BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 37 years April 26, 2021 VOL. 35, NO. 17
Acme Corrugated Box Begins Post-Pandemic Expansion In PA BY LEN PRAZYCH As the world continues to recover from the pandemic, there is still a sense of uncertainty as the nation’s manufacturers begin to fully re- open their doors to embrace a “new normalcy.” What isn’t in question, however, is the unprecedented and explosive demand for corrugated boxes in a questionably “post-pandemic” world. Ask any independent
Volk Packaging To Establish New Division In Sanford, ME Derek Volk, owner and CEO of Biddeford, Maine based Volk Packaging Corporation, has announced his company’s plans to es- tablish a new division – Volk Pack – and set up shop later this spring in nearby Sanford, Maine, about 18 miles away. “We are really pleased with the facility lo- cation and the extensive preparatory work completed on the building by developer 43 North,” said Volk. “We are hoping to provide some Sanford area folks with good stable work. The support we received from Peter DelGreco at Maine & Company and JimNimon at the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council (SREGC) was appreciated and helped make our decision easier.” Volk’s expansion plans in Sanford include Volk Pack handling business-to-business, and business-to-consumer fulfillment, repackag-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
box maker and the answer is the same: “Backlogs like we’ve never seen before.” “Busier than we’ve ever been.” “Can’t get enough sheets fast enough to fill customer orders.” “Had to add a second shift.” Or in the case of especially successful independents, Acme Corrugat- ed Box Co. among them, “Need to invest $35 million and build a new 80,000-square-foot expansion.” “This expansion demonstrates our commitment to our overall growth and enhanced sophistication of the company,” said Acme’s President, Bob Cohen. “It will allow us to increase manufacturing capacity, further embrace innovation of new products and flute profiles, and give us a greater ability to serve our customers.” With the thawing of the northeast soil and the pandemic apparently under control, the company recently broke ground on an addition to its existing 250,000-square-foot facility in Hatboro, a 1.5-square-mile town 15 miles outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Acme was founded in 1918 by Bob Cohen’s father, Edward J. Cohen. In the sto- ry of the independent spirit worth retelling and remembering, Edward packed his horse-drawn wagon with scrap paper and traveled through CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 An architectural rendering of Acme Corrugated Box’s 80,000-square-foot expansion of its facility in Hatboro, Pennsylvania.
WHAT’S INSIDE
10 Consolidation Versus
Competition Of Containerboard
14 ICPF Virtual Teleconference Draws 400 Students, Faculty 16 AICC Emerging Leaders Offer Learning And Networking 26 Changing Lanes To Move Forward 42 The Perfect Storm Keeps Improving 66 Cal Poly Graduates Maximize
Power Of Packaging Value Chain
72 Bobst Opens Virtual Doors
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Volk Packaging (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )
AVERAGE CONTAINERBOARD PRICES The average prices reported are tabulated from prices PAID by various sources throughout the United States the week previous to issue. Prices in some areas of the country may be higher or lower than the tabulated average. The prices tabulated here are intended only for purposes of reference. They do not connote any commitment to sell any material at the indicated average. Transactions may be completed at any time at a price agreed upon by seller and purchaser.
ing and prepackaging assembly, including for medical supplies. Volk Pack anticipates having around 20 people on site in Sanford immediately, and could hire as many as 20 additional workers in the next year. Interested appli- cants can apply through the company website at volkbox- es.com. Volk says that much of the space will be used as a warehouse for Volk Packaging, but there is also potential to use some of the new building for manufacturing over- flow, as the company will lease about 90 percent of the existing square footage. Volk Packaging, a third-generation family business founded in 1967, was celebrated in a recent Portland Press Herald article as the winner of the Biddeford-Saco Cham- ber’s 2020 Large Business of the Year. The story noted that “Volk was recognized for their consistent investment in their employee’s health and safety, and their passionate ongoing support for our nation’s military, highlighted by their Heroes Wall installation adjacent to their facility. They continuously invest in their people and the community as a core component of their company culture.” “City officials have worked with 43 North developers over many months to modernize an underutilized indus- trial site,” SREGC’s Jim Nimon. “We’re really proud of the work we accomplished together, and we’re especially de- lighted to welcome Volk Packaging to our community.”
REGION E. Coast Midwest Southeast Southwest
42# Kraft liner $955.00-960.00 $970.00-980.00 $970.00-980.00 $970.00-980.00 $1000.00-1010.00 $973.00-982.00
26# Semi-Chem. Medium
Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del.
