Green Bay Innovation Group
GBIG News

November 15th, 2023 Newsletter

Read the November 15th, 2023 Green Bay Innovation Group Newsletter here.

Maximize Your 5P Industry Networking with GBIG’s New Sponsor Directory

GBIG Sponsors Directory page

Networking with others in the 5P Industries just became easier. Green Bay Innovation Group updated its GBIG Sponsor Directory webpage https://greenbayinnovationgroup.com/gbig-sponsors/ to be more comprehensive, providing company overviews and clickable contact information. Plus, the sponsor database is searchable by category and keyword, so organizations can quickly identify the companies with the capabilities they seek or the people they want to contact. By typing a keyword or category into the search box, users gain access to a list of specific organizations to fit their needs.

Search GBIG Sponsor Database by Keyword & Category

With nearly 150 GBIG Sponsors on the webpage, the search capability ensures that you can be found easily by other sponsors and the general public. Website visitors can find your company and your industry by category or keyword.

The GBIG Sponsor entries include:

  • Company name
  • Contact Person
  • Business Address
  • Phone number
  • Email
  • Website

Confirm the Accuracy of Your GBIG Listing & Submit Notes

Thanks to the team at Packerland Websites for creating this useful database of sponsors. The team encourages sponsors to check their entries to confirm the accuracy of your listing. In addition, please provide a couple paragraphs about your company. Include industry keywords, like flexographic printing, coating, machining, etc. These paragraphs will further educate the audience and enhance searchability and facilitate more connections. The paragraphs will display in the “Show Notes” directory section. Send the information paragraphs to Bill@packerlandwebsites.com, and use the subject line GBIG Sponsor Page.

Connect with Sponsors to Conduct Business in the 5P Industry

GBIG members/sponsors find and conduct a good deal of business through their involvement with our organization. The updated GBIG Sponsor webpage is just one more way to provide value to sponsors. The sponsor directory makes it easier than ever for 5P Industry representatives find what they’re looking for to be successful. The updated Sponsor webpage uses innovative technology to improve the user experience, so sponsors and non-sponsors alike can connect and work together to achieve their business goals.

Join GBIG Now

GBIG DONATIONS FOR 2023

The Green Bay Innovation Group and supporters will donate over $35,000 to Non-Profits and other Business Organizations in 2023. In addition, the Green Bay Innovation group are Members and supporting other Organizations in Wisconsin.

GBIG logo

The Green Bay Innovation Group wants to thank All of our 163 Sponsors for 2023 and we welcome your support in 2024. A large percentage of your sponsorship revenue will go back to our Business Community, Non-Profits and Education supporting the 5P and Converting Industries. Go to: www.greenbayinnovationgroup.com/contact and sign up to become a sponsor (See attachment for benefits).

We support the following Non-Profit Organizations in 2023:

  • Apricity
  • Children’s Museum of Green Bay
  • Green Bay Action Sports
  • Hope Center
  • Mana For Life
  • St. Johns Ministries
  • Trees for Tomorrow
  • UW Madison Engineering
  • VPI, Inc.
  • Whatsoever You Do, Inc.

Membership Organizations:

  • Florence County
  • Great Lakes Timber Association
  • New North, Inc.
  • New Manufacturing Alliance
  • TAPPI
  • UW Madison Engineering
  • Wisconsin Sustainability Business Council
  • Women in the 5P Industries

GBIG NEWS Restoring Hope Gala

“We want to thank the Green Bay Innovation Group for your donation and supporting St. John’s Ministries annual Restoring Hope Gala. The event was again successful, raising over $190,000 to help provide shelter services and daytime resources to those experiencing homelessness in our community. The mission of the non-profit organization is to respond to those experiencing homelessness or housing instability in a way that honors their dignity, restores hope and creates lasting change.”

“The event kicked off with a few raffles that saw winners receive a 5-night Mexico trip and Solo fire pit and truck load of wood. Following the prayer and meal, six different live auction packages brought excitement to the room. The high bidders won a week’s stay in a private cabin in Minocqua, Canadian fishing trip, 7-night stay in Mexico, to go along with a handcrafted bench made by guests at St. John’s Ministries.”

“The highlight of the evening was the Restoring Hope Gala video featuring John, who had stayed in shelter during past seasons. He is now employed, housed, and has his construction business back. John was in attendance and received a standing ovation for his success.”

