BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 38 years February 28, 2022 VOL. 38, NO. 9
Drug Use In The Workplace: Spotting Impaired Employees BY PHILLIP M. PERRY The employee’s request had a certain degree of logic. He had just re- ceived a prescription for medical marijuana from a naturopathic physi- cian. Could he get permission to smoke the substance on the job? The employee argued that Colorado—the state where the business was located—had recently legalized marijuana. “We had quite a talk
Domtar To Open Repurposed Plant In TN By End Of 2022 The Domtar paper mill in Kingsport, Tennes- see shut down production of writing paper in April 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic cut budgets by $200 million and over 300 peo- ple were laid off. According to multiple media reports, the mill was idled and was originally supposed to reopen after three months. Then came the announcement that the paper mill would cease to produce uncoated freesheet, but would make recycled linerboard and me- dium instead. Ahead of schedule, Domtar’s Kingsport plant manager Troy Wilson said approximate- ly 170 employees are currently in training to be able to safely produce containerboard. “Now they’re going through their onboard- ing, their safety training, and they’re learning to run the new operation,” Wilson said. “As far as construction goes, now we’re starting to bring things out of the ground. We have a new warehouse, it’s almost complete. Parts and pieces arrive daily. Some of the process pieces are actually being put in place now.” He said 685,000 tons of recycled paper a year is to be converted into packaging instead of going to a landfill at the Kingsport mill. “It’s
about that,” recalls his supervisor. “He told me I should allow him to smoke the marijuana on the job just as I allowed other people to take their legal medications.” What did the employer decide? The answer appears at the end of this article, but for themoment our anecdote illustrates a larger problem: Businesses large and small must deal appropriately with the growing incidence of impaired employees. Alcohol. Marijuana. Amphetamines. Cocaine. Heroin. Codeine. Morphine. Workers under the influence of any such substance—legal or otherwise—threaten the bottom line. “Impaired workers are safety risks,” says Faye Caldwell, managing partner of Caldwell Everson PLLC, a Houston-based law firm special- izing in workplace drug testing (caldwelleverson.com). “They pose a danger to themselves, to coworkers, to company property, and to the public.” Costly Habits For businesses, the downsides of worker impairment are many. “Employers responding to our surveys cite absenteeism as the number one negative result of substance misuse,” says Karen Pierce, Managing CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
WHAT’S INSIDE
6 x x 8 x x 12 x x 26 x x Cascades Plans To Target Isothermal Packaging Market 10 NEWW Upgrades Capabilities With Kolbus RD 115S Flexo RDC 2 Colbert Packaging Continues To Invest In Print Technology 4 Supplier Reports: Part 4
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.
REGION E. Coast Midwest Southeast Southwest
42# Kraft liner
26# Semi-Chem. Medium
$1005.00-1010.00 $1020.00-1030.00 $1020.00-1030.00 $1020.00-1030.00 $1050.00-1060.00 $1023.00-1032.00
Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del.
$940.00-990.00 $955.00-975.00 $955.00-975.00 $955.00-975.00 $975.00-995.00 $958.00-978.00
West Coast U.S. Average
The Price is Right
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
More box makers and brokers are relying on the containerboard pricing in Board Converting News to negotiate their contracts with end users.
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.
SEE THE CURRENT PRICES IN PRINT OR ONLINE AT WWW.BOARDCONVERTINGNEWS.COM.
Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 lprazych@nvpublications.com
42# Kraft Liner 26#
Semi-Chem Medium
East West
$970.00
$960.00 $995.00
$1,015.00
3
February 28, 2022
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Domtar To Reopen (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )
Core Competency
a $350 million project; we’re converting it from fine paper writing grades to brown board packaging,” Wilson said. Going from over 300 employees to just over 150, Dom- tar is changing not only in look but production as well. “How we do work has changed as well; on-site, we’re go- ing to adopt a true flow to work team concept environment here,” Wilson added. The hourly workforce was brought back to Domtar in three waves starting Nov. 29, 2021, the second wave be- gan training on January 4, and the final wave returned Jan- uary 31. The waves followed the construction schedule. “This will be new equipment to them, so we’re teach- ing the operators how to run it,” Wilson explained. “With the new process, we’ve actually become a smaller mill be- cause a lot of the production areas that we had in place when we were making writing paper are gone now. So, we’ll be a 100 percent recycled facility that will make grade liner and medium and packaging grades here.” He explained that the chemistry necessary to produce the paper Damtar used to make is no longer viable or nec- essary at the Kingsport mill because of the new production system. Wilson said the plant is set to start operations in the fourth quarter of 2022. “Construction pieces will continue to flow through the summer as systems become available for checkout and commissioning.”
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Cascades Announces Plan To Target Isothermal Packaging Market Kingsey Falls, Quebec, Canada based Cascades has an- nounced an expansion plan in the isothermal distribution market with the commissioning of a new production site in Tacoma, WA, and with the launch of new products under its northbox® brand of insulated boxes for fresh foods. The new Cascades Enviropac–Tacoma production site marks the start of this expansion in the U.S. with a first start-up in the America West. It includes a new automat- ed line for manufacturing isothermal packaging under the northbox brand. Its state-of-the-art automation systems make operations more labor efficient. This new site will allow Cascades to increase its production capacity and expand its geographic coverage in the growing isother- mal distribution market for ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook
meals delivered at home, as well as fresh fish and seafood. While its infrastructure was originally located in eastern North American, Cascades is opening up opportunities in the West to meet the needs of its customers in the sector. Cascades is also expanding its line of eco-designed north-
box® OCEAN products. This alternative to non-recycled packaging in the fishing indus- try contains a minimum of 65 percent recy- cled fibre and is recyclable. The proprietary and patented sealing technology is perfect for maintaining freshness while transporting fresh seafood. The new design of northbox OCEAN is adapted to the assembly lines of fish farmers in order to increase their oper- ational efficiency. Experts at Cascades have also developed an innovative automated as- sembly system that minimizes costs for the client. “We are pleased to offer the fishing in- dustry an effective alternative to standard polystyrene packaging. This solution fits perfectly into our sustainable and recyclable packaging offering,” said Luc Langevin, Pres- ident and Chief Operating Officer, Cascades Specialty Products Group. “Our investment in Tacoma also confirms our desire to work close to our customers and stay connect- ed to their needs, to remain their partner of choice.” Founded in 1964, Cascades offers sus- tainable, innovative and value-added solu- tions for packaging, hygiene and recovery needs. The company employs approximately 10,000 women and men who work in almost 80 facilities in North America. Cascades’ mis- sion is to improve the well-being of people, communities and the planet by providing sustainable and innovative solutions that create value. The company develops the hid- den potential of the resources that surround us to offer its customers packaging, hygiene and recovery solutions. Visit www.cascades. com/en/products-services/packaging/pro- tective-packaging/insulated-boxes .
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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
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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
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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 w orking 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.
CORR24usa.com
ance from steam to paper surface results in fast heat flow n higher plate surface temperature
Benefits
NAM: Manufacturing, Retail Spending Jump In January
Box Shipments ( U.S. Corrugated Product Shipments) Industry Shipments In Billions of Square Feet Month December 2021
Retail sales jumped 3.8 percent in January, rebounding from the 2.5 percent decline seen in December, accord- ing to Chad Moutray, Ph.D. and Chief Economist at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). This result suggests that Americans again opened their pocketbooks more willingly at the start of the new year after pulling back at year’s end. Retail spending soared 13.0 percent over the past 12 months, consistent with the opening of the econ- omy and with consumers who have been flush with cash. Manufacturing production rose 0.2 percent in January, rebounding slightly after edging down 0.1 percent in De- cember. Speaking to the softness of the latest data, man- ufacturers have been challenged by supply chain bottle- necks, workforce shortages, rising production costs and, more recently, the spread of the omicron variant. Nonetheless, manufacturing capacity utilization inched up from 77.2 percent in December to 77.3 percent in Jan- uary, matching the rate seen in November, which was the strongest reading since December 2018. Overall, man- ufacturing production has risen 2.5 percent year-over- year, with 2.0 percent growth relative to February 2020’s pre-pandemic pace. Meanwhile, total industrial production increased 1.4 percent in January, rising to the highest level since December 2018.