$890.00-940.00 $905.00-925.00 $905.00-925.00 $905.00-925.00 $925.00-945.00 $908.00-928.00
West Coast U.S. Average
SHEET PRICES BY REGION (AVERAGE) Per 1MSF, local delivery included, 50MSF single item order, truckload delivery. Sheets
E. Coast Midwest South-SW S. CA N.CA/WA-OR US Aver.
200# 275#
$62.26
$72.05
$62.69 $82.80
$85.35 119.54
$73.13 101.29
97.32
99.89
90.86
113.65
OYSTER UP-CHARGE 8.34
8.34
8.34
8.34
8.34
8.34
275# DBL-WALL 350# DBL-WALL
107.46 118.45
114.69 129.32
116.54 137.25 117.82 145.56
141.08 148.46
122.76 131.80
CANADIAN SHEET PRICES (AVERAGE) In Canadian Dollars, per 1MSF, local delivery included, under 50MSF single item order, truckload delivery. 200# 275# Oyster UC 275#DW 350#DW $78.56 $99.18 $9.00 $96.32 $105.83 CANADIAN LINERBOARD & MEDIUM The average prices reported are tabulated from prices PAID by various sources throughout Canada. Prices may be higher or lower in various areas of the country. The prices tabulated here are intended only for purposes of reference. They do not connote any commitment to sell any material at the indicated average. Transactions may be completed at any time at a price agreed upon by seller and purchaser. Prices are Canadian $ and per metric ton.
42# Kraft Liner 26#
Semi-Chem Medium
East West
$970.00
$960.00 $995.00
$1,015.00
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Machinery and Handling for the Corrugated Board Industry
Box Shipments ( U.S. Corrugated Product Shipments) Industry Shipments In Billions of Square Feet Month December 2020
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2020 2019
34.916 31.332
11.4
8.729 7.833
11.4
Industry Total
Year-to Date
December 2020
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2020 2019
406.776 393.483
3.4
8.071 7.838
3.0
Industry Total
Containerboard Consumption (Thousands of Tons)
Year
Month
Percent Change Year-to-Date Percent Change
2020 2019
2.7727 2.5660
8.1
33.0739 32.3005
2.4
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Container Board Inventory - Corrugator Plants (Thousands of Tons)
Corrugator Plants Only
Date
Percent Change Weeks of Supply
Percent Change
Dec. Nov.
1.8921 1.7912
5.6
2.7 2.5
8.0
Shipping Days
Year
Month
Year-to-Date
2020 2019
20 20
252 251
SOURCE: Fibre Box Association
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Cascades To Establish Vaccination Hub In Kingsey Falls, Quebec Responding to the government’s call to businesses, Kingsey Falls, Quebec based Cascades is announcing that it will set up a COVID-19 vaccination hub in Kingsey Falls this coming May. This site will support the actions of the health and social services network in the Mauricie – Centre-du-Quebec region. It will provide supervised vac- cinations, in the order of priority established by the public health authorities, of Cascades employees, their families, and the general population. “The decision to contribute to the vaccination effort was made without hesitation,” said Mario Plourde, Pres- ident and Chief Executive Officer of Cascades. “This ini- tiative is the natural extension of all the measures put in place at Cascades to fight against COVID-19. It is also an expression of our desire to help the entire community during these difficult times.” “Cascades is well known for a long time in our region for its community involvement. So it’s no surprise to see the company getting involved and lending a hand in the COVID-19 vaccination drive. We are grateful for its par- ticipation in this government initiative to accelerate the vaccination of the population” said Gilles Hudon, Asso- ciate CEO of Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
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Consolidation Versus Competition Of Containerboard BY JOHN WIDERA The dominant driver of consolidation comes from Wall Street, where shareholder value rules. So why is it that small asset independent box making businesses have disproportionate- ly taken the biggest hits during the last 40 years of consolidation? Only 10 percent of U.S. businesses are considered large businesses. In the slightly fragmented paper industry, U.S. mills sell 91 percent of all con- tainerboard. Indeed, only the strong survive when consol- idation reduces competition. In most cases, I’m just as much a capitalist pig as the John Widera
Cascades To Establish (CONT’D FROM PAGE 8)
services sociaux de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec (CIUSSS MCQ). Cascades has its own health expertise centre which serves all of its operations in North America. Drawing on its experience with influenza vaccination in recent years, the company has the expertise to ensure the implementa- tion of this vaccination clinic, in compliance with the rec- ommendations of the CIUSSS MCQ. In cooperation with other companies and organizations in the region, some resources necessary to ensure the project’s success will also be utilized, especially those in logistics and communi- cations. Cascades will also recruit dozens of volunteers to ensure the operation runs smoothly. Cascades will also work in partnership with other com- pany-based vaccination sites to support our Quebec em- ployees in their vaccination process.