“The Restoring Hope Gala also included a message from Executive Director Jesse Brunette and the vision going forward to shelter people during the cold winter months. The night ended with a speech by former long-time St. John’s Ministries leader Lexie Wood, who talked about the humble beginnings of St. John’s Ministries and its commitment and growth to helping each person who is on the streets cold and lonely.”

Steve Schauer
Director of Community Engagement
St. John’s Ministries

GBIG Attendees included:

  • Bill Koehne
  • Caryn Kuehl
  • Dave Bell
  • Dave Jolly
  • Debra Jolly
  • Joan Koehne
  • Kim Weiss
  • Marty Ochs
  • Nate Tegrootenhuis
  • Peter Weiss

November 8th, 2023 Newsletter

Read the November 8th, 2023 Green Bay Innovation Group Newsletter here.

Read newsletter

GBIG Sponsors Lunch at TAPPI forum

GBIG was the lunch sponsor at the Lake States TAPPI (Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry) Energy Forum on Nov. 2 in Neenah. The keynote speaker for the event was Marc Keyser, Director of Seams Coordination, Member Services, and Customer Coordination at MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator).

Other presenters represented Frontier Energy; Kinergetics LLC, Focus on Energy, the Wisconsin Paper Council, Valmet, Toscotec S.P.A., Enerquin, and Vyron.

TAPPI energy forum group
TAPPI energy forum highlights

GBIG News: Green Bay Packaging Tour Overview 2023

Unrecognized Success

The Green Bay Innovation Group would like to thank Olivia Durocher Project Development Specialist and Andrew Stoub Environmental Manager for an outstanding presentation and virtual tour at the Green Bay Packaging Green Bay Mill on October 12, 2023. It was an outstanding education for all the attendees, with questions and interaction. Green Bay Packaging’s new recycled paper mill is the first new paper machine built in Wisconsin over the past 30 years. Construction began in August 2018. The Green Bay Packaging Mill uses recycled corrugated containers (OCC) and mixed office paper to make paper packaging and boxes. The 100% recycled paper mill supplies roll stock internal to GBP divisions and other companies across the country. The Green Bay Mill Division no longer directly discharges, nor pulls water from, the Fox River. Instead, GBMD utilizes alternative water (water captured from NEW Water’s discharge) to offset freshwater consumption. Wastewater from the facility’s effluent treatment plant is discharged back to NEW Water for final treatment. The project will have an expected economic impact of over $257 million in the Green Bay area with an investment of over $500 million dollars, representing more than four years of planning. The new mill is a fully integrated paper mill using 100% recycled raw material to manufacture linerboard and medium packaging products. With advanced automation, few physical hands touch the paper to control the papermaking operations – supporting safety as a priority!

Green Bay Packaging speakers
Green Bay Packaging speakers

Other Project features include:

  • The machine uses 100% recycled furnish with speed of 1,200m/min.
  • Using biogas generated from the mill’s effluent treatment plant.
  • Shutdown of the coal fired boilers and a switch to super-efficient natural gas boilers.
  • Installing high efficiency screen, agitators, and lighting.
  • High efficiency economizer to preheat the chilly water being pumped to the boiler drums.

The project is the single biggest project in the history of Brown County.

Green Bay Packaging is headquartered in Green Bay, WI. and employs over 4,500 team members, operating thirty-eight facilities in sixteen states. Green Bay Packaging is a third-generation family-owned business with major investment and commitment to the Green Bay community.

Attend the Build Up Fall 2023 Showcase

We are a few weeks away from the Build Up Showcase event! Here are a few reminders for the event:

Greater Green Bay Chamber logo
  • Event Details:
  • Date: Monday, November 20, 2023
  • Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
  • Location: Urban Hub, Urban Hub, 340 N Broadway #200, Green Bay

There are five individuals who participated in the Build Up Tech Accelerator Program as part of the Fall 2023 Cohort! Each participant will have the opportunity to present their startups to a panel of judges and a live audience!

Click to learn more about the Fall 2023 Cohort.

We look forward to seeing you all at The Showcase!

Register To Attend

For event questions, please contact Lamarr Banks.

