Rhinelander Wisconsin was founded in 1880 as a logging center and the economy was based on the forestry industry along with the production of wood products, paper, and pulp. The Rhinelander Paper Company was founded in 1903. In 1953, the Rhinelander Paper Company was the largest Paper mill in Wisconsin. Today, the current owner, Ahlstrom continues the legacy of paper and pulp manufacturing in Rhinelander.
Today, we have witnessed Rhinelander becoming a manufacturing center for flexible films, and the plastics industries for customers worldwide!
Charter Next Generation
Charter Next Generation has a major plant in Rhinelander. As of September 2024, Charter Next Generation’s annual revenue reached $1.58 Billion with Corporate Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Charter Next Generation has sixteen state-of-the-art plants worldwide with over 2,200 employees!
ABX Innovative Packaging Solutions
ABX Innovative Packaging Solutions creates state-of-the-art flexible packaging with over nine hundred professionals and sustainable packaging solutions with an estimated annual revenue of $272.7 million.
Ahlstrom
Ahlstrom is a leading paper manufacturer of specialty lightweight packaging, pressure sensitive, and Industrial and technical papers. Ahlstrom annual revenue is $3.3 Billion with over 7,040 employees.
Enterprise Wood Products
Enterprise Wood Products is a manufacturer of self-custom wood products to help you create a unique interior and exterior for your home. Our Millwork Division Consists of the tongue and groove paneling, flooring, and solid wood trim they manufacturer in-house.
Laser Pros
Laser Pros, International was founded in Madison, WI. with headquarters in Rhinelander. Laser Pro has been expanding their product line and growing their Distribution Center. They have named HP Authorized Parts Partner of the year remanufacturing their entire product line in the USA.
Printpack
Printpack is a leader in Flexible & Specialty Rigid Packaging. With their advanced printing methods, they focus on sustainability, and extensive manufacturing and converting capabilities servicing customers worldwide. Printpack is headquartered in Atlanta, GA with annual revenue of $1.3 Billion.
As the paper and packaging industries continue to evolve and change, leaders in these industries are going to have a lot to think about in 2025. Between technological advancements, changes in consumer preferences, opportunities for process optimization, and more, leaders and managers are going to have their hands full all year thinking about things they can do to bring their teams and company to the next level.
While there are a ton of external developments and drivers to pay attention to, one of the best things you can do from a position of leadership in any industry is actually to look inwards and focus on what matters the most – your people! Your people are what make your company run the way it does. With the right people in the right places, you are well on your way to achieving whatever goals you set out for yourself as an organization. Without them, the chances of achieving those goals are slim. Let’s look at some trends and recommendations for leaders in the paper and packaging industry looking to get the most out of the people they lead.
Attracting, retaining, and developing people among top industry priorities
Respondents to a recent Heidrick & Struggles survey identified attracting, retaining, and developing talent as the most important element to achieving long-term strategic goals, with two-thirds of participants listing it among their top three highest priorities. This should come as no surprise!
No matter where you are and what goals you have as a company, it’s always a good idea to invest time and resources in your people by understanding and acting on what they need from you as a leader. A satisfied employee will stick around for the long run, go the extra mile to achieve goals, and make themselves a strong asset to the teams they are a part of.
Today’s highest quality job seekers, those that will drive innovation and growth in a complex and competitive landscape, discriminate their job searches based on employer brand. They tend to round down their long lists of possible options and throw their hats in the ring for those that have the most desirable working environments and do the best at showing it.
So, what can you do to build an attractive working environment? Let’s get into it!
The impact of a strong company culture
Having a strong company culture that shows people they are valued will make a massive difference that will show in your numbers and in your people. It is more or less a pre-requisite for success and can make your company a place where people want to work at. Reputation and word-of-mouth are really important here. 86% of prospective employees will avoid opportunities at companies they know have a poor reputation, and these days, it only takes a few clicks to make that judgment, fairly or otherwise. Needless to say, building a positive employer brand will make you more likely to attract the talent that you are after to achieve your goals in the paper and packaging industry.