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2021 2020
34.195 34.916
-2.1
8.549 8.729
-2.1
Industry Total
Year-to Date
December 2021
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2021 2020
416.338 406.776
2.4
8.294 8.071
2.8
Industry Total
Containerboard Consumption (Thousands of Tons)
Year
Month
Percent Change Year-to-Date Percent Change
2021 2020
2.7372 2.7727
-1.3
33.8477 33.0739
2.3
Container Board Inventory - Corrugator Plants (Thousands of Tons)
Corrugator Plants Only
Date
Percent Change Weeks of Supply
Percent Change
Dec. Nov.
2.256 2.203
2.4
3.3 3.3
0
Shipping Days
Year
Month
Year-to-Date
2021 2020
20 20
251 252
SOURCE: Fibre Box Association
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NEWW Upgrades Print Capabilities With Kolbus RD 115S Flexo RDC Gardner, Massachusetts based New England Wooden Ware Packaging and Displays (NEWW) announced that it has purchased a new five-color Kolbus RD 115S Flexo Ro- tary Die Cutter to upgrade its current printing capabilities. The German-built, fully servo Kolbus RD115S will replace NEWW’s existing 2008 115-inch six-color Hycorr Rotary Die Cutter. The RD 115S is the newest innovation from Kolbus, featuring advanced technology including image stretch/ shrink functionality, plate skewing for fine adjustments without opening the machine, a feed unit with repeatable sheet separation with servo driven feed wheels and lift grid, and a rigid cast iron frame die cutter module. “Con- venient features like the pneumatic plate locking mecha- nism and the individual servo drives on the plate cylinder, impression roll, and sheet transport make the RD 115S stand out,” said Ryan Clark, Sales Manager, Kolbus Amer- ica. “The automatic register adjustment while running is a game changer.” “After looking into several machines, we’re pleased with our purchase of the Kolbus RD 115S,” said Steve Mac- Donald, Plant Manager at NEWW. “We felt that Kolbus was the best option not only for our current customer base but for our future growth as a company. The RD 115S will allow
NEWW to offer a higher level of print quality and improve our capabilities.” “We’ve seen tremendous interest in our RD 115S,” add- ed Clark. “It’s been building momentum ever since our first U.S. based install at a prominent integrated. It comes as no surprise given Kolbus’ push to become a lead supplier of flexo rotary die cutters. With Kolbus’ commitment to our customers, German engineering standards, and one of the shortest lead times in the industry, we plan on continuing to make an impact in the industry.” NEWW will be the first facility on the East coast to offer the Kolbus RD 115S printing capabilities, and the third in North America to purchase this innovative machine. Instal- lation is scheduled for Q2 2022. AF&PA Releases January 2020 Packaging Papers Monthly Report The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has released its January 2022 Packaging Papers & Special- ty Packaging Monthly report: Total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in January decreased two percent compared to January 2021. The operating rate was 86.3 percent, down 1.0 points from January 2021. Mill inventories at the end of January decreased 5,000 short tons from the previous month and were down 7,000 short tons compared to January 2021.