next guy and I don’t begrudge anyone mak- ing a buck, but constantly raising prices on the remaining independent box makers and not passing all of the increase on to your big loyal customers ultimately benefits the “rich getting richer.” This isn’t market-based capitalism anymore. In the long run, it’s a grotesque insult of misunderstanding of government antitrust power. The poet Wal- ter Scott summed it up best: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we prac- tice to deceive.” If you’re sitting on unlimited funds or have a large credit line, be bold. Now can be the time to pick up more market share at a bar- gain. But a word of caution: Integration is of- ten a losing proposition because the bigger you become, the more misplaced priorities and ever-changing is the costly technology required to compete. Integration eventually creates other problems: shareholder ROI, job competencies and the threat of large European or Chinese competitors entering the US market. Due to more demand and a strain on supply, an integrated’s indepen- dent customers are now afraid to talk pub- licly for fear of less receiving less container- board. Why the disruption? • E-commerce growth: paper mills control the digital market by setting their own commodities with low prices and dedi- cated capacity at the expense of small customer orders. • Mills buy employee loyalty with higher wages and buy customer loyalty with lower prices. Yet, there is little value. • High M&A offerings, sometimes as high as 10x EBIDTA. Making the deal is just a
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
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40 ft of paper travel from preheater to hot plates 3 seconds of heat, glue and bonding 1 chance to get it right! the ZONE
Design & Production
Chicago Electric offers 10 technology solutions to control ‘the Zone’ CORRUGATOR Sectoral preheating plate
Our sectoral preheating plates provide direct heat by means of a double steam circuit, allowing for efficient heating in hard-to-access locations, as well as to act as a steam shower to open the paper’s fibre, making it receptive to absorbing the heat and the glue.
This translates into increased speed and improved quality of the cardboard sheet finish.
The system’s main advantages are as follows:
• The plate may only be used to heat, only to humidify, or both options at the same time. • The plate is sectored, which allows for applying humidity to the sections. • It provides temperature in previously inaccessible locations and near the location needed. • It compensates the loss of temperature dissipated due to distance, speed or limitations of the exiting preheaters. • Quick transferring of heat to the paper. • The combination of the hot plate and steam shower allows for providing heat even to the hardest papers to heat. • Does not dry out the paper. • Possibility of operating as a humidifier and pre-conditioner. • Maintains and improves the fibre’s elasticity. • Acts according to the operator’s needs. • Facilitates the paper’s hygroscopy to absorb the glue and improve rubberising.
CONTROLLABILITY
1. Wrap Arm - Position & Temperature 2. Preheater Direct Drive
DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT
3. Steam Plate 4. Contact Roll 5. Glue Machine Direct Drive Touch Productivity Issue—Glue Unit Many glue units run with a rider roll or a guiding bar system. The rider roll with paper gap allows a precise glue application, but requires frequent Contact Roll
PRODUCTIVITY
C/ Orfeó Català 13-15 · 08440 Cardedeu (Barcelona) telf: +34 93 846 01 06 · comercial@al-gar.com WWW.AL-GAR.COM
DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT
calibrations and settings. Bar systems avoid this, but compensate this with the risk of exces- sive glue application. The system contains many wearing parts. Solution The contact roll combines the ad antage of both systems and ensures minimum contact between board and applicator roll. The system uses small pneumatic cylinders in order to achieve a “soft touch.”
