It is said that Wisconsin has over 200 Converters and Northeastern Wisconsin is called the Converter Corridor of the USA. Based upon the NIACS Report 3222, Wisconsin has 387 companies listed as Converters. Based upon a report from WhatTheyThink, the Converting Industry saw a net decrease in converting companies of 22% since 2010. However, we have witnessed that Wisconsin is bucking the national trend especially since 2022 due to Covid and the Amazon effect!
To better understand Converting, the Green Bay Innovation Group is developing a comprehensive database on the 5P and Converting Industries. We will further define the Converting Industry as specific categories. Based upon past reports, converting has been lumped into one category that does not accurately describe the companies involved in converting. The information will help our industry leaders to better determine where to focus their efforts to continue to grow and expand their companies.
We will break out as follows: Labels, Printing Paper, Specialty Paper, Tissue, Wipes, Tape, Corrugated, Board, Stationary, Packaging, and other industries that use Paper Converting Capabilities. Over the next year, we will focus on film, plastic, coating converting industries which have outstanding growth opportunities! In the past reports, the Converting Industry has close to 15,000 employees in Wisconsin plus manufacturers that manufacture equipment for Worldwide customers estimated at 5,000. As the USA shifted manufacturing overseas, it will have a major impact on Wisconsin. With near shoring, Wisconsin should benefit from it.
We need to recognize that Wisconsin has to upgrade our current pulp and paper manufacturing plus add new paper and pulp equipment to support the 5P and Converting Industries.