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Drug Use In the Workplace (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )
Director of Working Partners, a consulting firm based in Canal Winchester, Ohio ( workingpartners.com ). “The number two and three responses, in or- der of severity, are decreased productivity and workforce shortages.” Pil- ferage may also increase, and workplace morale may decline when clean employees must shoulder tasks neglected by their impaired coworkers. Accidents caused by impaired workers, though, pose perhaps the greatest risk. Anyone under the influence of a drug or alcohol can be a dangerous person and can potentially damage themselves or others. Some 47 percent of workplace accidents that result in serious injury and
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States with Legalized Marijuana American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation February 5, 2022
Paperless Workflows Mobile Sales Systems Digital Signage Production Monitoring Mobile Logistics Management Analytics & Reporting Cloud Hosting IT Management Services Cyber Security Management
WA
ME
MT
ND
MN
OR
VT
NH
ID
WI
NY
SD
MA
RI
CT
WY
MI
PA
IA
NJ
NE
NV
OH
DE
MD
IN
UT
IL
WV
CA
CO
VA
KS
MO
KY
NC
TN
OK
AZ
AR
SC
NM
GA
AL
MS
Laws are enacted; not yet necessarily in effect. CBD oil legislation is not reflected.
LA
TX
HI
FL
700+ Plants 60,000 Users North America Latin America Europe
AK
State Law Recreational and Medical Marijuana Use is Legal Marijuana use is not Legal Medical Marijuana Use, but not Recreational, is Legal Note: In total, medical marijuana use is legal in 38 states.
To see a map of state and local laws prohibiting smoking and vaping marijuana,visit https://no-smoke.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/marijuana-smokefree-laws-map.pdf
[LS-49]
Note: American Indian and Alaska Native sovereign Tribal laws are not reflected on this map.
40 percent of those that end in death have alcohol and other drugs in- volved, according to Quest Diagnostics, the national drug testing compa- ny that tracks such matters ( questdiagnostics.com ). Accidents, in turn, can cause spikes in workers’ compensation premiums. Finally, customers or visitors injured by impaired workers may sue for damages. Courts often assume the employer is at fault when someone is hurt at a commercial enterprise. “It’s critically important for any busi- ness to protect employees and the public,” says Joe Reilly, President of his own drug testing consulting firm in Melbourne, FL. ( www.joereilly. com ). “At smaller companies especially, one accident can be devastating.” And those smaller businesses which forego drug testing can be favored haunts for abusers avoiding the pre-hire tests typical of larger enterprises. The problem escalates at high-turnover organizations relying on part time, temporary and seasonal workers. Growing Impairment If data from national testing activity is any indication, employers will face a growing incidence of such risks. The portion of U.S. employees test- ing positive for marijuana, amphetamine and heroin, for example, recent- ly reached a 10-year high, according to a report from Quest Diagnostics. Some 5.5 percent of employees now fail urine drug tests. So what’s driving all this? The largest reason is a culture of impairment that shows no signs of tapering off any time soon. More states are legal- izing marijuana for recreational and medical use, a trend that has helped normalize the drug. Some believe that greater tolerance of marijuana has helped raise the social acceptance of other illicit substances. CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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Another major contributing factor has been the trend toward abuse of pain pills. The opioid epidemic has be- come a significant issue for employers who face the con- fusing task of responding appropriately to the abuse of prescription drugs employees have obtained legitimately or illicitly. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has had an important effect on substance misuse. “We know that there was about a 29 percent increase in overdose deaths during the pandemic last year,” says Pierce. “We’re also seeing a lot more suicides, substance misuse, and mental health issues. Some 40 percent of adults reported struggling with a mental health or a substance misuse issue, according to the CDC. I’m not even sure we’ve seen all that we’re going to see as far as the impact of the pandemic.” Reducing The Problem Employers are not powerless to address the issue. “We believe that a drug free workplace program is the best way to prevent substance misuse,” says Pierce. “Such a pro- gram consists of five essential elements: a legally sound, state-specific policy; a program of annual employee ed- ucation; supervisor training on substance misuse issues; testing in whatever flavor the employer thinks appropriate; and finally, a plan (such as an Employee Assistance Pro- gram) to help people who may have a problem or may be on the verge of a problem.” Drug Use In the Workplace (CONT’D FROM PAGE 12)