6. Gap Control 7. Curved Plate 8. Roller Shoe Press When it comes to a short-term increas of web tension, spring loaded systems with shoes or airpressure activated system have problems in compensating these. The system is lifted for a short time. This may result in de-lamination and in the ‘double kiss’ effect. Solution For a defined and exact bonding point of the web fiv weight rollers will be installed usually over the first flat hotplate of the heating section. The rolls are mounted into a frame, which is actuated by means of two pneumatic cylinders. P oductivity Issu —Double Kiss Bonding
PRODUCTIVITY
PRODUCTIVITY
DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT
Roller Shoe
DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT
9. Thin Wall Hot Plates 10. Pressure System Benefits —Exact glue application due to defined contact of applicator roll to web. Web is in contact to less flute tips compared to bar systems. • High precision glue application • Less moisture applied to web —No wear of shoes and springs —No adjustment of shoes or paper gap —Uniform glue application over entire working width for all flutes by use of pneumatic cylinders instead of springs — Less contamination by paper dust and glue remains —No jam of board because of web breaks caused by splice joints going through 630-784-0800 Benefits —Rollers secure exact defined first point of contact of liner and single-faced board - No double kiss —Frame design avoids unintended lifting of roller shoe (compared to spring or air loaded systems) - No double kiss —Pressure can be increased or released for special grades or products 490 Tower Blvd., Carol Stream, IL Contact Chicago Electric to GET IT RIGHT 630-784-0800 info@chicagoelectric.com chicagoelectric.com Solution The ProPress system ensures an optimum heat transfer to the board. It offers a wide range of set- tings. The loadi g pressure can be varied, the number of shoes can be lifted in accordance t the line speed. The outer shoes can be lifted in accordance to the paper width. The shoe bars will be delivered pre-assembled for a short installation time. —Liftable for easy paper infeed and for cleaning of the machine —Position adjustable in paper direction to avoid grooves in hotplate Press Productivity Issue—Poor Heat Transfer Rollers are usually limiting the heat transfer, since they often have contact mainly on the edges of the plates due to wear or bent plates. They also cause often loss of caliper and bearing need to be replaced frequently. Airpressure actuated systems can only supply a limited pressure and have com- pared to shoe systems a closed surface. Pressure Shoe
Plate vity Issue—Poor Heat Control l hotplates are slow to react to pressure due to high steam volume and massive y also have high heat radiation and heat profile. Worn plates can damage crease edge crush.
Thin-Wall Hot Plates
t by peripheral drilled hot plates. anufactured out of special wear and nt steel, through which a continuous is drilled, with one inlet and one outlet. ecured by a massive steel frame.
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ance from steam to paper surface results in fast heat flow
Consolidation (CONT’D FROM PAGE 10)
Puhl custom designs systems to meet your needs. • Moving to a new facility? Puhl has experience moving entire plant systems all while minimizing down time in BOTH plants during the transition. • Below roof AND above roof systems custom designed to meet your needs. • New and Remanufactured Equipment (balers, blowers, separators, filters and more). Our Remanufactured equipment includes a warranty and offers significant savings. • NFPA and OSHA compliant systems designed by our NFPA trained engineering team. • Dust Briquetters, Certified Explosion Isolation Valves, Flame Front Diverters and more to control dust and meet NFPA requirements. • PLC Touch Screen Controls with Real Time Pressure Balancing and Real Time Remote Monitoring available on your smart phone or computer. leging major containerboard producers engaging in illegal anti-competitive conduct with respect to the sales of con- tainerboard products. Although the hot breath of competition is not evil, within large consolidated organizations there is a penchant to be destructive, inefficient and wasteful. The time squandered in competing internally is better utilized collaborating to gain profitable sales growth and cash flow by working to- gether against the external competitors. In other words, competition is good, but it is not a helpful dynamic in a seamless collaborative team process such as consolida- tion. In effect, don’t let strengths become weaknesses. A new generation is coming to the workforce with on- line experience from playing quick-thinking video games. These influencers have figured out how to compete through software games that can prepare them to work, even at home with complex programs or organizing data. The future of small business depends on its ability to find a dazzling array of ways to operate. So, have courage and collaborate with suitable peers and competitors. Why? To form key relationships in order to achieve circular man- ufacturing economics (co-creation). A corporate culture where a team does not sustain collaboration and plays it safe will find it easy to lose when consolidating. But when we all work together, we will be competitive and win. John Widera is the Owner and Chairman of Santa Fe Springs, California based CalBox Group.