In building a people-first culture, you have the opportunity to make a real positive impact on the lives of your employees. Understanding their struggles, demonstrating a degree of flexibility, and knowing them for who they are will go a very long way, as your people stick around and look for any opportunity they can to create value for your organization. As a matter of fact, one study demonstrated that companies with better cultures grew their revenue 550% faster than that of their competitors over a 25 year time period. Believe it! A good culture sets you apart from the pack, and by a massive margin.
The bottom line
As leaders in the paper and packaging industries look to make a difference in 2025, the most impactful move they can make is to double down on their people. Building a strong, authentic company culture where employees are satisfied and empowered to drive real change will be critical to achieving your goals for the year and beyond. When leaders invest in understanding their teams, offering flexibility, and creating a sense of belonging, they build a foundation for success that yields comprehensive success. It’s this kind of culture that attracts the best talent and makes a company stand out in a crowded industry, setting the stage for growth and innovation that lasts.
Let’s connect
Dignify will be at GBIG’s 5P Showcase Expo on February 25 & 26. Swing by to chat about your culture needs and shaping the future of the paper and packaging industry—we’d love to learn more!
5P SHOWCASE EXPO on February 25-26, 2025 at the Fox Cities Expo Center in Appleton, WI.
Discover the Future of Packaging at the 5P Showcase. As we enter 2025, we turn to key issues that will affect all of us.
Sustainability – We will witness mandates by governments to be recyclable and businesses facing growing pressure to find sustainable solutions.
We will see the need for more personalization with the advancements of digital printing. Innovative technologies will provide a one-on-one focus to reach consumers.
We will see the integration of interactive packaging solutions such as NFC, RFID, and the augmented reality (AR) that will revolutionize customers’ experience with transparent tracing solutions.
In the Food Service, we will see the latest in sustainable, recycled food packaging technologies in collaboration with the FPA with a focus to enhance self-life, eco-friendliness, addressing environmental and consumer demands.
We will see advancements in labeling and flexible packaging highlighting recent technologies, new substrates, coatings, and software technology to boost quality and sustainability.
We will see growth with ai across the spectrum in the 5P and Converting Industries.
We will see more onshoring strengthen the supply chain in the USA. It could have a significant impact on the cost of our products.
We will see growth in the outsourcing packaging services with co-packaging and e-commerce fulfilment experts essential for those relying on efficient packaging and delivery solutions.
We will witness the evolution of ai into all aspects of packaging and our businesses!
Businesses are no longer just talking about change; they are making it happen.
The 5P Showcase will address these issues with outstanding speakers and exhibitors for the two-day event at the Fox Cities Expo Center in Appleton, WI. The 5P Showcase is well positioned to surpass your expectations with a diverse range of exhibitors and an exceptional mix of speakers on key topics. We will have an outstanding network event from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday 25th hosted by Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Hurckman Mechanical and McClone Insurance.
To register as an exhibitor and attendee, go to: www.greenbayinnovationgroup.com or you can click on the QR code to register as an attendee. If you have any questions, call Marty Ochs at 608-698-3333 or AJ Buran at 262-370-9563.
For immediate release. For more information, contact Marty Ochs, 608-698-3333 martinpochs@gmail.com; or AJ Buran 262-370-9563 AJBuran@outlook.com
Discover the Future of Packaging at the 5P Showcase Expo In APPLETON, WI.
GREEN BAY WI Oct. 1, 2024: Green Bay Innovation Group (GBIG) and International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) will partner for a premier Packaging Showcase Expo. This event is set to take place February 25-26, 2025, at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center 355 W. Lawrence St. Appleton, Wisconsin. The expo promises to unveil the latest innovations in packaging technology, focusing on sustainability and high-tech solutions tailored for the Packaging Industries!
WHY THE 5P SHOWCASE EXPO SELECTED APPLETON!