A successful program starts with a written policy pro- hibiting the use of illicit drugs on the job or on the way to work. “Employees need to know the consequences of a policy violation,” says Reilly. “They should be informed of the harmful effects of drug use, how it can affect their work, their coworkers, and the overall business.” Testing is a vital tool for protecting a company. “Most of the employers we work with do preemployment or new hire tests,” says Pierce. The former provides results before the person starts work; the latter sometime after. “Most employers are also doing what we call reactive testing— both reasonable suspicion and post-accident. Those who want to be more proactive can add random testing, which can deter substance misuse.” The more safety sensitive the work, the more likely a company will consider random testing. Prior to starting a drug testing program, the employer should consult legal authority to ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws, many of which directly ad- dress the topic. Random testing, in particular, often comes under varying scrutiny. “Some states allow random testing only of people in safety sensitive positions,” says Pierce. “Ohio, on the other hand, has an incentive program that provides rebates on workers’ compensation premiums for companies that have a drug free workplace, with the highest discounts reserved for those organizations doing random testing.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
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February 28, 2022
CCS HlfPgBCN.indd 1
A drug testing program can be dangerous in isolation. “The worst thing you can do is wake up one morning and decide to start testing people,” says Reilly. “If you get a positive, you then have to ask yourself ‘What do I do now?’” A workplace drug policy should mandate the appropriate action. One option is termination. Another is an offer of a second chance for the employee who will complete an ed- ucation and/or treatment program and then undergo fol- low up testing. Many counselors urge employers to look seriously at the second chance option for first offenders. A large percentage of people who test positive for the first time are not yet dependent but have only recreationally imbibed. If they are dealt with properly, including counsel- ing, they may well turn into excellent, loyal employees. Prescription Drugs Testing uncovers illegal rather than legal drug use. Em- Drug Use In the Workplace (CONT’D FROM PAGE 14)
ployers will not receive positive test reports for use of a prescribed drug. In such cases the medical officer con- firms the existence of the prescription and reports the test as negative with no details included.
This can pose a problem. What if an em- ployee is exhibiting erratic behavior as a re- sult of legal prescription drug use? While in such cases an employer may have actionable performance issues, there may also be a legal requirement to accommodate the drug user with changes to job duties. Here, again, an at- torney must confirm compliance with federal, state and local laws. At the very least, a workplace policy should require employees to report any negative side effects of prescription drugs. “Many pre- scribed drugs have warnings about operating machinery or driving vehicles,” says Reilly. “People on prescribed medications should provide statements from their physicians as to whether or not the medicine will affect their job performance.” Supervisors should moni- tor and respond to any resulting performance concerns, he says. “If it turns out an employee using prescribed drugs cannot do an assigned job, consider accommodating the disability by reassigning duties, or granting medical leave.” Supervisor Training “Of all the tools available to the employer, the most effective is supervisor training,” says Caldwell. Employers should help supervisors learn how to recognize signs and symptoms that an employee might be under the influ- ence. They should also know what actions to take when symptoms are seen, such as a reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol test. “If the observed behavior is a safety issue, su- pervisors must not be afraid to intervene and remove the employee from the duty causing the danger,” says Caldwell. “Then they must investigate by talking with the individual and performing a drug test if appropriate.”
