PPC Team Visits ‘Fiercely Independent’ Sonderen Packaging BY EMILY LEONCYZK Walking into Sonderen Packaging, you quickly sense that legacy runs deeper than the walls. It shows up in the way the plant and its people operate. My recent visit to PPC Member Sonderen Packaging in Spokane, Washington was exactly that. Founded in 1963, Sonderen began with eight employees working out of a 2,000-square-foot basement shop. Today, the company has grown to more than 125 employees operating in a 130,000-square-foot facility. That kind of growth is intentional and happens through grit, vision, reinvestment, resilience, and an unwaver- ing commitment to people.
• Only standard hand tools are required for all maintenance • Direct drive with no chains or sprockets • No tools for media change required » just zip it up » media change out in minutes • Filter is accessible for visual inspection during operation, Significant Advantages Over Conventional Dust Filtration Technology
» no shutdown required • Filter media advantages - high dust collection efficiency
In 1998, a massive fire nearly destroyed the entire operation. It could have been the end. Instead, it became a defining chapter. With the help of a dedicated workforce, loyal customers, trusted suppliers, and even a few friendly competitors, Sonderen rebuilt quickly. Remarkably, they retained 100 percent of their customers and did not lay off a single em- ployee. That tells you everything you need to know about this company’s character and the strength of the relationships it has built over decades At the helm today are third-generation siblings Matt and Keva Son- deren. They walked me through every phase of their operation. From production to finishing, from design to shipping, the operation was in motion. Sonderen serves a diverse mix of markets. “If it is made out of paperboard, we can design and manufacture it,” they say. The confi- dence behind that statement comes from decades of investment, crafts- manship and strategic growth. Matt joined the company in 1998, starting on the production floor and learning the business from the ground up. Today, as a third-genera- tion co-owner, he focuses on operations and long-term investment. He showed me the location where their next major capability, hot foil stamp- ing, will soon be installed. As he put it, “We’re here to stay competitive and solve our customers’ needs.” That mindset is evident throughout the facility. Equipment investments are strategic. Layout decisions are inten- tional. The future is always in view. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 From left, Ben Markens, Former President, PPC; Mark Sonderen, past Owner and Chairman of the Board, Sonderen Packaging; Keva Sonderen, Co-Owner, Sonderen Packaging; Matt Sonderen, Co-Owner, Sonderen Packaging; and Emily Leoncyzk, President, PPC.
- low pressure loss due to constant deep cleaning of the filter media in minutes - long service life
• No pressure fluctuations within the system • No compressed air required to clean the filter media
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8 March 9, 2026
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