The population of Appleton, Wisconsin metropolitan was 246,433 and the surrounding region is 414,977 in 2023. Appleton is situated on the Fox River. It is one of the most urbanized and industrialized areas in the USA and the area is called the Paper Valley. Paper Manufacturing was started and developed in Appleton!
Appleton and the surrounding area have over 120 companies that engage in the 5P and Converting Industries. Northeastern Wisconsin is called the Converting Corridor of the nation. Today, the Converting Industry stretches across Wisconsin with an estimated 30,000 people employed with over three hundred companies involved in Converting! Wisconsin leads the nation in Paper Manufacturing, Flexo Printing, Label Printing, Offset Printing, Corrugated and the Packaging Industries!
Appleton is very accessible with short driving distances and an international airport with quite easy access to the Fox Cities Exhibition Center.
The Fox Cities Exhibition Center is designed to highlight the region’s history with a 38,000 square foot interior complement by a 17,000 square foot outdoor plaza.
The Hilton Appleton Paper Valley is located next to the Exhibit Hall with parking across the street! We will offer exclusive discounts to attendees!
The cost to exhibit for an 8 x 10 standard booth is $1,500 and $1,700 for a corner booth. The cost to attend is: $60.00. Go to: www.greenbayinnovationgroup.com events – 5P Showcase to register to exhibit and or attend.
Get links to the latest news, events, stories, and interviews from our 5P news sponsors. 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 99 Stories and Links on the Internet below.
Jeffrey Krepline will be a speaker for the upcoming 5P Showcase Expo on February 25-26-25. He will join an outstanding list of speakers! Jeff is the Executive Vice President of Menasha Packaging Company, LLC. a wholly owned subsidiary of Menasha Corporation. In 2023, Krepline was named the Executive Vice President where his role expanded leading the evolution of Menasha’s Graphic strategy.
Jeff will speak on On-Demand Packaging, which produces packaging material only as needed, significantly reducing waste by minimizing excess production and storage. He will expand on the use of Menasha on-demand packaging systems used by channel leading retailers and consumer product companies across North America.
Jeff Krepline Biography
Jeffrey Krepline Executive Vice President Menasha Packaging Company, LLC
Jeff Krepline currently serves as Executive Vice President of Menasha Packaging Company, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Menasha Corporation.
Krepline joined Menasha Corporation in 1991 as a Manufacturing Management Trainee and has held successive leadership roles across multiple Menasha businesses. During the mid-1990’s he helped lead Menasha Packaging’s transformation from being primarily a “brown box” solution provider to a graphic packaging and display company, which included the development of Menasha’s first on-shelf merchandising product portfolio.
In 2002, Krepline was named Vice President of National Sales & Menasha’s Retail Integration Institute (RII) and led Menasha’s entry into point-of-purchase (POP) sales and fulfillment solutions, leveraging the RII platform to uniquely position Menasha as the industry supplier with retail relationships and insights that help CPG’s win.
In 2016, he was named Vice President of Unilever & Retail overseeing sales and operations for the North American Menasha & Unilever relationship. Three years later, Krepline was named Vice President of Unilever, Sales Strategy & Business Development facilitating Menasha Packaging’s evolution into e-commerce.
In 2023, Krepline was named Executive Vice President where his role expanded to include leading the evolution of Menasha’s graphic packaging strategy, and operations for the preprint, paperboard, fanfold and food facilities.
In his current role, Krepline draws on his sales, operations, retail, display, merchandising, supply chain, and packaging industry experience to lead the activation of Menasha Packaging’s revenue operations.
Krepline is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
As the year draws to a close, it’s an excellent time to consider making year-end gifts to both individuals and charities. Thoughtful planning can maximize the impact of your generosity and provide significant tax benefits. The right gifting strategy depends on your financial situation, family dynamics, and long-term wealth transfer goals. Here are some strategies to consider.
How To Make Year-End Gifts To Individuals
Whether supporting a grandchild’s education, helping with medical expenses, or providing financial assistance to family members, there are several tax-efficient ways to give meaningfully to loved ones.