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While supervisors typically know how to spot employee behavior that might indicate substance misuse, it is less common for them to feel comfortable responding. “Some- times supervisors are not trained properly or they lack the nerve to take action,” says Pierce. “They may lack motiva- tion for many reasons. Maybe they’re users themselves, or at one time they were peers of the individual whom they are now supervising. Or maybe they don’t know what to do: They just don’t have the necessary skills.” The solution is to have supervisors sign off on the com- pany policy and seek higher level assistance when re- quired. Evidence shows that may companies have more work to do in this area. “In one of our recent surveys, half of the organizations did not have procedures in place for what to do when they had a reasonable suspicion of sub- stance misuse,” says Pierce. “And another survey revealed that less than a quarter of employers do the requisite an- nual supervisor training.” When it comes to workplace drug policies, one size does not fit all. Broad brush drug testing requirements, for example, may not be suitable for all categories of work- Drug Use In the Workplace (CONT’D FROM PAGE 16)
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Connecting you to smart software solutions www.kiwiplan.com • Intelligent Machinery Connectivity • Productivity/Performance Displays • WIP and FGS Load Tags Inventory and Logistics • Supply Chain Manage ent • Roll Stock Management and Sourcing Kiwiplan has been developing and providing robust, industry-specific software solutions for the corrugated and packaging industry for the last 40 years. It is our goal and objective to establish and maintain long-term, supportive relationships by communicating and understanding your needs and delivering high-quality solutions, support and sales service. Front Office • Enterprise Sales Processing • Costing and Pricing • Messaging and Portals Business Intelligence • Data Warehouse • Dashboards and Analysis Tools Manufacturing • Corrugator Scheduling • Automated Scheduling Corrugator and Converting • Productio Control and Shop Flo r • Quality Management
ers. Employees in safety critical jobs, who drive vehicles, or who interface with clients, may be subject to one set of policies. Those in accounting and sales may be subject to another. Now, finally, we can address the conundrum posed by this article’s opening story. An employee requested per- mission to smoke medically prescribed marijuana on the job. The insights from experts quoted above might cast some light on the puzzle. How should the employer re- spond? For the supervisor in charge of the employee, the an- swer was clear: “I said I couldn’t allow it. Doing so would set a bad precedent for the rest of the employees. To me, it’s like alcohol—if we find someone drinking on the job they’re not going to be here for long because they violat- ed our policy of no tolerance.” The employer’s attorney supported his decision, adding a critical detail: Any sub- stance illegal at the federal level can be banned from the work premises regardless of state law. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
• WIP and FGS Tracking • Material Management • Procurement and Inventory Control • Truck/Transport Scheduling www.kiwiplan.com
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So Your State Has Legalized Marijuana. . . Has your state legalized marijuana for recreational or medical use? Or is it expected to do so? You may be won- dering how the conflict between federal and state law will affect your ability to test your employees for marijuana and prohibit its use. Here’s some insights into an evolving sit- uation. “It is still legal to test for marijuana in every jurisdiction,” says Nancy N. Delogu, shareholder in the Washington, D.C. office of Littler Mendelson, the nation’s largest law firm defending employers in labor disputes ( littler.com ). “And it is still legal to decline to hire or employ workers who use marijuana for recreational purposes.” One caveat, says Delogu: If you don’t want to know if your employees are using marijuana, don’t test for it. “Knowing that someone uses marijuana and failing to take steps to ensure that he or she doesn’t work while impaired could lead to liability if the employee does something that harms a third person.” As for medical use of marijuana, know your state law. “In a few states that ask employers to accommodate med- ical marijuana use, terminating the worker following a pos- itive test without evidence of impairment could be risky,” says Delogu. “In New York, for example, if marijuana is be- ing used for medicinal reasons the employer might have Drug Use In the Workplace (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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Colbert Packaging Continues To Invest In Print Technology
to determine whether it could accommodate that worker in some way so as to permit effective work.” (Although, to date, no court has held that an employer must accommo- date such use while federal law differs). Finally, says Delogu, it is “absolutely and everywhere” allowable to terminate any employee who brings the mar- ijuana substance into the workplace. The insights above are provisional, so consult with your attorney about your own state and local legislation. “It’s important to know the current law in your jurisdiction and to watch for updates,” says Delogu. “This area of the law is very dynamic and changing all the time.” Phillip M. Perry is an award-winning business journalist whose byline has appeared over 3,000 times in the na- tion’s business press. Contact him at phil@pmperry.com . Drug Use In the Workplace (CONT’D FROM PAGE 20)
