The Wisconsin 5P, Converting and Supporting Industries will be PAYING A BIG PRICE for neglecting our
Paper Industry!
- Northeastern Technical Council has shut down their flexographic printing center! Wisconsin is home to the largest concentration of narrow web printing companies in the United States!
- Printing Industries of Wisconsin was the premier printing organization in the United States. Today, it has been replaced by the Great Lakes Graphics Association.
- The Paper Discovery Center is a museum and is replaced by The Atlas Discovery Center refocusing their efforts on STEM.
- Verso shuts down Wisconsin Rapids, Clearwater closes, Neenah Filtration cuts back, Sonoco in Wisconsin Rapids shuts down their core plant, GP close Day Street and GP closes their Oshkosh Corrugated plant!
- With ALL the shutdowns of the paper and pulp mills, it has had a BIG impact on the Membership Organizations across Wisconsin providing the education that is needed for employers!
- UW Stout cuts back on their Graphic Arts Educational Program for the packaging industry!
We want to thank Paper Converting Machine Company for building their NEW state-of-the art Packaging
Innovation Center. It will be the hub for the latest flexographic print and package converting
technologies. Amcor Innovation Center in Neenah is developing new materials and products! The Great
Lakes Graphics Association based out of Wisconsin has expanded to represent the Great Lakes Region
Printing Companies representing the largest areas for printing in the United States. Billerud has
announced a $1 Billion Dollar plus Investment in their Escanaba plant offering opportunities for
Wisconsin Manufacturers. St. Paper based in Oconto Falls has finished installing a new tissue paper
machine in Duluth, MN. BPM, Inc. is making upgrades in water recovery and equipment. Green Bay
Packaging $500 + million investment in their Green Bay plant and the Georgia Pacific investments in
their Broadway plant and their distribution center has a major impact on the Wisconsin economy.
The Wisconsin Paper Council has been successful in building a non-partisan legislative group to support
the Paper Industry in Wisconsin. In addition, WPC is working on Financial Grants that support our
forestry and paper industry. The WPC and UW Oshkosh have put together a very good report on the
Paper and Pulp industries with recommendation on what the industry has to do! UW Stevens Point has
over 100 students in their Paper programs with 100% job placement plus adding Chemical Engineering
to their program. UW Green Bay has added Engineering Programs. The University of Wisconsin under
the leadership of George Huber is making huge progress in plastic recycling industries with the
development of new technologies and products! We are hearing Universities in Wisconsin looking into
developing and building packaging programs to support the 5P and Converting Industries. Currently, we
have outstanding programs at UW Madison, UW Platteville, UW Stevens Point, UW Green Bay, UW
Oshkosh and UW Stout. We ALL need to support all of our universities to build back the Wisconsin Paper
Industry! GBIG will be providing student scholarships for the 5P Industries!
