Please join us on Monday, Oct 20 for the Wisconsin Forest Products Week Kick-off Panel—a fast-paced discussion on why forestry and forest products matter to Wisconsin’s communities, economy, and future.
Time: 1:30 p.m. (doors open at 1:00 p.m.)
Registration: https://bit.ly/October20FPW
We hope to see you there—please share with colleagues who’d enjoy the conversation.
The Green Bay Innovation Group Octoberfest event was a tremendous networking event for our Sponsors, Exhibitors, Members, and Guests. We thank ALL of you for your support in 2025. Currently, the Green Bay Innovation Group has over two hundred sponsors/members and we continue to grow.
The 5P Showcase kicks off February 24, 2026. Oneida Center and Hotel in Green Bay.
It is time to sign up to exhibit for the 5P Showcase Expo on February 24, 2026. We already have 50% of our exhibit space sold so we ask you to sign up to reserve your spot. This popular event features the best in Paper, Packaging, Plastics, Printing, Pulp, and the Converting Industries. We will have two premier industry speakers for the one-day event! Go to: www.greenbayinnovationgroup.com/events to register.
The Oneida Hotel Convention Center offers many advantages:
Get links to the latest news, events, stories, and interviews from our 5P news members. 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 94 Stories and Links on the Internet below.
Attend WPC’s Golf Outing to network with industry leaders while enjoying a day golfing riverside with fast greens and lush fairways. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with key players in the paper industry.
A Chance to Win up to $5,000 Cash Prize!
The Wisconsin Paper Council (WPC) and NCASI will host a one-day in-person Technical and Regulatory Workshop on December 4, 2025, for employees of companies that are members of WPC and/or NCASI.
Green Bay Innovation Group Foundation is a non-profit business-to-business association supporting the 5P and Converting Industries and our communities. We are projecting to donate $75,000 to other non-profits in 2025. We thank our Sponsors/Members/Exhibitors for your support. GBIG offers outstanding relationship-building, education, innovation, and networking opportunities by working together. In 2025, GBIG was involved in multiple projects that provided support for Sponsors and Exhibitors, and similar opportunities are expected to continue.
The Specialty Paper Conference was an enormous success. We had 162 people register for the event. We had a very impressive lineup of speakers and outstanding panel of Paper Manufacturing Companies. We want to thank ALL the speakers and attendees for their participation. We want to thank Fox 11 News for covering our story to help educate the industry and the State of Wisconsin on the size and impact of the 5P and Converting Industries!
David Zamarin Founder and CEO of Impermea Materials. Forbes recognized him 30 Under 30 and is also a TEDx speaker and the founder of Impermea Materials, an advanced materials company leading the way in PFAS-free, plastic-free barrier coatings for paper, packaging, and industrial substrates. David leads Impermea in delivering high-performance solutions that meet today’s toughest sustainability and regulatory demands with barrier performance and operational efficiency.
Chris Jansen – Chris is a Principal Product Development Engineer at Amcor. His focus is on the AmFibre Portfolio, specifically paper-based flexible packaging structures that are recyclable in the paper stream and are compostable.
Breanna Van Nuland Senior Product Development Engineer at Amcor Focused on AmFiber Portfolio paper-based packaging solutions. Beanna has amassed experience in both 2D and 3D fiber converting across a variety of consumer products for packaging solutions.
Paul Fowler is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology at the University of Stevens Point where he leads laboratories dedicated to composability testing, pulp, and paper research and analytical Testing. He speaks regularly addressing matters on sustainability, paper, and paper-based packaging, bio-based plastics, and recyclability.
Mark Hunter Director of Technology and Innovation for Hoffmaster. He has over 25 years of pulp and paper experience as an Asset Manager, Production Manager, and Process Engineering Technical Director. He leads a team of thirty-two maintenance engineers.
Jay Downey – Product Manager at Sun Chemical Responsible for Adhesives and Coatings for Flexible Packaging and Converting with over 35 years of Experience.
Dean Benjamin Director of Development at Ahlstrom. Dean is focused on developing new specialty paper products for food packaging including barrier and heat seal papers, labels, release liners, and other industrial paper. He worked at Avery Dennison, Consolidated Paper, and Pixelle Specialty Papers.
Ryan Day General Manager of BPM, Inc. a Specialty Paper Company. He has held roles as Technical/Quality Control, and a Plant Manager focusing on Specialty Papers.
David Barr Director of New Product Development of BiOrgin has over 25 years’ experience in the Paper with a background in technical Manager, Operations Manager, Mill Manager in both MG, Tissue, and Secondary Fiber Development.