OBSERVATIONS AND TRENDS FOR COMMERCIAL PRINTERS FOR 2024 in Wisconsin

The Commercial Printing Market size is expected to grow from $454.01 Billion in 2023 to $494.01 Billion
by 2028, at a CAGR of 1.74% during the forecast period of 2023 – 2028. We are witnessing a shift to
packaging, promotional products, marketing services, design services, digital printing, direct mail
marketing, signage, wide format printing and web-to-print systems. We have seen a number of
Wisconsin Printers move into folding cartons, flexible packaging, label printing and the converting
industry. We expect analog printing to grow at 0.8% by 2027 and the digital market to grow by 5.7%. We
expect the analog packaging industry to grow at 2.5 to 3.5% CAGR by 2027. However, digital is still a
small portion of the commercial printing market! We have seen a consolidation in the market and the
trend will continue through 2027.

Spectra Print employees standing by printers

As an Industry expert in the printing industry, I would recommend printers to still focus on your specific products and develop new products, additional enhanced services, and a broader target customer base for those products.

We will be sharing some notable examples of successful Wisconsin Companies with more to come in the upcoming issues of the GBIG NEWS.

Virdiam is the result of the marriage of two storied Wisconsin print specialty companies – H.C. Miller and Van Lanen Printing – with two hundred combined years of print expertise. Virdiam products include Organizational Products, Commercial Printing, Packaging, Large Format and Environmental Graphics. In the past year Virdiam has added $6 million dollars with a focus on the packaging industry.

Spectra Print is one of the largest commercial printers in Wisconsin founded in 1930 by Oscar Hofmeister. Spectra Print is led by siblings Eric Hofmeister, Hans Hofmeister and sister Heidi Okray! Spectra Print is a family-owned business. Today, Spectra Print is a TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP offering Printing, Creative & Design, Marketing, Mailing with a large bindery. In the past year, Spectra has invested over $5 million in new state-of-the-art printing equipment and supporting bindery. Spectra has added a new Komori Lithrone GL 40 state of the art eight color advance perfector with LD-UV Support printing presses complemented with a 6-color large format press printing up to 40 pt. board for the packaging industry.

Graphic Composition opened for business in 1946 as a typesetting business and has transitioned into a modern printing and graphic arts firm. Graphic Composition is a technology-driven and marketing communications company with a broad range of services with offset printing, flexographic printing, label printing, large format printing, mailing services and a wide range of packaging products. Graphic Composition has positioned itself as a PREMIUM QUALITY supplier of printed products.

Kuehn Printing was founded in 1982 as a family business by Kevin Kuehne and Ryan Kuehn, his son has taken over the business. Kuehne is a full-service printer focused on providing marketing support material like envelopes, business cards, letterhead, folders, booklets, postcards, newsletters, manuals, posters, and brochures. Kuehne services a large customer base across the Midwest. Kuehn is a very cost-effective and on-demand printer with quick turnaround printing services.

JP Graphics, Inc. was founded in 1969 and recently been acquired by BR Printers of San Jose, CA on March 1 st , 2023. JP Graphics has continually invested in advanced equipment and technology. JP Graphics offers a wide array of services: Offset Printing, Digital Printing, Large Format and well as major investments in the packaging industry. JP, Inc.’s expertise in custom folding carton packaging and packaging accessories has made them a trusted partner for clients in the food, beverage, health, and consumer goods industries. JP Graphics, Inc was one of the first companies to invest in the new Digital HP Printing Press for Packaging.

Digi-Copy based out of Stevens Point has six locations in Wisconsin. Digi-Copy is a full service on demand printer and mailing company. Digi-Copy was founded in in July 2000 by Craig Schuler. Today, Digi-Copy has grown to over one hundred workers in twenty locations (12 of which are facilities management and virtual print shop locations) in six major Wisconsin Cities. The company’s reputation for fast, friendly service continues to spread throughout Wisconsin.

The Scan Group started in 1983 and began as a prepress and film house. The company expanded into offset printing, variable data printing, flexo pre-press, on demand printing, wide format printing, finishing, mailing and fulfillment. Today, The Scan Group is a dynamic, full-service marketing and print management group servicing customers nationwide.

Castle-Pierce was established in 1888 as a premier printer in the high-quality printing sector. Today, Castle-Piece has evolved into a premier commercial printer, flexible packaging, folding carton, and label printers. Castle-Pierce was one of the first to recognize the growing market for packaging with a full range of capabilities servicing a large nationwide base of customers.

