Women in the 5P Industries (Wi5P) will meet for a Tuesday Tacos social at 5:30pm Tuesday, Nov. 1 at Titletown Brewing Company, 320 N. Broadway, Green Bay. RSVP to Cassie, cassie.diedrick@robinsoninc.com or Emily, ehaines27@gmail.com. All women involved in the printing, paper, pulp, plastic, and packaging industries are welcome to attend.
Packaging Corporation of America Wallula Mill is a paper and pulp mill that employs 430 workers and has about 10 job openings at any given time. The mill produces linerboard and medium for PCA box plants and is always looking to source its applicant pool with potential employees. This summer, PCA took advantage of a fantastic outreach opportunity by sponsoring a minor league baseball game.
Twice a year, the Tri-City Dust Devils, a minor league baseball team in the Los Angeles Angels franchise, celebrate Marvel Night at the ballpark in Pasco, WA. It’s a popular event and a fan favorite. On July 15, 2022, PCA sponsored Marvel Defenders of the Diamond Family Feast Night. Fans enjoyed $2 hot dogs and $1 chips, soda, and ice cream sandwiches. They also learned about the mill and its career opportunities. Prior to the event, the Tri-City Dust Devils promoted the game on social media and the radio. They used the tagline “Presented by PCA,” which gave PCA great exposure before a diverse audience.
The PCA staff set up a booth at the ballpark to:
In the first hour of the event, PCA gave away 400 cups and 200 baseballs. They went like hotcakes! Throughout the night, fans stopped by the PCA booth asking for more – another opportunity to reach job-seekers. Parents took home information about careers for their adult children and kids picked up baseballs to show their parents. PCA reps told everyone about the starting wage and ability to make over $60,000 in the first year, with overtime.
The more PCA does these kinds of corporate sponsorship events, the more people in the community will be interested in the mill. Although the mill didn’t see an immediate rush of job seekers at its doorstep, PCA had a fantastic opportunity to expand its name recognition and show community support. Sponsoring the minor league baseball game was a big win for PCA, and the mill committed to sponsoring Marvel Night in 2023, too.
Today’s job seekers have a slew of career opportunities to choose from. When you’re sourcing an applicant pool, it helps to have a superhero on your side – whether it’s a Marvel character at a baseball game or the 15dots® employee selection team at your side. Contact us to learn how to repeatedly, reliably, and independently choose the right hires.
About 15dots: 15 Dots LLC, based in Neenah, Wisconsin, trains HR leaders and organizational personnel to adopt a rigorous employee selection process that is repeatable, scalable, and teachable. 15dots refers to five ability tests and 10 behavior-based interview dimensions critical to employee selection. When employers match people with jobs, good things happen. Not only does production increase, but employee engagement and job satisfaction increase as well.
Wisconsin is the No. 1 paper-producing state in the U.S., and the pulp and paper industry accounts for 30,614 jobs, according to statistics released by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Forestry is the No. 1 employer in 10 counties in Wisconsin and one of the Top 10 industries by employment and output.
The past couple of years, we have witnessed a number of paper companies in Wisconsin purchased by Private Equity Firms. Based on business goals, it is questionable to expect them to re-invest in the Paper Industry.
We have witnessed Pixelle Specialty Paper close down one paper mill and invest $26 million in an Ohio facility. We have seen Wynnchurch Capital L.P. owners of Appvion announced a significant investment in new equipment slated for delivery and installation in 2023.
We have seen ND Paper in China purchasing the former Verso Paper Mill and 3 other mills in the USA. We are seeing Domtar being purchased by Paper Excellence based out of Asia with paper mills in Wisconsin along with the most recent purchase of Resolute Forest Products with a paper mill in Menominee, Michigan.
We have seen Billerudkorsnas of Sweden purchase the former Verso Company with facilities in Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan. We have seen Sustana Fiber in De Pere being acquired by Blackstone Tactical a Private Equity Firm. Finally, the former Midwest Paper Group in Combined Locks sold to Mexico-based Company McKinley Paper a U.S. subsidiary of Mexico-based Bio PAPPEL.
In 2018, we saw WS Packaging the 14th largest Printing Company in the USA with annual revenues of $1.4 Billion based in Green Bay purchased by Platinum Equity and resold a number of times leaving Green Bay as their headquarters.