Brit Swisher is the Area Vice President – Northern Region at Midland Paper, Packaging, & Supplies; Midland is one of the largest independent paper and packaging distributors in North America. He has 40 years’ experience in the industries!
Madison…The Wisconsin Paper Council (WPC) is pleased to announce a new member of the 57-year-old trade association’s growing leadership team. Keren A. Vivas, PhD, has joined the WPC as its Director of Environmental Regulatory Affairs.
“Our statewide trade association is thrilled to welcome Keren Vivas, PhD to the Wisconsin Paper Council’s team of professionals,” stated WPC President Scott Suder. “Keren’s impressive sustainability experience and PhD background will bring us to a new level of strategic capability for our members. We are very pleased to have a professional of such magnitude as a member of our team.”
WPC is the premier trade association that advocates for the papermaking industry before regulatory bodies, and state and federal legislatures to achieve positive policy outcomes. WPC also works to educate the public about the social, environmental, and economic importance of paper, pulp, and forestry production in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest. The pulp and paper sector employs over 30,000 people in Wisconsin and has an annual payroll of $2.5 billion. Wisconsin is the number one paper-producing state in the United States, with the annual output of paper manufactured products estimated to be over $18 billion.
“I’m excited to begin work on behalf of an industry that is one of the economic engines of Wisconsin, which supports thousands of family-supporting jobs throughout Wisconsin,” stated Keren Vivas. “I look forward to the challenge of enhancing the Wisconsin Paper Council’s mission and strengthening its advocacy presence throughout the regulatory community.”
Prior to joining the WPC, Keren was Research Manager for the Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) Consortium, where she led project development, coordinated member engagement, organized annual conferences, and mentored graduate students. Concurrently, she served as a Senior Research Associate at NCSU, leading consumer studies and managing benchmarking data for the tissue and towel markets.
While completing her PhD at NCSU, Keren led SAFI Consortium research on supply chains, techno-economics, and consumer behavior, focusing on the feasibility and perception of using alternative fibers in pulp and paper products. During this time, she also completed two internships with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, focusing on business and sustainability strategy management.
Beyond research, she served as Vice President of the Forest Biomaterials Graduate Student Association, was a member of the College of Natural Resources DEI Committee and worked as a teaching assistant for the Strategic Business Processes course in the Paper Science and Engineering program.
Keren was born and raised in Mérida, Venezuela, where she earned her degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Los Andes (ULA). She later moved to the United States to pursue her PhD in Forest Biomaterials at North Carolina State University (NCSU).
You can learn more about the Wisconsin Paper Council by visiting their website at www.wipaper.org.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 15/09/2025
Brussels, Belgium, 15th of September 2025 – The European Commission has opened an anti-dumping investigation into PET spunbond imports from China, following a complaint lodged by members of EDANA, the international association for nonwoven and related industries.
EDANA welcomes this vital move by the European Commission to counter the influx of unfairly priced goods from Chinese exporters entering the EU market. Jacques Prigneaux, EDANA’s Director of Market Analysis & Economic Affairs, stressed the need for urgent trade defence measures, stating: “The EU PET spunbond sector is facing mounting pressure from Chinese manufacturers. Since 2021, Chinese producers have rapidly increased exports of PET spunbond to the EU and have taken over a significant share of the EU PET spunbond market at the expense of the EU industry. Accordingly, we look forward to the rapid registration of imports and the possibility of retroactive imposition of anti-dumping measures.”
PET spunbond is a nonwoven material made from polyester filaments and is used as a carrier layer in bituminous membranes. The product is an essential input material for the EU’s building and construction sector in their efforts to accelerate housing renovation and clean energy roof construction in line with the EU’s green transition policies.
According to the Complainants, the unfairly priced Chinese imports have caused material injury to their performance, which saw a significant decline. “This underlines the need for the European Commission to make use of its trade defence tools. EDANA stands ready to support the EU Commission during its investigation,” Prigneaux concluded.
For more information, please contact Jacques Prigneaux:
jacques.prigneaux@edana.org
Please find the official notice of initiation here.
Why did the EU PET spunbond producers file the anti-dumping Complaint?
The Chinese PET spunbond exporting producers have been increasing their presence on the EU market. Between 2021 and 2024, imports of Chinese PET spunbond into the EU increased their market share from [0-5] % to [15-20] %. The EU PET spunbond industry therefore asked the Commission to investigate the situation with a view to restoring a level playing field in the EU.
How long does the investigation last?
The anti-dumping investigation lasts up to 14 months. The Commission will conduct an objective examination of the situation and reach its findings after hearing all interested parties.
What will be the outcome of the investigation?
The Commission will, based on the evidence collected, decide whether it is necessary to impose anti-dumping duties on imports of PET spunbond from China.
