Inclusion on Thursday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at GameDay Sports Bar in Appleton. This fundraiser is presented by Green Bay Innovation Group.

The individuals VPI serve, their families, local businesses, their partners, and other community members come together as peers, in support of the cause. It’s a chance to connect with others, have fun, and support the individuals they serve with disabilities and/or disadvantages who utilize VPI’s workplace, educational, mental health, employment, social enrichment, and early intervention birth to three programs.

The event is unique in that it is inclusive and includes those who directly benefit from it. VPI believes creating an environment where individuals of all abilities can compete and socialize as peers, in support of the cause, will naturally begin to reduce barriers, and demonstrate how inclusion is crucial to building a stronger and more equitable community.

Valley Packaging Industries Inc. Building

“We are so excited about year two of Tossing for Inclusion. It’s fun, competitive, and inclusive – which aligns perfectly with our mission and the intent of the event” said Tim Riebau, VPI, Inc. president and CEO.

Individuals of all ages, skills, and abilities are encouraged to participate. Team registrations are $125 per team and include lunch, two drink tickets, and an event shirt for each player. Spectator tickets are also available for $50 and include a T-shirt, lunch, and two drink tickets. The tournament is played in round robin style with three 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 integrated workforce, VPI has been able to deliver community programing and services to support the changing needs of community members with disabilities or disadvantages.

Factors for Success in Packaging

Posted on August 12, 2024August 12, 2024 by admin

By Susan R Stansbury

When product designers and developers work closely with converters and manufacturers, packages do the expected job. For consumers, as well as institutional markets and pre-market packaging protection, packages are often as important as the contents.

These are aspects on the checklist as packages are created.

How well will the package provide access to the product? Is there a tricky, troublesome way to open, getting to the contents?
How well does the package protect the contents? Having worked with several nonwoven “wet wipes” converters, I remember how the “flat packs” had issues when wipes dried out after repeated peel-openings. Newer snap-open packages do a better job.
Will the package need to be reopened and require ongoing protection? Consumers are turned off when they have to trash the item before its time.
Is it being designed for superior freshness, crispness, wetness (such as wet wipes)? Freshness is key factor. “I love Oreos, but hate the packaging,” says an online user. Part of the issue was “sustainability.” Stale cookies is another issue when the opening mechanism deteriorates.
Will it keep the ingredients or additives working use after use? Mold, dry-out, or another factor can render the contents unusable. Packaging has to be age and mistake-tolerant.
Is it aesthetically pleasing? For consumer brands in particular, packaging must attract buyers. Designs can be classic, trendy, or innovative. Developers are current with color, type fonts and many other elements.
Ergonomics play a role. From ketchup bottles to canola oil and “big gulp” types of drinks, containers that are easy to grip allow packages to hold more content. The ratio of package-to-content is studied.
Is storage a consideration? Shelf life? Packaging testing predicts whether the chosen item has sufficient shelf life to live up to its “use by” date. Labels, bar codes, and traceable identifiers are crucial to many types of packages.
Is the product pleasing to set out in plain sight? Are your cleaning canisters set out on countertops?
What about the throw-away/disposability & sustainability factors? “Even well-intentioned brands can inadvertently mislead consumers with unclear environmental claims and eco-friendly images that don’t quite match reality,” says Elisabeth Cuneo of Packaging World.
Does the package appear expensive? Economical? Is it designed for certain demographics where people self-brand with all their buying and words like “experiential” are in the mix.

Substrates & Materials

Many building blocks of packaging have been around for decades. In some cases, substrates are becoming scarce as owners are consolidating and cutting back on specialization. While Wisconsin is still the number one papermaking state, evolving to a situation where commodities have taken over. Boxing substrates are ever present while coated papers and colored substrates are nearly non-existent.