Kenosha, Wisconsin based Colbert Packaging Corpora- tion reports that recent investments in printing technology and equipment are evidence of working a strategic plan to satisfy secondary packaging needs of pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare manufacturers in North America. At a time when many firms have scaled back invest- ments due to economic uncertainty, Colbert Packaging has demonstrated industry leadership by its continued investment in printing technology and equipment for sus- tainable paperboard packaging. For example, the new outsert folder and tabber tack- le complex pharmaceutical inserts/outserts with patented folding procedures. The folder produces RTA (right-turn- angle) cross-folded outserts. The tabber complements
Colbert’s secondary packaging capabilities, bringing more specialty packaging functions under one roof, an added benefit for compli- ance with stringent customer audit require- ments. The recent addition of a vision inspection system in the Elkhart, Indiana location means all Colbert Packaging operations are 100% vision inspection capable, enabling defect detection without disrupting the production run—an important distinction for pharma and consumer brand managers. Other ancillary support equipment added in recent months includes GenieCut inline windowing equipment, which gives customers the added benefit of product visibility within the folding carton. The GenieCut technology is unique in that it eliminates glue pots, allows for custom application of adhesive, and ap- plies a film window to the carton inline on the folder-gluer. For protection against product counterfeit- ing and improved efficiency, Colbert has add- ed the ability to serialize folding cartons with customer-specific sequential data. “This is particularly valuable to our pharma- ceutical and healthcare customers,” says Col- bert Packaging President John Lackner. “The growing concern and demand for serialization played into our strategic plans for growth, and there will be more news to come about our continued investment in printing equipment designed to increase capacity and offer our customers even more internal capabilities. “As a leader in the secondary packaging in- dustry, these capital investments demonstrate a significant commitment to our customers, employees and suppliers. We are well-posi- tioned to work together into the future.”
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Truck. Loads. More.
Corrugated printing has gone from basic to beautiful in 10 years. With the explosion of packaging demands and shorter print runs, speed has become the #1 capacity driver.
One of our customers tells us automated complete plate cleaning in < 4 minutes adds 25% capacity in a working week with FlexoCleanerBrush™
He calls it ‘Truckloads More Capacity’. You can do your own math.
SUPPLIER REPORTS 2022 (PART 4)
AMERICAN BALER COMPANY Bellevue, Ohio: Mike Schwinn reports, “New for 2022 from American Baler are faster balers. With more produc-
Our competition often uses a larger cylinder to make the same bale weight as the American Baler. American also has the only tier in the industry that pulls the wire from the other side of the baler to the twister/cut- ter assembly. All other manufactures try to push the wire across to a separate twister/cutter system. American’s sys- tem is all in one and pulls the wire across – 100 percent of the time. “The easy to operate with 10-inch touch screen makes managing the bale process simple. Together with the strongest dealer network specializing in balers – Ameri- can Baler Company is your best bet.” Call (419) 366-1549, mschwinn@americanbaler.com ADVANCED EQUIPMENT SALES Souderton, Pennsylvania: Jeff Dietterich reports, “Like many of our customers in the box and carton industry, 2021 was a banner year for business at AES, as well as a challenge to continually adapt to rapidly changing cir- cumstances from Covid and other external forces. The ‘box boom’ of 21’ shows no sign of slowing down in 2022, and we are busier than ever installing new scrap collection and baling systems and equipment to help our custom-
tive die cutters and wider shredders, we have increased our horsepower on a few models. The typical corru- gated plant operating a 40x30 feed opening and twin thirty horsepower has a capacity of about 14,200 cubic feet per hour (cf/h), such as our most popular model, the model PAC4029-
Mike Schwinn
8T30. By adding the Twin 50, we increase about 20 per- cent, such as the model 5029NN-10T50. We have also added wider baler options with a 50x42 hopper, model 5042WN-10T50, up to 20,000 cf/h (40 percent increase). The model 7242WN-10T50 features a capacity of 23,000 cf/h, an increase of 62 percent. “These new models add to our already successful bal- er lineup. Corrugating customers tell us they want heavy dense bale – not only for fewer trips loading and unloading trucks, but less wire cost, safer stacking bales and elimi- nation of that trail of falloff material from the baler to the trailer! American Baler has the best single cylinder tension system (copied by many) that assures the heaviest bales.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
Do you need printed sheets? We have your answer.. Introducing Heartland’s ColorCorr. This is “flexo-printing in the round”. On our corrugator we can print up to 109” wide. The advantage is that we can print the equivalent of ½ roll at a time and not be required to keep several rolls of very expensive preprinted paper on the floor. Much less waste and risk. In continual print mode, we use either laser-engraved rubber rolls or solid rubber rolls to print a “flood coat” or a repeating pattern. If we are printing a repeating pattern, we can run a two-color design on the paper. Customers have found that running sheets we print can allow them to run a lighter-grade due to reduced caliper loss, and in some cases eliminate one or more machine passes.