What will be the level of the AD duties?
We do not know that. That is one of the findings the Commission will need to reach based on its investigation.
When could measures be imposed?
The Commission can impose provisional measures up to 8 months after the initiation of the investigation. Definitive measures can be imposed before the end of the investigation (14 months from the date of initiation). Also, relatively early in the investigation, the Commission can be expected to direct national customs authorities to register imports. The registration allows the Commission to make the definitive measures retroactive to the date of registration.
Comprising over 260 members, EDANA is the international association advocating for the benefits of nonwovens for society. Since 1971, EDANA has been providing a comprehensive range of services to enhance the industry’s goals and performance, including supporting sustainability ambitions, responsible product stewardship, and addressing common technical, regulatory and market challenges. EDANA also organizes several application-specific and geographic-focused industry events.
Felipe Cossio Cuartero
Mobile: +32 499 689 249
E-mail: felipe.cossio@edana.org
Website: www.edana.org
Manufacturers aiming for true end-to-end automation quickly discover that success depends on more than equipment. It requires seamless connectivity across machines, software, and processes. This is where industrial automation system integrators play a critical role.
These experts bridge the gap between standalone technologies, creating fully integrated operations. By coordinating hardware, control platforms, and enterprise systems, they ensure that every component of a facility communicates effectively.
The result is improved efficiency, better decision-making, and a reduction in costly downtime.
System integration brings together diverse technologies into a cohesive framework. Whether it’s connecting robotics with PLCs, linking production lines to ERP software, or optimizing SCADA systems, a skilled system integration engineer ensures smooth interaction across all levels of automation.
This level of integration streamlines workflows and provides real-time data visibility. With accurate insights available at every stage, managers can respond quickly to issues, improve scheduling, and maximize output.
Industrial automation system integrators follow a disciplined approach that reduces risk and accelerates results:
Partnering with control system integrators means more than technical expertise. They customize solutions to meet the unique needs of each facility, from small upgrades to complete plant-wide modernization.
Highly experienced control system integrators possess knowledge of both legacy systems and the latest automation technologies, enabling them to design strategies that minimize risk, shorten project timelines, and extend equipment life.
The right partner also addresses cybersecurity, safety standards, and change management so improvements stick. Look for teams with a multi-vendor track record and certifications to match your installed base. A strong system integrator also hardens OT networks so production remains secure and available.
Ask for clear documentation and training to support your maintenance staff. Prioritize providers who offer post-commissioning support and set clear expectations for response times. Lastly, ensure that you and your system integrator agree on KPIs upfront so that success is measured in the same way.
When executed correctly by industrial automation system integrators, end-to-end automation delivers:
By connecting equipment, software, and processes, industrial automation system integrators provide the foundation for efficient, reliable, and future-ready operations. To explore a practical roadmap for your facility, contact Adam Kahler at akahler@quadplus.com or call (815) 210-9885.
Quad Plus
1379 Unit C Carlson Ave New Richmond, WI 54017 www.quadplus.com
Beaver Dam, WI – September 10, 2025 – Paper Dimensions LLC, a leading provider of precision paper converting solutions, is excited to announce the appointment of Barry Christenson as Vice President and General Manager. With a robust background in the paper and packaging industry, Christenson will drive the company’s growth, innovation, and business development.
Christenson brings 25 years of experience in paper and packaging, complemented by 10 years in the transportation industry. His expertise spans sales, sales management, operations, and supply chain management, with a proven record of fostering client relationships and business growth. A Wisconsin native, he holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Norbert College in De Pere, WI, and a Master of Business Administration from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI.
“We are thrilled to welcome Barry to Paper Dimensions,” said Peter Emenecker, CEO of Paper Dimensions LLC. “His deep industry knowledge and leadership will be instrumental as we continue to deliver innovative, high-quality solutions that create real value for our customers.”
As Vice President and General Manager, Christenson will oversee operations, lead business development, and drive strategic initiatives to strengthen Paper Dimensions’ position in the industry. His focus will include expanding market reach, optimizing operations, and fostering innovation.
“I’m honored to join Paper Dimensions and lead this talented team,” said Barry Christenson. “Together, we will expand our market presence, embrace innovation, and strengthen the partnerships that drive long-term success for our customers and our company.”
For more information, visit www.paperdimensionsllc.com or follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/paper-dimensions-llc.
Headquartered in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, Paper Dimensions LLC specializes in precision paper converting, delivering high-quality solutions for diverse industries with a commitment to innovation, reliability, and customer partnership.
Media Contact:
Trista Rahn
Paper Dimensions LLC
trahn@paperdimensionsllc.com
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