Annual Exclusion Gifts. You can give up to $18,000 per recipient in 2024 without incurring gift tax. Married couples can double the gift through “gift-splitting” for a total of $36,000 per recipient. This is a great way to transfer wealth to children and grandchildren. It may be more beneficial to gift cash for annual exclusion gifting rather than appreciated assets because a noncash gift made during the donor’s life is transferred with a carryover basis. The individual receiving the asset would then have to realize and pay any applicable capital gains tax upon sale of the asset.
Tuition and Medical Expenses. Payments made directly to educational institutions or medical providers on behalf of someone else are not subject to gift tax and do not count against your annual exclusion.
529 Plan Contributions. Contributions to a 529 college savings plan can be front-loaded with up to five years’ worth of annual exclusion gifts, allowing you to contribute up to $90,000 ($18,000 x 5 years) per beneficiary in a single year without gift tax consequences. Contributions are often deductible from state income tax, as well.
How To Make Year-End Gifts To Charities
Unlike gifts to individuals, charitable donations can provide immediate tax deductions while supporting meaningful causes. Organizations often offer multiple ways to structure giving.
Diagram of the Charitable Giving Methods
Cash Donations. Cash gifts are straightforward and can be deducted up to 60% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) if given to a qualified public charity.
Appreciated Securities. Gifts of appreciated stocks or mutual funds, owned for at least 12 months, can provide a double tax benefit: you get a charitable deduction for the full fair market value of the securities and avoid paying capital gains tax on the appreciation. Your deduction is limited to 30% of your AGI each year, but you can carry over any excess deductions for up to five additional years.Note: Since gifts of appreciated securities can take some time to process, contact your financial advisor and coordinate with the charity as soon as possible to ensure the transfer of these securities can be completed by year-end. Be sure to retain proper documentation to substantiate the valuation of any noncash assets gifted charitably.
Donor-Advised Funds. These funds allow you to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants from the fund over time.
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs). If you are 70½ or older, in 2024, you can make a QCD of up to $105,000 per year directly from your IRA to a qualified charity. This can satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD) without increasing your taxable income. The charitable distribution from your IRA is not included in your AGI and thus allows a tax break even if you can’t itemize and are taking the standard deduction. Reminder: QCDs may NOT be made from company retirement plans like a 401(k) and QCDs to private foundations or donor-advised funds are not permitted. However, these distributions may be made to other types of foundation funds, such as nonprofit endowment funds, field of interest funds, and certain donor-designated funds.
Charitable Gift Annuities. This gifting technique allows you to make an immediately tax-deductible gift to the charity of your choice while retaining the right to receive regular annuity payments during your lifetime. After your lifetime income stream stops, the remaining gift amount goes to that charity. New: The Secure Act 2.0 now allows you to make a one-time transfer of $50,000 from your IRA to a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) established with a qualified charity or community foundation. This funding of a CGA will go toward satisfying your RMD requirement.
How Does Income Tax Deduction For Charitable Gifts Work?
If you itemize deductions on your income tax return, you can generally deduct your gifts to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations. These include qualifying public charities, private foundations, religious organizations, and other nonprofit entities.
Chart of AGI Limits for cash, noncash, and appreciated assets
AGI Limits. The amount of your deduction for gifts to qualified charities is typically limited to certain percentages of your AGI — 60% of AGI for cash gifts, 50% of AGI for certain noncash gifts, and 30% of AGI for long-term (held for more than one year) appreciated assets, including stocks and property. Charitable deductions in excess of AGI may generally be carried over and deducted over the next five years, subject to the income percentage limits in those years.
Bunching Strategy. The bunching strategy involves grouping multiple years’ worth of itemized deductions, such as charitable donations, into a single tax year. This allows taxpayers to exceed the standard deduction threshold and take advantage of itemized deductions for that year. For example, if you usually donate to charity annually, you could combine two years’ worth of donations into one year. This way, your total deductions for that year might surpass the standard deduction, allowing you to both have a larger charitable impact in the year of the gift, itemize, and potentially reduce your tax liability. If you want to take advantage of the bunching strategy but want the benefits of your philanthropy to be distributed over time, consider a gift to a donor-advised fund. This allows donors to separate the timing of their gift for tax purposes from the decision about where and when to give. You can take a large tax deduction in 2024 with the contribution to the donor-advised fund and then recommend grants to your chosen charities in 2025 and beyond.
