The USPS has announced that Forever First-Class stamps will cost $0.68 cents starting January 21, 2024. This is the fifth price increase in the two years. When the stamps were introduced in 2007, they cost $0.41 cents. The increases are part of the Postal Services 10-years American plan, enacted by Postmaster General Louis Joy. The plan was to put the Postal Service on the path to service excellence and financial stability. These increases come as mail volume has declined. Traditional mail is still the biggest money maker for the USPS, and each rate hike just drives more mail from the system.
Wisconsin Printers are major players in the production of Direct Mail. R.R. Donnelly, the largest printer in the United States has multiple facilities in Wisconsin dedicated printing direct mail products. Quad Graphics – Quad Direct, the second largest printer in the United States has large facility dedicated to direct mail production. Freedom Graphics, Inc. in Milton, Wisconsin produced and mailed over five billion pieces annually with over 800,000 square feet operating under one roof. In addition, Wisconsin has over thirty other Printers and Mail Houses producing direct mail products. In addition, the Wisconsin Printing industry is a leader in the production of catalogs with over ten major players.
With the price of postage, dropping demand and the lack of Paper Production in Wisconsin, the Printing Industry has a lot of challenges. The Direct Mailing Advertising industry is $10.9 billion in 2023 and expected volume to decline -1.6% in 2023. We have seen a five-year decline of -1.3% between 2018 – 2023.
The question is why is direct mail still relevant to 2024 marketing strategies? Direct Mail has consistently proved itself as one of the most compelling and effecting marketing tools. Direct Mail is driving traffic to one’s website. The constructive collaboration in combining digital and offline marketing is one of the biggest reasons for promoting brand awareness. While social media can reach billions of people, direct mail is focused on specific target markets by building a relationship. While we have witnessed a drop in mail volume the Printing Industry has embarked on using personalized techniques such as variable data printing, personalized URL’s creating a direct mail piece that feels thoughtfully tailored to the recipient.
The bottom line is direct mail is not going away and more businesses are waking up to the power of direct mail. With modern technologies for gathering data, the Direct Mail Industry will see smaller volumes highly targeted at specific buyers.
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.
The applications for 3D printing/additive manufacturing are endless, just ask an innovative Green Bay company that manufactures 3D printing filaments. Coex 3D is one of a small group of U.S. manufacturers that produce filaments here in the U.S. Most of the materials consumed in the 3D market come from overseas.
Todd Louthain, owner of Coex 3D, said consumers have many options to consider when purchasing 3D printer materials. However, Coex 3D offers something better than the average 3D filament manufacturer.
“We take great pride in knowing that we hold ourselves to a much higher standard than most of the imported products. Our customers appreciate supporting a U.S. company that produces great products backed by world-class customer service. Local customers love being able to stop in to ask questions or pick our brains about 3D printing,” Todd said.
Coex 3D joined Green Bay Innovation Group in December 2023. The Coex 3D team looks forward to networking with other GBIG members to see how they can bring value to members’ manufacturing and converting operations.
Coex 3D is a unique business on many levels. The 3D printing segment is growing and becoming more popular every day. If you’re having trouble keeping up with so many changes, reach out to Coex and let them help you. If your business is currently utilizing 3D printing, you will want to reach out to Coex 3D to learn about the filaments that they produce. If you are in the process of evaluating additive manufacturing and want to learn how it could help streamline your product development process, the Coex team will be happy to help guide you. Even if you’re just curious what 3D printing is all about, you should get in touch with Coex 3D.
Coex 3D began making 3D filaments on a small scale back in 2016. Back then, they were located in Appleton. In March 2023, Coex 3D moved to 1228 Elizabeth Street in Green Bay. The facility houses their manufacturing operations, finished goods, 3D printing center and an awesome showroom. Customers are welcome to stop in to make a filament purchase, ask questions, see printers in action, and take a look at hundreds of 3D printed pieces and parts.
Coex entered the market by making only a handful of material types and colors. Today, Coex 3D is 100 percent focused on 3D printing, and they offer an extensive variety of 3D filaments. The materials produced are being used by customers ranging from home hobbyists, educators, small to mid-size manufacturers, and even large-scale additive manufacturing operations.