warm up…the real job is making it work. Synergies from increased scale is often an illusion. • Organic growth remains challenging to achieve for a dozen reasons. Bring on the entrepreneur. • Mill stocks are high so their unissued low-priced stock can be sold for more M&A plants without incurring debt. Its success depends on management effectiveness. • Private equity sharks and investment bankers are al- ways available to fuel deal-making. So, weigh alterna- tives, then put dollar signs on decisions. • High capital intensity and growing markets means cy- clicality is largely supply driven. Now the elasticity of supply (rate of quantity and price) comes into play. Consolidation strategies have changed from cost and product driven motivation to market and customer orien- tation. This rationalizes paper mills to buy independent containerboard converters instead of exporting at lower prices about 15 percent of their mill capacity. Thus, in the last few years in Southern California, no more than seven sizable independents remain. This places a domino effect on the sales of sheet feeders and convert- ers with corrugators Now there are fewer roll stock buy- ers, more integrated networks of traders and fewer AICC members to represent the brick and mortar “little guy.” One major cause and effect of consolidation is re- vealed from antitrust class action lawsuits of the past al-
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ICPF Virtual Teleconference Draws Nearly 400 Students And Faculty Almost 400 students and faculty from 17 universities par- ticipated in ICPF’s 2021 Teleconference on the Business of Corrugated Packaging & Displays and the Career Oppor- tunities conducted on April 1, 2021. Though due to pandemic restrictions, the Teleconfer- ence had a much different look and structure this year,
The Perfect Combo Get Peak Performance From Your Equipment with Matched Component Sets
participation exceeded ex- pectations. The Zoom pro- gram, moderated by Kelsea Potthast (University of Florida Business Administration/mar- keting and Packaging Sci- ence minor), began with the presentation of a video on various industry technology utilized by the industry. Key- industry questions that were answered by 15 representa- tives from Buckeye Corru- gated Inc., Green Bay Pack- aging, Lawrence Packaging Corporation, Packaging Cor- poration of America, Pratt Industries, WestRock Corpo- ration, and UniCorr Packag- ing Group. Throughout the
Kelsea Potthast
note speaker Brian McPheely, Global CEO of VISY/ Pratt Industries, followed with a detailed overview of the busi- ness of corrugated packaging & displays. Students then were transferred to 15 individual and preassigned breakout sessions where they directly asked
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matches between the components that must work in tandem on your exo folder gluers and die-cutters: • Anilox Rollers and Ink Chambers • Anilox andWiper Rollers • Feed and Pull Rollers • Glue andMeter Rollers You can achieve the press speeds and print quality you need to ll your most demanding orders by pairing your team with The ARChitects of Flexo. Contact ARC today to learn how these engineered matches of exo folder gluer and die-cutter components (new or
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Teleconference students were advised to regularly visit ICPF’s career portal regularly where they can apply to em- ployment opportunities posted by these and other ICPF corporate partner firms throughout the year. Participating universities included Appalachian State University, Bowling Green State University, Cal Poly, Clemson University, Illinois State University, Indiana State University, Lewis Clark State College, Michigan State Uni- versity, Millersville University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University, Rochester Insti- tute of Technology, Rutgers University, University of Flor- ida, University of Texas-Arlington, University of Wiscon- sin-Stout, and Virginia Tech. The hundreds of students who joined the Teleconfer- ence posted their resumes in ICPF’s career portal’s resume bank prior to the broadcast. Their resumes can be viewed among the over 500 active student, and upcoming new graduate resumes currently posted there. Those firms that are active ICPF corporate partners have immediate access to the resume bank after posting current positions for stu- dent interns or new graduates. A video can be viewed at www.careersincorrugated.org .
reconditioned) can help you achieve a more perfect union of production and pro ts.
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ARC.5pBCN_AnlxChmbr.indd 1
3/31/21 6:09 PM
AICC Emerging Leaders Program Continues To Offer Learning, Networking Opportunities BY REBECCA RENDON The AICC Emerging Leaders (ELs) program continues to offer devel- opment opportunities through virtual and in-person events. Even with a hectic Covid-ridden year, the ELs have found creative ways to grow engagement and connect with each other.
Packaging ERP Algorithmic Scheduling Web-Based Access Online Customer Portals
Paperless Workflows Mobile Sales Systems Digital Signage Production Monitoring Mobile Logistics Management Analytics & Reporting Cloud Hosting IT Management Services Cyber Security Management
600 + Plants 60,000 Users North America Latin America
After the restructured program was announced in Spring 2020, the EL delegates faced the challenge of navigating the murky waters of increasing participation and engagement of members while in a pandemic. This restructured program focused on ELs taking initiative and helping to create the program that they were seeking. Opportuni- ties like writing articles for industry publications, speaking at industry meetings, or contributing to the program in other ways, was highly encouraged by delegates and program coordinators. “This is their opportunity to flex those creative muscles and get involved in an industry association and network with others who are like minded and are learning the industry,” said Daniel Brettschneider, Emerging Leaders Senior Delegate. Socially Distanced Networking Delegates gathered input from the EL Committee to create a plan moving forward, starting with networking and keeping ELs engaged with their group. The delegates planned several virtual trainings and networking events via Zoom. That first event planned was a virtual “field trip” that included a wine tasting led by Uncorked Winery. That event was very successful and was followed up by a virtual happy hour with members. Companies like Wasatch Container, Bay Cities, Carlisle Container and Southern Carton Company contributed in dif- ferent ways to create and mail “happy hour kits” to ELs, that included a snack, a beer, a bottle sanitizer and an invitation to join the ELs for a night of networking and catching up with each other. The kits served as a clever way to engage the group during state lockdowns. The net- working events were well attended and many ELs reported that it was “just nice to see familiar faces and connect, even if it was just virtually.” “We’re an industry that has historically based their whole sales ELs held networking and training events over Zoom during the pandemic.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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AICC Emerging Leaders (CONT’D FROM PAGE 16)
and is often reported in EL surveys as one of the most valuable parts of the program. To address this desire of ELs, the programs sponsors: Scott Ellis and Virginia Hum- phrey; along with the EL delegates, have planned a series of virtual C-Suite webinars to be held quarterly. Each of the C-suite webinars will cover a different topic including: Finance, Operations, Sales and Human Resources, and in- clude a time for questions from the ELs.
premise on relationship building and personal interac- tions. These relationships could take years to grow and come to fruition. This program gives people a safe place to learn, ask questions and build their network, while grow- ing professionally,” said Cassi Malone, Emerging Leaders Junior Delegate.