Timing. It’s always wise to consult with a tax advisor or financial planner to tailor your gifting strategy to your specific financial situation and goals. Specifically, look at your marginal tax rate from one year to the next when timing your charitable giving. The higher your marginal rate, the more valuable the deduction! Your tax rate, in combination with other planning considerations, will help you decide on the timing of your gifts to charity.
Completed Charitable Gifts. Understanding when charitable gifts are considered “complete” for tax purposes is crucial for year-end giving strategies. Different types of donations have different deadlines and requirements for completion — missing these deadlines could result in losing the intended tax deduction for the current year.
Mailbox Rule. For charitable contributions, the IRS considers a gift complete on the date a personal check is mailed, as long as it is postmarked by December 31. This rule applies only to donations sent by U.S. mail, as donations sent by a commercial carrier must be received and cashed on or prior to December 31.
Gifts of Securities. We recommend you talk to your advisor no later than December 1 to initiate a gift of mutual fund shares and no later than December 9 to initiate stock gifts to charity. These gifts must be completed, and assets posted to the receiving charity’s brokerage account on or before December 31.
QCDs from IRAs. The best practice is to work with your IRA custodian to initiate your QCDs well before year-end so that the transaction is completed, and the charity can cash the check in a timely manner. QCDs for the 2024 year must be completed by year-end. The funds must leave the IRA on or before December 31.
Checkbook IRAs. In cases in which IRA owners make QCDs using “checkbook IRAs,” the checks must actually be cashed by the charity by year-end, or they won’t show up as a distribution for this year for tax reporting purposes. The “mailbox rule” that applies to personal checks does not apply to IRA-qualified charitable distributions.
Private Wealth experts at First Business Bank strongly feel that meaningful giving starts with understanding what matters most to you. We can help you evaluate how to best make your year-end gifts, charitable and otherwise, in a manner that furthers your personal goals while minimizing tax consequences.
Updated: 12/2/2024
The tax information provided herein is general and educational in nature and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. First Business Bank does not provide legal or tax advice. Content provided relates to taxation at the federal level only. Rules and regulations regarding tax deductions for charitable giving vary at the state level and laws of a specific state or laws relevant to a particular situation may affect the applicability, accuracy, or completeness of the information provided. As a result, First Business Bank cannot guarantee that such information is accurate, complete, or timely. Tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to change, and changes in them may have a material impact on pre- and/or after-tax results. First Business Bank makes no warranties with regard to such information or results obtained by its use. First Business Bank disclaims any liability arising out of your use of, or any tax position taken in reliance on, such information. Always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation.
Glendale Heights, IL – November 22, 2024, All Printing Resources, Inc. (APR), a leading distributor of supplies, equipment, services, and training solutions for the flexographic printing industry, is excited to announce its new partnership with ELBA S.p.A., a global leader in automatic high-speed pouch and bag-making machines. APR will be the exclusive representative of ELBA in the United States and Canada, bringing ELBA’s innovative and customizable equipment to customers across North America.
With over 5,000 installations worldwide, ELBA designs and manufactures high quality machines for a variety of markets, including food, pet food, groceries, medical, pharmaceutical, and more. Known for their precision and modular design, ELBA machines offer exceptional flexibility, allowing users to produce a wide range of pouch and bag styles, including stand-up pouches, courier bags, heavy-duty bags, medical-grade pouches, wicket bags, and high-barrier shrink bags. ELBA’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its use of recyclable films and energy saving technology, including a kinetic energy recovery system that reduces total energy consumption by up to 20%.