Inland Printing Company started in 1907 as a commercial printer servicing the greater La Crosse area. In 1944, John Glendenning moved his family to the area to run what would eventually become Inland Packaging. His, son Jack Glendenning to over as President grew to be a premier label manufacturer for big beer brands. Jack’s son, Mark expanded Inland’s capabilities to become a premier global family- owned partner, becoming one of greatest success stories in the Printing Industry in Wisconsin!

Independent Printing opened its doors in 1935 in Green Bay, becoming a highly respected, aware winning print and communications company with over 250 employees. Independent offers conventional offset, digital, large format, foil stamping, die cutting, fulfillment and packaging products. Independent Printing has changed their name to: Independent Printing and Packaging to reflect their move into packaging.

DFI Solutions in Print specializes in label design, commercial print, and Print Management.

Wisconsin Printers

  • Virdiam – Green Bay:
  • Spectra Print – Stevens Point:
  • Graphic Composition – Greenville:
  • Kuehn Printing – Green Bay:
  • JP Graphics, Inc. – Appleton:
  • DigiCopy – Stevens Point:
  • The Scan Group – Milwaukee
  • Castle-Pierce – Oshkosh:
  • Inland Packaging – Lacrosse:
  • Independent Printing and Packaging – De Pere:
  • DFI Printing Solutions

We will be highlighting the Printing Industry across the state of Wisconsin in our upcoming issues of the GBIG NEWS. We welcome your stories supporting the Printing Industry of Wisconsin.

Transforming Offset Litho Printing: Embracing Change for a Modern Printing Era

According to Smithers, a market research and consulting firm, the sheetfed offset litho print sector is expected to experience modest growth from $183.7 billion in 2014 to $192.6 billion in 2024. This suggests actual contraction of volume due to inflation primarily driving the growth in revenue across this period.

Brian Van de Water speaking

In contrast, the digital print sector is projected to grow strongly during the same period. It is estimated to expand from $103.1 billion in 014 to $180.9 billion in 2024. This indicates significant growth and a larger market size for digital printing technologies over the specified timeframe.

Analog printing, which encompasses various traditional printing methods, is expected to experience modest growth as well. The analog printing market is predicted to grow from $664.3 billion in 2014 to 681.7 billion in 2024. The growth in analog printing is mainly attributed to the increased demand for flexo and gravure printing in packaging applications.

Overall, while sheetfed offset litho print is likely to continue a decline in volume, the digital print sector is anticipated to exhibit strong growth, and analog printing, driven by flexo and gravure printing in packaging, will experience modest growth as well.

SPL Consulting, LLC. believes this creates a significant opportunity to rethink strategies for the offset industry to improve performance in their core processes and explore new markets. This requires thinking outside the traditional litho box. Reviewing the talent and experience you have and identifying gaps in skill that need to be addressed to create the future talent plan is necessary. Brainstorming and research on new target markets is also critical to lay the foundation and strategy for action.

During the process of Strategy Development, focus and not getting too broad in scope is key to success. SPL Consulting, LLC. worked with a client on Sales Strategy and together we completely changed their approach. Their approach was to target entering or quoting a new market each month. During our Strategic Planning session, we identified an extremely sizeable market that they had technical and production capability to participate in. We focused the sales team on that one market, learned the nuances of that market, and achieved their ten-year sales growth objective in four years. This was accomplished while jettisoning over $3,000,000 of business in a market segment that had extremely low commodity pricing, freeing up resources to bring on new higher margin business!

Combining Strategy with Lean Enterprise creates the “how” to execute and make dramatic improvements in both office and manufacturing processes. Reducing the time it takes to enter orders, process invoices, changeover presses and manage inventory creates capacity and improves profitability and cash flow. These methodologies also result in scalable processes that are standardized and predictable, making it easier to train new team members as you grow.

Marty and I encourage you to explore some of the concepts discussed above as a path towards future success in the ever-changing landscape of Litho.

Brian Van de Water
CEO
SPL Consulting, LLC.
414-588-3008
vandewaterb@outlook.com

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.

Contact Information

Phone: 608-698-3333 
martinpochs@gmail.com
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