December 2025 - Page 2 of 2 - Green Bay Innovation Group

GBIG News: Merry Christmas 2025!

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

The Green Bay Innovation Group would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Thank you to our Sponsors, Members, and Exhibitors for your support.

Close-up of a Merry Christmas ornament on a decorated fir tree, evoking festive holiday spirit.

In 2025, we grew our membership base by 25% with projections to continue our growth in 2026. We had outstanding events in 2025 with our 5P Showcase with over 550 people attending. We had the De Pere tour with 108 people participating in the tour and the networking event. The Swing Big with GBIG had approximately three hundred golfers and attendees at the event. We raised $22,000 and donated it to multiple nonprofits.

The Specialty Paper Conference in Appleton was a sold-out event with exceptional speakers and attendees. We closed out 2025 with our October Fest networking event with over one hundred people. attending.

The 5P Showcase on February 24, 2026, is off to an outstanding start with over seventy exhibitors already signed up. We are anticipating over seven hundred people attending the event.
Go to: www.greenbayinnovationgroup.com/events to register.

In 2025, the Green Bay Innovation Group contributed more than $75,000 to non-profit organizations. We will continue to support our Business Partners and our communities!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Marty Ochs
Executive Director
Green Bay Innovation Group

Hoffman: Charter NEX

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

Blythewood, South Carolina

Hoffman was selected to provide planning, design, and construction services for Charter NEX’s new blown film production facility on a greenfield site located in South Carolina. Prior to performing the facility’s design and construction, Hoffman worked with Charter NEX to review multiple states and sites for possible new location. Hoffman met with (a) local utilities to verify that there was adequate size available for Charter NEX and (b) local municipalities to engage in discussions regarding possible funding incentives. Prior to site selection, Hoffman reviewed existing locations for possible renovation opportunities versus building new on a greenfield site and developed conceptual site plans that analyzed access to the site from nearby major highways. A major consideration was that any new site either needed to be located on a railroad or be able to have the railroad extend to Charter NEX’s greenfield site.

The 78’ high 10 MW load production facility is a single-story structure with four levels of mezzanines. With spaces such as a production area, warehouse, class ‘A’ offices, and support space, the facility is roughly 193,500 square feet. The design required coordination of a new adjacent railroad spur for distribution. Rapid turnaround of drawing revisions during construction was necessary to meet deadlines due to late delivery timing of production equipment selections.

Keller, Inc. to Build for Sico America, Inc.

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

Sico America Inc. has selected Keller, Inc. to design and build a 22,153-square-foot addition to its facility located at 555 Enterprise Avenue in Belleville, Wisconsin. This marks the company’s second expansion project with Keller in one year, reflecting strong growth and continued confidence in Keller’s design-build expertise.

Designed to accommodate the company’s expanding assembly operations, the new addition will boost Sico America Inc.’s production capacity and help meet rising customer demand. The project also incorporates strategic site development to further enhance efficiency and support future growth.

A standout aspect of this project is the accelerated 75-day virtual design and estimating phase, which allowed the client to move quickly from planning to construction while maintaining alignment with budget and production goals.

Keller, Inc. will serve as the project’s Architect and General Contractor/Builder, managing the full design-build process from planning through completion.

Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with project completion anticipated in Winter 2026.

Sico concept — Conceptual Image of Sico America Inc. provided by Keller, Inc. In-House Architect
For more information on Keller, Inc., Top Metal Builder in the Nation as reported by “Metal Construction News”, visit www.kellerbuilds.com.

First Business Bank: 2026 Economic Forecast: Expert Insights From Industry Leaders

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

January 21, 2026 | 7:30 am – 9:30 am | Holidays Pub & Grill in Appleton

Planning for 2026 starts with understanding what’s coming next. Join us for our annual First Business Bank economic seminar where you’ll get the intelligence that matters for your business decisions.

Nancy Johnshoy, CFA, Senior Vice President – Portfolio Manager & Market Strategist, will break down the economic data you need to know. A panel of leaders from Northeast Wisconsin will share what they’re seeing on the ground and what it means for our region.

This event gives executives and managers direct access to expert economic analysis and local market intelligence. Seating is limited, so please register today to secure your spot.

We look forward to seeing you there.

AI in Action for Small Business Owners

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

By Green Bay Packers Mentor Protégé Program

Online event
Jan 22 from 10am to 11am CST

Overview

Discover 4 hands-on ways AI can save time, simplify work & grow your business — no hype, just practical tips you can use today.

About the Webinar

Dynamic urban scene showcasing interconnected light trails representing digital communication networks.

Have you been using ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to improve your business?
Are you not sure where to start?

The technology seems so deceptively easy to use, yet difficult to master. Many small business owners see its potential, but with so much information available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

This interactive session helps you get started quickly by doing practical exercises with other local small business owners. You’ll learn how to make AI work for you — not the other way around.

Agenda Summary

Welcome and Local Stories
Hear from small business owners who’ve used AI to improve communication, operations, and customer engagement.
Four Practical Use Cases
Learn and try simple ways to:
- Translate emails or web content for bilingual customers
- Clean and summarize data in Excel
- Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and flow diagrams
- Brainstorm new customer or product ideas
Discussion and Takeaways
Share what you learned, hear what others plan to try next, and get a free AI Quickstart Guide with prompts and tools to continue learning after the session.