In 2019, ELs traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, for the annual Chairman’s Field Trip.
Access To Executives The next piece of the plan to tackle was to provide ELs with direct access to “C-level” executives within and outside of the corrugated industry. Access to executives has been high on the priority list for current EL members
In February, ELs joined virtually to hear from Kevin and Matt Ausburn of SMC Packaging. They learned about leadership challenges, success tips and lessons learned throughout their years of growing their ESOP company.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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THE NEW RD115/135S
The NEW KOLBUS Hycorr RD115/135S Flexo Rotary Die Cutter represents years of investment by the KOLBUS engineering team in Rahden, Germany and the Hycorr technical team in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This cooperation, combined with the input from our customers, has resulted in the ultimate blend of quality, performance, and value. Designed with all corrugated markets in mind, the RD115/135S is well equipped for high throughput, quick make-ready, and high graphics print production. With a complement of new features and benefits to accompany.
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AICC Emerging Leaders (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)
This series is hosted free of charge for all ELs. Next quarter’s C-suite webinar will focus on sales and market- ing and is scheduled for May 20th at 3:00pm EST. With a sales focus in this webinar, the discussion will be centered around recreating a sales strategy when a client base has been significantly disrupted. Spring Meeting Training The AICC Spring Meeting has traditionally been a gath- ering place of familiar EL faces and this year will be no different. The delegates are excited for the first in-person EL event this year and look forward to the training that will be offered during the Spring Meeting, that will be held in Amelia Island, Florida. This year’s Spring Meeting training will be led by pro- gram sponsor, Scott Ellis, in advance of publishing his new book, “Uncluttered Life.” The workshop will provide activ-
ities to help ELs identify individual goals and aspirations that are important to them, in order to help them create During one of their networking meetings, ELs participated in an axe-throwing event.
a three-year plan of professional and per- sonal goals. The workshop will also provide resources to continue the work of reducing the clutter of activities, personal history and distractions from work and home. This train- ing will be offered virtually for those that are unable to attend the in-person event. Regional Ambassadors Along with planning networking events and trainings, the ELs have launched a new initiative to reach out to prospective ELs within the AICC association and grow mem- bership. The Regional Ambassadors are current ELs who have volunteered to recruit new members and plan regional events as Covid restrictions are lifted. They will be identifying prospective ELs and reaching out to AICC member companies to spread the word and share the benefits of partici- pating in the program. “We’ve had several ELs who were get- ting a lot out of the program and wanted to find a way to get involved. From those conversations, the Regional Ambassador positions were created. We see this as an excellent opportunity to help our ELs net- work with industry professionals in their geographical region and to grow the pro- gram by seeking out more of the industry’s motivated young professionals,” said Cassi. Freshman Delegate Position As the program has evolved, so has the structure of the leadership. In October, Lau- ren Frisch of Wasatch Container, was elect- ed as Freshman Delegate of the Emerging Leaders. The Freshman Delegate position was created to give the incoming delegate enough time to familiarize themselves with
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AICC Emerging Leaders (CONT’D FROM PAGE 20)
their role on the AICC Board of Directors, understand the current vision and initiatives, and learn from the Junior and Senior Delegates so they feel prepared to carry out the overall AICC Emerging Leaders’ mission. Each year a new freshman delegate will be elected and the former person in that role will move into the Junior Delegate position. The Senior Delegate role will serve as a position of guidance and leadership for the other two delegates and will “grad- uate” from the program after their term is complete. “We congratulate Lauren on this accomplishment and are excited to have her in this new role as freshman dele- gate,” says Cassi. Lauren is the Account Executive at Wasatch Container, a Salt Lake City custom packaging company, and is the daughter of Jerry Frisch, owner of Wasatch Container and a longstanding member of AICC. “I am excited for the opportunity to continue to grow the Emerging Leaders program. My goal is to install confi- dence and a strong passion for the packaging industry in our upcoming leaders,” says Lauren. Continuous Improvement From conception of the EL program, it’s continued to evolve and improve. The EL Delegates and committee members have re-evaluated the program as a whole, in an effort to take the already successful program and add more value to it.