The Business Community and the State of Wisconsin must prepare a comprehensive plan to support the current paper mills and help them reinvest in Wisconsin through new machines or rebuild existing facilities instead of leaving Wisconsin! We are seeing too many new paper machines being built outside of Wisconsin and the United States. Wisconsin has ALL the RESOURCES to make paper in Wisconsin and to keep Wisconsin as the top paper producing state in the USA!
In this issue of GBIG NEWS, we have many articles supporting the case of the need for paper projecting very positive compound annual growth rates! The Paper Industry is not going away and actual projections support it as a strong industry to invest in. As in any industry, we do see some changes and we can adjust to it.
China is the largest consumer of paper and paperboard at 124,826 tons followed by the USA at 63,567. In addition, consumer markets are putting pressure on reducing plastics, which will have a very positive impact on using more paper products. Some elements of the printing industry are currently turning to films due to the shortages of the paper supply. This market can be reclaimed through the influx of new paper capacity.
As of today, BillerudKorsnäs is simplifying its name to Billerud to cater to its international customers. As a leading supplier of virgin fiber-based paper and packaging materials, the name change is fully in line with the company’s strategy to expand into North America and continue driving sustainable growth in global markets. It is simply easier to say Billerud.
” We are now ready to meet the challenges of the future as one company: Billerud. One year ago, a clear strategic plan was drawn up with the aim of achieving profitable and sustainable sales growth until the year 2030 and to grow in North America. Today we change name to Billerud. The name change is a natural step on our strategic journey”, says Christoph Michalski, President and CEO at Billerud.
The name simplification to Billerud will be implemented throughout the group starting today. Billerud’s roots and heritage in the forest and paper industry go back more than 150 years and the company has had several different names.
”It is with pride that Billerud will carry its history into the present. What won’t change is the fact that we help our customers reduce their climate footprint of both their primary and secondary packaging. For us, product superiority is important and the impressive strength of our papers allow customers to use less packaging, save costs and reduce their carbon footprint. We will continue doing that as Billerud”, says Christoph Michalski.
As of today, Billerud’s website is called billerud.com, and all employees will have the email address billerud.com.
Read more about Billerud here: www.billerud.com
For further information, please contact:
Louise Wileen Bjarke, Head of Press, louise.wileenbjarke@billerud.com, Phone +4672 214 35 10
Independent II, located in Louisville, KY, is a privately-owned and operated corrugated manufacturer, providing total packaging solutions to their customers. Independent II designs, manufactures, warehouses, and delivers corrugated and packaging that protect their customers’ products in-transit and sells them on shelves.
We caught up with Finn MacDonald, President of Independent II, to learn more about his business, the impact of digital printing, and the benefits realized with the Domino X630i digital aqueous inkjet corrugated press.
Highlights of our visit were captured in this quick 2-minute VIDEO: Finn MacDonald of Independent II & Domino X630i
MacDonald begins, “We’re a third-generation company and for over 60 years we’ve had the unique challenge of taking care of our customers’ everyday problems, so that they can grow their businesses. That is our DNA, that is what we do. Any time, any quantity…with innovation, service, and quality included. That is what has built a multi-generational trust between our customers and our business.”
MacDonald continues, “Over the last 15 years our business philosophy has not changed, but the landscape of our business has changed dramatically. Our customers’ products spend less time in the warehouse, and more time in retail and on doorsteps. We had to recognize and embrace this change and invest in the resources to evolve from a brown box company, to a brand & packaging company, and now to digital.”
“Digital was an opportunity for us to get there faster, and to take our customers there more quickly and successfully. We now have the ability to bring that dynamic digital energy to our customers with the Domino X630i. This is a single-pass four-color aqueous based press designed specifically to live and thrive in a manufacturing environment. That press is user friendly, it’s supportable, and it’s expandable.”
Domino X630i is built, serviced, and supported in the USA. This digital press has a small footprint 10’ H x 38’ L x 21’ W with a climate-controlled environmental enclosure. X630i utilizes an automated lead-edge, servo-driven continuous bottom feeder offering a max sheet size of 63” x 118” with printable area of 53” x 118”. Inside the press is unique vacuum sheet transport, board cleaning, and warp inspection. Print is 600 x 600 dpi utilizing 4-colors CMYK using AQ95 water-based inks with Polymer technology that are Swiss Ordinance, Nestle & EuPia compliant.