Who Should Attend

Small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs looking to save time, simplify daily work, and use AI confidently — together with peers in the local business community.

About the Speaker

David Hendrawirawan is a Principal Advisor at Informatica, where he guides executive teams on AI strategy, governance, and architecture. He’s helped businesses across industries navigate automation and digital transformation — blending tech expertise with real-world business sense. David also teaches AI and data topics at the University of Texas.

Sebright Products: High Density Extruder Case Study

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

Paper Mill: OCC Rejects Dewatering Paper Mill: OCC Rejects Dewatering

Client Overview:

A paper mill faced a significant waste management issue
Waste management issues consisted of OCC rejects—a mix of plastics, metals, tape, and other non- recyclables, along with wet-strength and paper fiber by-products

Objective:

To reduce moisture from paper mill waste stream and in transportation and disposal costs, thus achieving compliance with federal wet waste regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Conclusion:

Sebright Products’ High Density Extruder addressed the complex waste management issues of the paper mill through significantly reducing the amount of loads each month by 71% and average annual savings by 72%. The loads were also able to to achieve compliance with RCRA’s Subtitle D, allowing the paper mill to enhance operations and streamline operational efficiency.

Key Pain Points:

With a solids content of 15%, this waste was stockpiled and loaded into roll-off containers for landfill disposal, totaling 2,340 cubic yards (1,800 tons) per month
Monthly cost of managing this waste was $142,826.00

Solution:

A High Density Extruder was installed to remove the moisture from this waste stream to achieve economy in transportation and disposal, and to achieve compliance.

Results:

After the High Density Extruder was installed, moisture was removed and the solids content of this material was increased to 54%, resulting in a weight reduction of 72%, resulting in dramatic transportation savings.

Before High Density Extruder:
78 Loads/ Month – 30 cu. Yards each =
$142,826.00/ Month
After High Density Extruder:
22 Loads/ Month – 30 cu. Yards each =
$39,674.00/ Month
Annual Savings:
$1,237,824.00

Menasha Corporation Honored With Gold Vets Ready Employer Certification

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

NEENAH, Wis. (November 20, 2025) – Menasha Corporation is pleased to announce we are among 25 Wisconsin employers recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) for exceptional commitment to hiring and supporting veterans.

The company received a Gold Certification in the large employer category as part of the 2025 Vets Ready Employer Initiative, which recognizes organizations that excel in veteran recruitment and retention. We credit the status to the result of many factors, including the use of advanced software to monitor metrics that support our veteran recruitment and hiring goals, and our collaboration with specialized services to match veterans with open positions.

“At Menasha Corporation, we value the skills, leadership, and dedication that veterans bring to our workforce,” said Menasha Corporation Chief Human Resources Officer, Tina Seashore. “Earning the Gold Certification through the Vets Ready Employer Initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to creating meaningful career opportunities for those who have served our country.”

Barriers to employment exist in many forms for U.S. veterans, with underemployment being the most common. DWD and its Office of Veteran Employment Services (OVES) created the Vet’s Ready program in 2020 to recognize employers who go above and beyond for veterans.

About Menasha Corporation

Menasha Corporation is a leading corrugated and plastic packaging manufacturer and supply chain
solutions provider. Comprised of two companies, Menasha Packaging Company and ORBIS Corporation. Menasha Corporation’s products and services are used by major food, beverage, consumer products, healthcare, pharmaceutical, heavy equipment, agriculture, industrial, and automotive companies. Established in 1849, Menasha Corporation is one of America’s oldest privately held, family-owned manufacturing companies. Headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin, the company employs more than 7,800 employees in 100+ facilities in North America and Europe. For more information, visit menashacorporation.com.

About Vets Ready Employer Initiative

The Vets Ready Employer Initiative encourages employers to build a support system within their workplace, hire and retain more veterans, and connect to veterans in the community and their families. Additional details about the Vets Ready Employer Initiative and how to apply are available online.

Wiconsin Paper Council: Process Control Graduate Certificate Webinar

Posted on December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by admin

A free webinar hosted by the Wisconsin Paper Council in partnership with UW–Stevens Point introducing a graduate-level credential designed to upskill today’s manufacturing workforce.

Webinar Details

Date: Wednesday, December 17
Time: 11:00 am (CST)
Location: Virtual – MS Teams

What You Will Learn

How process control impacts safety, efficiency, and operations

How the 15-credit online certificate is structured for working professionals

How smart sensors and AI are changing plant environments

Learn how to enroll in the Process Control Engineering Graduate Certificate

How this certificate can fit into employer-supported professional development

What You Will Learn

The Process Control Engineering Graduate Certificate is a 15-credit, fully online program designed for working professionals. Courses are delivered asynchronously through an online learning platform, allowing students to balance work and study. Most complete the program in 15–18 months, spending about 6–9 hours per week on coursework.

Find out More INfo Here Register Now!