For more information contact: Charlie Freeman | 816-500-8889 | cfreeman@heartlandsheets.com Tim Kramer | 816-841-8317 | color@heartlandsheets.com
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Supplier Reports, Part 4 (CONT’D FROM PAGE 24)
we’ve had many customers qualify for rebates or credits from their power generation company because of the re- duced demand on the grid. “Everyone is experiencing longer lead times for equip- ment and supplies, and recycling equipment is no excep- tion. With ‘just in time deliveries’ a thing of the past, we encourage our customers to plan well in advance for up- grading their baler, hogger, or other capital equipment, and to consider buying spares at the time of order. We’re seeing the used equipment market tighten as well. We have always stressed preventive maintenance as the best line of defense for scrap systems and in turn, the man- ufacturing process. On this subject, service departments are busier than ever. When time is of the essence, our AES Vtech program ( aesvtech.net ) brings a technician to your site virtually to diagnose problems and guide your maintenance staff with repairs on your schedule, including after-hours and weekends. It’s like telemedicine for your baler! Our customers have found this to be a nice comple- ment to our in-person field service. “We’re excited to announce the launch of our new website this February, complete with new branding and more customer-centered content. The site is designed to offer users an interactive, mobile-friendly experience that makes it easy to navigate AES’s many products and services. AES places a high value on helping customers achieve greater profitability, productivity, and sustainabil- CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
ers meet the demand for their products. We’ve worked hard to engineer solutions that not only efficiently manage
scrap and trim, but also help address today’s hot-button issues, including labor shortages, rising energy costs, and longer lead times for equipment and materials. “Scrap collection system automa- tions that deliver labor savings can provide meaningful relief for staffing
shortages while bringing efficiencies to the production floor. AES has made labor savings and efficiency a priori- ty in our system designs, developing products and imple- mentation strategies to help our customers do just that. “Demand remains high for our AirShark rotary material separator, and we continue to find new ways to apply this technology to both traditional and non-traditional uses in packaging, paper converting and other industries. We’ve helped many customers achieve peak efficiency in their scrap system by pairing the AirShark with a Fresh Air In- take System. This combination delivers cost saving up- front as well as year over year, much of this attributed to the elimination of costly dust collectors and their associat- ed permitting, combustible dust issues and ongoing main- tenance expenses. As a side benefit, this type of system eliminates negative pressure problems in the plant, and Jeff Dietterich
Convey with Confidence ™ AES is a leading provider of integrated turnkey systems for scrap collection, baling, and dust control, with custom-built solutions designed to meet the unique challenges of your industry.
SCRAP COLLECTION & BALING SYSTEMS
NFPA-COMPLIANT DUST CONTROL SOLUTIONS
YOUR PARTNER IN PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
NEW & USED EQUIPMENT | VIRTUAL SITE VISITS | 24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE
535 HAGEY ROAD, SOUDERTON, PA 18964 (800) 572-9998 | SALES@AESALES.NET | WWW.AESALES.NET CONVEY WI TH CONF IDENCE ™
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