“We looked at the benefits to the ELs, their compa- Wasatch Container, Bay Cities, Carlisle Container and South- ern Carton Company created and mailed ELs “happy hour kits.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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AICC Emerging Leaders (CONT’D FROM PAGE 22)
“FSC offers consumers a way to protect the world’s forests, even as they use forest products every day,” said Chris McLaren, Chief Marketing Officer of FSC US. “The new OneSimpleAction.org creates a powerful and conve- nient way for consumers – and the companies supplying the products they use – to make a big difference.” Consumers can shop hundreds of products from popu- lar brands and retailers, such as Charmin, House of Marley, HP, REI, Scott and Target. Products represent all the major forest products categories – Construction, Furniture, Pack- aging, Printing, Textiles and Clothing, and Tissue and Hy- giene Paper – as well as a range of additional categories, such as Footwear. The products include those curated for the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly program, in which FSC is the only forest-based certification recognized. The site also provides information about how consum- er purchases of FSC-certified products can protect forests, including a video featuring Allen Morgan, a family forest owner in Arkansas who says FSC provides consumers with the assurance, “that my little corner of the Earth, I’m taking care of it.” OneSimpleAction.org also serves as a lens through which consumers can discover brands’ sustainability prog- ress and commitments. Whether the company is a retail- er, manufacturer or user (e.g., for product packaging), the new site offers the opportunity to favor brands that are leading on sustainability. OneSimpleAction.org was made possible by its founding sponsor, HP, Inc.
nies and the association, along with getting feedback and ideas from all of the stakeholders, and have made some changes that we hope will set this program up for many years of success,” said Brettschneider. “Last year was a challenge for everyone but we used that time to create and plan new programs and opportunities for ELs to re- connect in-person or virtually.” “The virtual options will really push the goal of recruit- ing and engaging more young professionals that can’t at- tend large, national in-person meetings due to time, mon- ey, or other commitments,” said Cassi. “We have created a landscape that can appeal to all young professionals with- in our industry, as we are creating content and networking opportunities virtually, regionally, and nationally.”
FSC Launches Website To Help Consumers Buy Responsibly
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) launched a new interactive portal to make it easier for U.S. consumers to buy products sourced from responsibly managed forests, in line with strong and growing consumer demand for sus- tainability. The new portal, OneSimpleAction.org , gives consumers a simple way to do their part to help protect forests and biodiversity.
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Changing Lanes To Move Forward BY RYAN CHAPPELL
printing better together
Editor’s Note: This is the final article written by Ryan for Board Converting News prior to his passing last month. We all remember the first car we drove. Comparing that to the car, truck or SUV we drive now is a nostalgic walk
back in time. We may say, “I can’t be- lieve I drove that.” No seat belts or air bags. Some had a stick shift and not very reliable. Many of them had “260 air conditioning.” Some of you know what I’m mean, but for the younger crowd, it was 2 windows down and 60 miles an hour.
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Ryan Chappell
Today’s cars are safer, more reliable and easier to drive than ever before. Most are quiet inside and very comfort- able. For many of us, they are a second office. Nice heated or cooled seats, radio/audio systems to hear hundreds of radio stations and podcasts. This is much more than the old AM/FM band offered. Our phones sync with our cars, and allow us to drive and talk, hands free. Perhaps we can be too comfortable. I’ve driven a truck before and I like its usefulness around the farm. Around where I live in Louisiana, trucks are everywhere. Some are truly used as work trucks. Many more are just because it is a “cool” thing to drive. Some guys have jacked up the truck with mud tires, and there is no way it will ever get off the road. There are a few younger truck drivers who will only learn from experience that just because you have a 4-wheel drive truck with mud tires, you can drive anywhere, no matter the road conditions. That’s simply not the case. This lesson is best taught late at night, when cold and dark, a quarter mile from hard pavement and they have to walk out, having fallen down twice, so they are completely cov- ered in cold wet mud. If learned in the summer time here in Louisiana, you will be joined in your journey by mos- quitos, and other kinds of biting, stinging and hanging on insects. And there is usually a snake or two. This is the voice of experience talking. The statement “Watch this. here hold my beer” usually precedes either of these events. Currently, I drive a Toyota Land Cruiser. I really like the older models from 40 plus years ago. But mine is more recent. It is solid. I justified the purchase by saying I have worked 40 years and fought cancer for 15, so now I am going to do something for me. It has a lot of features, but one I want to discuss is the automatic cruise control. You simply set the speed and it will hold that speed on the open road. As you’re coming up on a slower driver, the cruise control senses the car ahead and reduces speed to match the slower speed.