The primary focus for Coex 3D is manufacturing their 3D filaments; however, they also offer 3D printing and design services. Everyone at Coex takes great pride in using the highest quality raw materials to produce the best 3D printing materials available.
Coex 3D has customers all over North America, with sales primarily coming through their e-commerce platform. They have evolved their website to allow both individual and commercial customers the ability to order online and receive fast and free shipping.
A visit to Coex 3D is a special treat for anyone who has an interest in 3D printing. They are quick to offer a tour, which often includes a behind-the-scenes look at how 3D filament is produced. The showroom is loaded with 3D prints of every shape, size, and color. With about 50 printers in their building, there is always something fun to see and learn. To learn more about how 3D printing and additive manufacturing can help your organization, visit coex3d.com.
Industry continues to evolve and accelerate the pace at which we adopt and stronger sustainability and recyclability initiatives. Sustainable and eco-friendly materials are gaining traction in flexible packaging. This includes biodegradable films, compostable materials and recycling-friendly packaging. I recently sat down with Jesse Rosenow, Noth America Sales Manager for Totani, and got the perspective from an equipment manufacturer. He shared, “Obviously over the years, flexible packaging has been steadily capturing market share from products traditionally shipped in rigid packaging. Look at the grocery store, rice, laundry and dishwashing detergents, and even pet food are all showing up on shelves in flexible packaging. This is impacting particular industries, such as food and beverage, where flexibility and sustainability are becoming more critical.
Advances in recycling technologies are making flexible packaging more and more recyclable. The development of new recycling processes and collection systems aim to close the loop and reduce waste, promoting a circular economy for packaging materials. The push for and competition from flexible packaging may also be the catalyst to drive innovation in rigid packaging, developing more eco-friendly options as well as improvements in functionality of materials.
Jesse also shared some recent industry data regarding the impact this trend is having on the overall carbon footprint. One product for a major distributor, when converted to flexible packaging vs rigid, generated an 85% reduction in the carbon footprint, used 80% less plastic and reduced diesel fuel consumption by 600,000 gallons annually! Their business is seeing a trickledown effect requiring their product offerings to handle all Polypropylene and all Polyethylene structures.
SPL Consulting, LLC. also spent time with AJ Buran, President of GOpak Flexibles, capturing his insights from a flexible packaging manufacturers perspective. He shared” The trend toward flexible packaging is occurring on multiple fronts. It is dramatically reducing freight costs due to its lighter weight and not shipping “air” when compared to rigid structures. Amazon is leading the way driving its suppliers toward flexible packing connected to their Ecommerce platform.”
AJ’s unique perspective also leads him to believe “The label industry may ultimately be impacted by flexible packaging as well. Many pouches are printed with no need for labels and direct digital printing on cans may lead to decreased demand for labels and shrink sleeves.”
Government regulations often send mixed messages that confuse the marketplace as they push back against plastic, while at times, ignoring the overall impact on the carbon footprint. Finding the proper balance between these two opposing forces is part of setting the direction we can all follow. As all this takes place it will make it all the more evident that plastic is not the problem, educating people, establishing repeatable processes and gaining the commitment of people to do their part as individuals is.
In summary, the future of flexible packaging involves sustainability, technological advancements, and consumer centric designs. While flexible packaging continues to evolve, rigid packaging will likely adapt and innovate to maintain its relevance in the market, incorporating sustainable practices and exploring new materials and designs.
Brian Van de Water CEO SPL Consulting, LLC. vandewaterb@outlook.com
Employees Volunteered Over 150 Hours as Part of CMD’s Holiday Giveback ProgramJanuary 2, 2024 – (APPLETON, WI) – CMD, a capital equipment manufacturer in the film converting and alternative energy markets is proud to announce that CMD employees came together in the giving spirit this past holiday season by volunteering over 150 hours in the community as part of CMD’s Holiday Giveback Program.
A group of CMD employees from engineering and project management volunteered at Feeding America during the holiday season.