Printing has picked up much of the design shortfall. Companies like Legacy Flexo in Green Bay are masters of multicolor printing on polyester and other materials. Substrates are selected for their performance characteristics, from strength and protection to flexibility and stretchability. In recent years, factors such as quieter chip bags and flushability have turned shoppers’ heads. In the later case, some early stumbles have made proof of flushability a regulatory issue.

Equipment & Processing

Carrying the promises of packaging success is the buildout of equipment, production line sections, and seamless start-up-to-finishing throughput. In every step, waste is tracked. Sustainability begins with source reduction within the facility. In some cases, waste is returned to the original producer for a cleaner stream to reprocess, rather than using post-consumer waste. The Shawano Mill of Little Rapids Corp. has been a good example. One of my customers in the healthcare industry certified a factory as having a “clean stream” of substrates for packaging.

“We tackle the pressing issues of production disruptions and explore groundbreaking automation solutions tailored for the food & beverage and consumer goods industries,” says Packaging World’s Matt Reynolds. It’s acknowledgment of the critical need to meet all the packaging parameters.

With some 2500 exhibitors expected at Pack Expo November 3-6 in Chicago, Wisconsin will be well represented. It’s a place for walk-around packaging research.

GBIG Sponsorship Benefits

Posted on August 6, 2024August 6, 2024 by admin

Why becoming a sponsor for Green Bay Innovation Group is important to your company

Wisconsin is a global epicenter of the 5P Industries (paper, printing, plastic, pulp, packaging, and the converting industries). Tremendous business contributions, competitive advantages, and partnership opportunities are concentrated in a compact geography, and the Green Bay Innovation Group is bringing us together. We have heard it before: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know!”

Business Introductions & Opportunities

Marty Ochs, the Executive Director with over 50 years of experience, is very well connected across Wisconsin and the USA. He is an expert at bringing the right people and companies together to support our industries and bring business opportunities to our sponsors. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the Green Bay Innovation Group. We are seeing $5,000 – $50,000,000 business transactions with introductions from Marty and GBIG.

Advantages of Joining GBIG

GBIG Benefits for Sponsors and Supporters:

Educational seminars, expert speakers, events, plant tours and industry updates.
Positioning Wisconsin as USA’s largest supplier of Paper, Converting, Printing and Packaging.
Educating business professionals and companies by connecting us to our premier Universities.
Bringing companies together to build relationships and benefits to our sponsors.
Publishing the bi-monthly GBIG News, the premier resource publication providing critical industry information. With an industry-surpassing open rate of 50%, GBIG NEWS reaches 2,500 individuals and companies
There are surprisingly more opportunities as partners than as competitors. Lucrative financial opportunities are emerging for our sponsors supporting one another!
GBIG has built an exceptionally large database providing support for our sponsors. GBIG can reach key individuals and companies in our industries through various communication venues.
GBIG has developed through LinkedIn over 300,000 contacts with the ability to target key 5P and Converting individuals and Companies.
GBIG will be providing industry reports to our sponsors to better understand industry trends, new products, and international competition.

Sponsorship Opportunities

There are no pricy membership dues. GBIG is supported by affordable sponsorships, meeting fees, exhibiting, and donations by our supporters.
We currently have 175 sponsors. To sign up go to: GreenBayInnovationGroup.com/Events
The annual cost is: $250.00 for a Bronze Sponsor, $500.00 for a Silver Sponsor, $1,000 for a Gold Sponsor and $2,500 for a Platinum Sponsor.

Contribution to the Community

GBIG contributes to the broader community by creating a Foundation and donating to nonprofits, community outreach programs, educational programs, and the business community. GBIG also empowers women in the profession by supporting the WI5P (Women in the 5P Industries).

Join the 175 Current GBIG Sponsors

To learn more or become a sponsor, call Marty Ochs at 608-698-3333, email martinpochs@gmail.com, or register at GreenBayInnovationGroup.com/Events

Sincerely,
Marty Ochs
Executive Director of the Green Bay Innovation Group

Green Bay Innovation Group Sponsorship Opportunities for 2024-2025