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
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Changing Lanes (CONT’D FROM PAGE 26)
Do you see the same analogy in your business? You won’t have the quick drop in speed in your plant as in the car example. But over a couple of weeks, what if you have dropped your average speed by a percent or two? We are still on the road and will get to our destination. This will show up in the length of time it takes to go from point A to point B. Or in MSF generated per hour, or in boxes made. Nothing I’ve written here is new or revolutionary. But sometimes we let our cars adjust to the slower speed and we become complacent. Just as we can do in our person- al lives. Have we let our manufacturing operations do the same? Are you moving at 75 MPH or 70MPH? The solution is to pay attention to even subtle changes in speed and sound and “listen” to what the machine tells you. In a car, you change lanes when safe and with no ob- struction in front, it will accelerate. The same is true in your operation. You may need to change lanes and increase speed safely. Ryan Chappell invested his skills over the last 35 plus years in various positions in the packaging industry, both domestically and internationally. He served on the Board of Directors of AICC. He also served on the Board of Di- rectors of Pilots for Patients, a non-profit organization, which helps people who are ill reach their medical ap- pointments. He has been published in local newspapers, Board Converting News, Box Score and The Journal of Accountancy. This is his final article for BCN.
We are still moving towards our destination. We are still learning, by listening to a podcast on how to sell and mo- tivate people, or learning more about history. But perhaps we don’t notice the speed reduction until many cars start to pass us. This is also true in life. Sometimes we are speeding along and then we have a very small decrease in intensity. New Year’s resolutions are a good example. Think about those that you made and how much you tried to stick with them in early January. Where are you with them in Febru- ary or March? Like the automatic speed control, we start off with good intentions and then slowly over a period of time, we slow down. We miss one day of exercise because it is too cold or hot outside to walk. There are many examples which you may be thinking about now. A lot of these happen slowly, and therefore, we don’t really notice. But we’re moving slower. Can you really feel the dif- ference in speed from 75 to 70 MPH? Perhaps the slow- down is only a few feet per minute. Most cars today have a digital speedometer. Just as most machines have a digital readout on speed. You look down and see 74. Is it worth your time and effort to increase back to 75? Let’s talk in feet per second. At 75 MPH, a car covers 110 feet per second. At 70 MPH the car covers 102 feet per second.
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Acme Corrugated Box (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )
us that we have a duty to meet the future with confidence and forbearance. And I believe that when we complete our expansion, our facility will be the envy of other converters.” The approximately 30 percent in- crease in the facility’s footprint will allow for a 50 percent increase in manufac- turing capacity. The new construction will house a new high-speed Fosber 110-inch doublewall corrugator line, which will replace a Fosber 98-inch corrugator. Once the new corrugator is operational, the 98-incher will be decommissioned, disassembled and moved. In its place will be added a WIP system distinct to the U.S. and designed to allow the total automation of sheet transfer to converting machine centers. Bob Cohen
Philadelphia’s dusty streets in search of customers. He found plenty, and soon added reclaimed corrugated box- es to satisfy the diverse needs of the bustling city. Just two decades later, Edward had incorporated and moved his operation indoors in Center City Philadelphia. The end of WWII brought increased prosperity, and as the economy grew, so did the company. Seven decades later, in 2021, it’s still “business as usu- al,” and the company is still growing, still prospering, with Bob Cohen, 73, owning the company and the third genera- tion firmly entrenched: Erik, 46, is Acme’s top salesperson; Jeremy, 43, is the company’s Vice President of Operations; and Alex, 28, who joined the company a year-and-a-half ago, is one of Acme’s front line supervisors, all of whom will be writing the next chapters of the “classic tale of an independent box maker’s hard work, family commitment, and achievement of the American Dream.” Overall Optimism “The expansion plans were actually in place before the pandemic hit, but in July of last year we paused – along with the rest of the industry – to re-evaluate our commit- ment and we determined that there was still the need to expand,” says Jeremy. Adds Bob, “As a sign of our overall optimism, we contin- ued with our plans fully aware that there will be uncertain- ty coming out of a pandemic. Still, the signs we saw told
The 110-inch corrugator will allow Acme to produce its current flute offer- ings of C, B, D, E and BC, BD and ED double wall flutes, with the possibility of some additional offerings. “We will also continue to perform a lot more detailed testing,” says Jeremy.
Jeremy Cohen
“We believe that we are intrinsically a structural box pro- ducer and as such we do quite a bit of internal testing to ensure the box we are producing meets the requirements of the product being packed.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
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