From November 6 – December 31, 2023, employees on every shift had the opportunity to volunteer any time of the day or night and get paid for up to four hours of their time. Four local charities worked with CMD in creating volunteer opportunities for employees: St. Joseph Food Program, Feeding America, The Salvation Army, and COTS.
“Our Holiday Giveback Program not only allowed our employees to give back to the community, but it also gave them the opportunity to connect with one another and feel a sense of pride in their workplace and community,” Said Hans
Bachmeier, President of CMD. “Seeing the impact they made on the lives of those in need was truly inspiring, and we look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come.”
Holiday Give Back is part of CMD’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility program, which includes volunteering, internal employee enrichment and community outreach events, fund-raising and charitable support and advocacy. The objective of the program is to enhance employee opportunities to make a positive difference in our communities while supporting positive employee experiences with CMD.
About CMB
CMD is a capital equipment manufacturer in the film converting and alternative energy markets. Built on a culture of integrity, we innovate unmatched profitable solutions for our customers and provide life-long service and support to the markets we serve. CMD designs and manufactures high-performance equipment for the plastic converting industry, including pouch packaging converting systems and patented, high-speed rotary bag and film converting lines. Custom engineering, process validation and machine optimization services are part of a consultative approach to customer care. Remote service technology and advanced data analytics for preventive maintenance and proactive production efficiency are advanced services that set CMD apart from other OEMs. The company serves a global marketplace through a network of sales and service associates worldwide. Equipment is manufactured to exacting standards at USA facilities. More information is available at www.cmd-corp.com and www.cmdenergy.com
We just witnessed US Steel sale to Nippon Steel a Japanese Company. It will warrant serious scrutiny from both Policial Parties and the American Public drawing alarm purchasing an iconic USA Company! The price tag of the purchase is approximately $14.1 billion. The deal would be reviewed by the secretive Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to include national security risks from foreign investments in American firms. Japan has been a strong ally and trading partner for many years with the USA. Japan is looking at the military and economic risk of China to secure resources to protect their country and USA interests! China has become the world’s largest producer of steel replacing the USA.
The USA Paper and Pulp industry In the United States has been acquired by a number of allies in Europe and adversaries including China and Indonesia without any fanfare at a price tag far surpassing the US Steel buyout. Where was the US Government allowing these purchases of critical assets supporting the USA Industries! The USA has sold out our Paper and Pulp Industry to Asia!
The CCP and State-Owned Paper Companies and Indonesia control vast resources in the USA, Canada, and South America. Today, Wisconsin has two of the largest Chinese and Indonesian companies owning large Paper, Pulp and Packaging Companies on the Wisconsin River. We have a European company owning a large Pulp and Paper Mill on the Wisconsin River that is shut down with no plans of reopening or selling the facility! Wisconsin and the Great Lakes States are desperate for paper resources and our logging industry is in serious trouble due to the shutdown!
Wisconsin still has an opportunity to support the Paper Industry. The Paper Industry like the steel industry is critical to our economy and once Wisconsin was the premier manufacturer of Paper and Paper Products.
Based upon our research, Wisconsin has 22 Companies with Paper and some with Pulp Mills. However, twenty of the companies have paper machines from 30 to 100 years old. We see a number of small paper machines that would need to be updated or replaced at a fraction of the cost of a new paper machine. Wisconsin has the right vendors that can update and upgrade the paper machines. The owners of the paper machines are long-established companies with a strong base of customers and excellent track records. In addition, we would anticipate that all the companies are approved by the DNR for Environmental Permits, etc. If the State of Wisconsin wants to support the Paper Industry, the time is right with a large surplus of financial support and a strong economy. Investment in the Paper and Pulp industry would have a BIG MONETARY impact across the State of Wisconsin. It is ironic that the European and Asia companies have their hand out for financial support from our States. It is time to invest in American companies!