“We are pleased to offer our customers pouch and bag-making equipment through ELBA,” said Dave Nieman, President and CEO of APR. “This partnership allows us to offer our customers a new level of advanced manufacturing capabilities and tailored solutions, along with APR’s technical support. We are confident that the partnership between APR and ELBA will create solutions enabling our customers to remain leaders in the industry.”
With an extensive range of productivity and automation solutions, APR can help our clients implement cost-effective solutions and time-saving opportunities within the flexographic market. Adding high-speed bag and pouch-making equipment to their product portfolio will further enhance the robust offering in APR’s product lineup.
About All Printing Resources, Inc.
All Printing Resources, Inc. (APR) is a proven resource for solutions, trusted service, and support to the flexographic printing industry. APR delivers measurable performance enhancements and total cost reductions, including the after sale attention needed to see optimal results. APR represents some of the most innovative product lines worldwide and takes a “team” approach to deliver process improvement and innovative solutions. To learn more, visit https://www.teamflexo.com
Locations of Paper Excellence(blue), Domtar(orange), and Resolute(purple) mills.
Paper Excellent Group rebrands as Domtar. Paper Excellence and Domtar along with Resolute Forest Products will be fully integrated under the Domtar name. Paper Excellence/Domtar have vast holding in the USA and Canada controlling the forests, pulp, and paper manufacturing (See attached map). Recently, Paper Excellence/Domtar acquired Indonesian based Asian Pulp and Paper with reported ties to the Chinese government. Paper Excellence has denied any affiliation with Asian Pulp & Paper company in the blockbuster deal. The impact is felt on the USA based companies in the Paper, Pulp and Forestry industries by becoming more dependent on China & Indonesian controlling of our resources. It is time for our government and our Industry Associations to understand the threat to our Paper, Pulp and Forestry Industries and support investment into these key industries!
Paper Excellence record:
Past report: Paper Excellence, the owner of Northern Pulp, is part of the corporate group of China based Asia Pulp & Paper and Sinar Mas.
Paper Excellence Discusses Canada’s Pulp Mill Buying Spree.
Canada Parliamentary committee to investigate B.C. forestry giant Paper Excellence.
NDP riding association calls on B.C. government to investigate the government to investigate wood pulp giant Paper Excellence’s operations.
Paper Excellence’s owner could face parliamentary summons.
Northern Pulp signals legal action against N.S. Government over mill closure. The company says losses related to the closure of the mill exceed $450 million.
Paper Excellence poised to become a pulp giant. Richmond company’s links to Indonesian conglomerate scrutinized in advance of acquisition.
Paper Excellent to invest $4 Billion in a new pulp mill in Brazil.
Investigation reveals giant North American pulp and forestry company’s links to deforestation and social conflicts through ownership structure. The investigation exposes a complex ownership structure with links leading to the notorious China based Sinar Mas Group, an Indonesia-based private corporation linked to extensive deforestation and social conflicts.
Paper Excellence Whistleblowers and Investigative Journalism Project Lead To Calls for Parliament Hearing In Canada
Who is behind Canada’s new pulp-and-paper powerhouse, and where the money coming from? The people behind or associated with Paper Excellence appear to have a pattern of using thickets of corporations, including in tax havens, effectively shielding transactions of assets from public and government scrutiny. It appears to have been secretly coordinating business and strategy decision with China based Asia Pulp & Paper.
Paper Excellence Acquires Domtar in Blockbuster $3 Billion Deal to Expand into the US Market
Paper Excellence/Domtar locations across the United States and Canada (See Picture). They are in the heart of the USA 5P and Converting Industries.
Asia Pulp and Paper declared bankruptcy: Debt Amount – $13.9 Billion. Impact – This was considered one of the largest debt defaults in Asian markets at the time. The group’s principal owner is the family of Indonesian businessperson Eka Tjipta Wijaya. His son Jackson Wijaya is the sole shareholder of Paper Excellence. Paper Excellence spent approximately $16 billion dollars acquiring paper, pulp and forestry companies across Canada and the USA!
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.