MacDonald concludes, “Everyday digital is what we want to bring to our customers, to our market, and to our own internal operations. “Everyday digital is an opportunity for us to take existing flexo process and find efficiencies, and consistency, and more user-friendliness in the print operation. That’s where we stand today. The Domino X630i is supporting our everyday digital business with our customers, with our market, and certainly inside our own operation.”
Domino is a leading manufacturer and distributor of digital printing and product identification solutions. Celebrating its 44th year in business, Domino is a global organization with world headquarters in the UK, and North America headquarters in Gurnee, IL. Domino has 25 subsidiaries, representation in over 120 countries, and over 3,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Domino digital printing, please visit dominodigitalprinting.com
We are proud to announce that Rocket Industrial is gold certified by the Green Business Bureau (GBB) through our sustainable business practices, community involvement, and office environments. Our mission is to improve sustainability in the industries we serve through process optimization, eliminating excess packaging, and sourcing sustainable products.
Through our Million Pound Promise, we are committed to removing at least 1 million pounds of packaging materials from the waste stream annually. In 2020, we reached our goal for the first time and continue to provide innovative, sustainable solutions for our customers. Additionally, each year, we are an event partner of Ghidorzi Green and Clean, Wausau’s annual cleanup. In 2022, this event helped remove 4.31 tons of trash from the greater Wausau area.
Rocket Industrial supports our customers with a goal to Package With Less. This results in less waste and less cost by providing product alternatives and data-backed solution recommendations. For more information on Rocket Industrial’s GBB certification, take a look at our member story and our business profile. For more information our sustainable solutions and services, contact Sustainable Product Line Manager and Packaging Engineer, Emily Sabella at esabella@rocketindustrial.com.
As Rocket Industrial celebrates its 65th year in business, the company also celebrates growth in the Fox Valley area with a new 80,000 sq ft office and warehouse building in Appleton, Wisconsin. The new space is located at 3351 S Eisenhower Dr, Appleton, WI 54915.
With more space, more products will be kept on hand. Brian McLaughlin, Vice President of Operations, said, “This new larger location will allow us to reverse today’s challenges with supply chain disruptions by stocking large amounts of inventory for our clients.” With the new building, the warehouse team also grew, allowing for faster picking, shipping, and delivery to regional customers. Tim Rand, Appleton Regional Manager notes, “Right now when lead times are everything, having the supplies you need as close as possible can really make the difference for our clients and we get that.”
Rocket Industrial is a nationwide distributor focused on mutual success for our customers by providing a full suite of quality products, innovative solutions, exceptional customer service, and a knowledgeable team of equipment specialists and packaging engineers. Rocket Industrial helps clients in a variety of industries including food, beverage, manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, and agriculture Package With Less. This means providing solutions and services that allow clients to package in less time, with less waste, and for less cost. Visit rocketindustrial.com to learn more.
PPC Flexible Packing LLC, a leading provider of custom flexible packaging, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of acquiring Hartland, WI-based PPC Prototype (formerly Consumer Packaging Group).
The PPC Flexible Packaging “One PPC” enterprise has grown by leaps and bounds through the acquisition which has given them the ability to differentiate PPC over competitors by providing life-like packaging prototypes, even deeper speed to market for the growth of new and unique brands, and an increase in networking connections within the consumer packaging markets. These have provided huge wins for both the company and its customers.
PPC prototype is driven to continue being the leader in high-quality prototype solutions for consumer packaging goods markets. The company is striving to improve upon its already impeccable reputation in meeting unique requests with challenging lead times for a variety of prototype finished packages. Its services include pre-press, digital printing, lamination, handwork, and assembly through fulfillment and shipping anywhere in the world. Their products include finished bags and pouches, labels, shrink sleeves, and rigid structures and have been used for many national brand product launches, promotional events, and sales samples. Their customers include mid to large-scale CPGs on a global basis.
Headquartered in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, PPC Flexible Packaging has steadily grown and evolved, both organically and through acquisition, into a premier top 20 high-quality flexible packaging manufacturer. They are a dynamic team of design and packaging professionals dedicated to providing creative packaging solutions. PPC’s capabilities and speed to market have always been its greatest strengths– establishing them as a trusted leader within the consumer and cleanroom markets.
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