Why Wisconsin? As we rank states by sales with proper adjustments to account for certain disparities in a state economy size, population and total annual sales, Wisconsin is the leader in printing. Our estimate is 800 printers and Wisconsin printers service the nation with a wide variety of printing capabilities with our average sales per employee setting the standard to the US Printing Industry. We estimate the number of employees at 23,500 in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Paper Industry built the printing industry providing a wide variety and selection of paper products. Unfortunately, the Paper Industry in Wisconsin is on a decline forcing our printers to buy paper form suppliers from Foreign Countries which is having an impact on our strong printing economy! While Illinois, Ohio and Minnesota have outstanding printing capabilities, Wisconsin has a strong and broad base of diverse offset printers. The four Great Lake States combined are the largest supplier in the USA for offset printer services! The Germans came in and set up the printing industry. Wisconsin has a long history, tradition and a great work ethic supporting printing. Wisconsin has the manufacturing firepower of a state more than double its size and we belong in a class by ourselves. As a State built on generations of printing, we have 3 generations of families in the printing business! However, Wisconsin biggest asset is companies investing in new updated technologies and going into new markets for printed products.
Wisconsin has a fair number of the largest and most respected printing companies in ALL SEGMENTS.
“If you don’t’ like change you’re going to hate irrelevance” – Eric Shinseki, US Army General GBIG members are embracing the expansion of digital inkjet by adopting various Wide Format technologies and specialty applications into their current workflow. In this series of three articles, we will discuss the features and advantages of various Wide Format inkjet technologies.
The November 8, 2023, GBIG Newsletter wrote about the growth of commercial printing in the US. Analog printing will be stable with minor growth of just under 1% while Digital Inkjet will grow by over 5.7%. The article also highlighted GBIG member examples where digital has improved their Wisconsin based print businesses.
The “Digital Opportunity” will discuss new technologies and applications in rigid, hybrid rigid, roll to roll, cutting systems and specialty print to fabric and transfer film applications.
Why consider these applications? The reasons are many, but we will highlight the most important:
Barriers to entry and cost of inkjet technology has declined.
Very quick turns.
Personalization: variable data printing can improve response rates up to 36% according to CPCneutek.
Improved color and excellent white opacity.
Smaller equipment footprints.
Ease of use and streamlined workflows.
Cloud printing and managing remote print operation options.
Less labor requirements. A single operator can operate multiple machines.
Improved uptime vs. offset and toner-based technology.
Sustainability improvements to ink, UV curing and recycled media options.
Improved device security via onboard security firmware.
In our next segment we will review digital inkjet print to rigid / hybrid technologies.
At Big Systems, our Service Mark is “Print Brilliant”. We do our absolute best to help our customers improve their workflow and print results every day. Big Systems is a dealer of Wide Format equipment, supplies, software, installation and repair services and specialty applications. We are located in Menomonee Falls, WI.
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In the age of digitalization, there is increasing demand for the traceability of products and product supply chains. Transparent, reliable, unambiguous tracing is essential during the lifecycles of products, particularly in sectors such as the clothing and food industry, as well as in logistics, the automation industry and in health care. Labels with so-called RFID inlays and tags are often affixed to products or product packages for this process documentation. The RFID labels designed for the related frequencies, e.g. UHF or also HF and NFC, can be identified by means of RFID inlays and tags embedded in the label and in this way correspondingly dependable product information read using suitable devices such as RFID readers, as well as using smartphones for NFC applications.
Together with Alexander Thomalla, product manager at Erhardt+Leimer (Germany), we took a look at the quality control for such an RFID label and also talked to a user. Here our focus was not so much on electronic inspection, but instead on the visual inspection of RFID inlays as well as the visual inspection of the embedded RFID chips. The challenge is that the chips are often not visible to the human eye or a camera because they are embedded in the inlay or final label.
To begin with, let us take a closer look at a classic RFID label. As an example, we will use a self- adhesive label made of paper removed from the matrix and applied to a carrier. An RFID inlay is embedded in this label; at first glance this inlay is not visible from the exterior. The RFID inlay is to be checked for the following criteria:
Chip present
Chip positioned correctly
Chip free of defects
Inlay punched correctly
Inlay free of damage or soiling
Ideally, all these criteria are to be checked using only one camera system. Relevant defects must be detected reliably and faulty labels ejected.
Question for Alexander Thomalla: so what exactly is the challenge for a camera system?
“In principle, a camera system works like the human eye. We observe something and we can see or possibly not see details depending on the light source. This issue is easy to explain using our example label. If we illuminate it from above, we can make damage to the surface visible. This damage could be material defects, scratches, soiling or also printing errors. The disadvantage: the embedded chip and the related inlay cannot be seen.
If we now remove the incident light source and instead place a light source behind the label, the chip becomes visible. In this way the presence and positioning of the chip, as well as any damage, can be detected. The disadvantage with this transmitted light method is that surface defects are practically invisible without incident light. As such, the part of an RFID label visible to the human eye cannot be inspected. However, visible defects are immediately visible to anyone and would immediately result in a complaint.
Consequently, you could now think that if we use both light sources at the same time, we would be able to see all relevant details. However, this is precisely not the case. Using the two forms of lighting at the same time would reduce the contrast required to make defects visible. Positive effects are therefore counteracted by the brighter light source. The contrast is then insufficient to detect defects reliably and automatically.”
How does the camera system from Erhardt+Leimer tackle this task?
“The inspection system SMARTSCAN provides a special 200% inspection. SMARTSCAN is equipped with a high-resolution camera and has two lighting variants for the inspection of RFID labels. Both background lighting and incident lighting are incorporated. The special feature of SMARTSCAN is the way it processes images. During the inspection, SMARTSCAN continuously changes back and forth between the lighting variants. The labels are illuminated once from above and once from below, one after the other. Depending on the light source activated, the individual elements become visible and defects are detected.
The switching of the light sources, the related image acquisition and the evaluation of the images for defects are undertaken in real time. Speeds of over 400 m/min can be implemented due to this high- performance process. Defects can also be ejected reliably at these speeds such that faulty labels can be corrected immediately.
A further advantage of SMARTSCAN is that the machine operator also sees immediately on the monitor an image of the label inspected; this aspect is particularly important for the indication of faulty labels. It is possible to switch the display between the images acquired with the different forms of lighting. The operator can therefore view the image with illumination by means of transmitted light, or change directly to the data acquired with incident light for a clear image of the surface of the label.”
Quality assurance already during production
The company Tageos in Montpellier, France, is a market leader and specialist for the manufacture of highly-sensitive RFID inlays and tags; the company produces and supplies these inlays all over the world. While 100% electronic reading (inspection) of the chips has been a fixed element of its quality control for some time, 200% inspection using SMARTSCAN is now safeguarding further important quality criteria. The comprehensive quality control of its products is a vital element of the production process at Tageos and is equally important for all production sites. The company already has extensive experience with camera-based 100% inspection systems. Here the choice of the “correct” light source was an important factor. “We are pleased that with SMARTSCAN we have found a high-quality, easy-to-operate, all-in-one solution that meets our high requirements in quality management and that, in the meantime, is now in daily use on many of our machines.” says Alexandre Vautravers, industrial process manager at Tageos.
Alexander Thomalla also highlights a further advantage. SMARTSCAN is used during the actual production of the RFID inlays at Tageos. As such, the organization profits from the 200% inspection concept already during this stage. Defects can be detected immediately. This aspect is extremely important so that it is possible to react immediately to any defects that occur in the production process and tackle the source of the defect.
Alexandre Vautravers from Tageos can but agree with this statement in its entirety. “With our high production volumes, it is immensely important that we always maintain our quality at the same high standard and in this way keep the time and costs for any defect rectification as low as possible. We can already meet all these goals today using SMARTSCAN.”
SMARTSCAN in use for quality control on RFID labels
Incident light image for the detection of defects on the surface
Transmitted light image. Chip and antenna are visible with optimal contrast
Defects typically detected with illumination by means of transmitted light
Discontinuities in the antenna
Incorrect positioning of the chip
Hidden inclusions / damage
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT CHAD KUCHLER 864-764-4745
Green Bay Innovation Group
Bringing Green Bay Companies Together. Green Bay Innovation Group is committed to building an authentic networking experience where innovation can thrive.
