BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 40 years November 25, 2024 VOL. 40, NO. 48
Balemaster Expansion Lifts Company To New Heights
TC Transcontinental Sells Packaging Ops To Hood Pkg. Montréal, Quebec based TC Transcontinental announced the sale of its industrial packag- ing operations to Hood Packaging Corpora- tion for $95 million subject to working capital adjustments. These operations generated approximately $50 million in revenues during the last twelve months ending July 28. The corporation anticipates using the net pro- ceeds to continue reducing net debt in line with its business priorities. This will increase its flexibility in capital allocation, including tar- geted acquisitions in growth segments. “Industrial packaging is a solid business. However, after operating it for several years, we concluded that it offers few synergies with the rest of our portfolio and is not core to our packaging sector’s growth strategy,” said Thomas Morin, President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Transcontinental. “We are pleased for our employees that Hood Packaging, a family-controlled compa- ny like TC Transcontinental whose industrial packaging business is core to their activities, is the buyer.” Hood Packaging is acquiring TC Transcon- tinental’s Thomasville, North Carolina, pack- CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
BY GREG KISHBAUGH
Even within the most mature industries — and companies — a com- mitment to growth and change remains the blueprint for continued success. Founded in 1946, Balemaster has a long history of service to the corrugated industry, providing baling and scrap handling solutions. Recently, the company’s growth was catapulted to new levels with its acquisition in 2021 by Kadant Inc., a technology manufacturer based in Westford, Massachusetts. Kadant committed to a significant capital outlay, upgrading every department of the company.
WHAT’S INSIDE
The recently completed 18-month-long capital improvement proj- ect included the installation of a large 6-axis welding robot; a new CNC horizontal boring and milling machine; a new CNC 550-ton press break; a new 30-ton overhead crane; and a new CNC vertical machin- ing center with a 20-foot x 4-foot bed to complement four Mazak ma- chining centers and a Bosh CNC punch that were in place before the 2021 acquisition. “It’s amazing to witness the transformation over the years,” said Scott Golinski, Operations Manager, who has served with the company for more than 30 years. “I started at Balemaster straight out of college. CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 From left, Josh Rykard, Sales Manager; Scott Golinski, Operations Manag- er; and George Orenchak, President, have overseen Balemaster’s expansion and continued growth.
6 x x 8 x x 12 x x 26 x x 5 SUN Heavy-Duty Die Cutting Solution Gains Traction 6 Vanguard Taps Ed Wisinski As Innovations Development Mgr. 10 NAM Congratulates Trump, Vows To ‘Get To Work’ 14 EMBA Celebrates 70th Anniversary
EVERYTHING CORRUGATED UNDER
Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a Merry Christmas from SUN Automation and our partners
We look forward to another year of innovation together!
EVERYTHING CORRUGATED UNDER
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AICC West Coast Ski Event Set For Feb. 18-21 At Big Sky Resort Business meets the slopes at the West Coast Ski Event, hosted by AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, on February 18-21 at the Big Sky Resort in Big Sky, Mon- tana. AICC’s room block is in the Summit, Huntley, and Shoshone hotels located on the Big Sky Resort property. The breakfasts and networking receptions will be in the Huntley Lodge at 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., respectively, but all of the properties are in close proximity. The Summit is less than a five-minute walk to the Huntley Lodge and the Shoshone Condos are connected to the Huntley. The Summit Hotel is Big Sky’s premier Mountain Vil- lage hotel with timeless alpine style, sweeping views, and thoughtful touches. The Huntley Lodge is Big Sky’s land- mark hotel offering warm Montana hospitality. Both offer slope side access, on-property dining and shopping, a pool, hot tub, and fitness facilities. The Shoshone Condominiums offer hotel service with condo comfort in Mountain Village. The one-bedroom rooms offer kitchens, living areas, balconies, and view of the surrounding mountain ranges. The room rate deadline is January 16. Book by phone at (800) 548-4486 referenc- ing the AICC West Coast Event. Book online at bigskyresort.com . All reservations re- quire one night’s stay deposit at the time of booking.
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 42# Kraft liner 26# Semi-Chem. Medium $ 900.00-925. 00 $ 825. 00 -$850.00 U.S. Average 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 $970.00 $960.00 West $1,015.00 $995.00 REGION
TC Transcontinental (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1)
aging operations and building, and 138 employees are being transferred. Hood Packaging is also acquiring the industrial packaging business of TC Transcontinental’s On- tario, California plant, which represents approximately 15 percent of this plant’s revenues. “We sincerely thank all of our talented employees for their contribution, commitment and performance,” said Roop Nangia, Senior Vice President, Consumer & Bever- age, TC Transcontinental Packaging. Hood Packaging operates 23 production facilities in the US and Canada. The company also acquired TC Trans- continental's multiwall operations in 2020.
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SUN Announces Rapid Growth Of Heavy-Duty Die Cutting Solution Glen Arm, Maryland based SUN Automation Group (SUN) announced the market performance of its rotary die cutter, the SUN625 HD. In just over a year, the heavy-duty rotary die cutter has gained traction in the industry, securing 10 orders across the United States from domestic box plants. SUN said the rapid adoption highlights the SUN625 HD’s value in meeting today’s high-volume production demands across US manufacturing facilities. “In today’s competitive market, box plants require equipment with low operational costs, high reliability, and maximum machine uptime,” said Eric Aulton, Product Man- ager, Rotary Die Cutting at SUN. “They need machinery
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that can handle a wide variety of board configurations — accommodating different weights, flute types, and cal- ipers — while also supporting increased cut and crease rule demands for heavy-duty packaging applications. The SUN625 HD is exceeding these expectations.” As the evolution of SUN’s flagship rotary die cutter, the SUN625 HD integrates advanced engineering — achiev- ing a 300 percent increase in load capacity, a 500 percent boost in fatigue resistance, and a 60 percent reduction in deflection under load over the original SUN625. This structural robustness enables high-efficiency production from lightweight single-wall to heavy-duty double-wall with minimized operational costs, SUN said. The SUN625 HD comes equipped with Helios, SUN’s proprietary IIoT solution, which provides real-time perfor- mance analytics and predictive maintenance capabilities. This technology is designed to enable box plants to op- timize overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), eliminate unplanned downtime, and enhance operational efficiency. The installation process for the SUN625 HD is complet- ed in approximately 10 days, followed by a 7-day training program covering classroom instruction and hands-on ma- chine training. “The corrugated market’s positive response to the SUN625 HD validates our commitment to innova- tion, reliable performance, and quality,” said Greg Jones, Executive Vice President of SUN Automation Group. “We’re excited to continue setting industry benchmarks in reliability and high-quality production for box plants.”
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Vanguard Appoints Ed Wisinski As Nat'l Innovations Development Mgr. Kansas City, Missouri based Vanguard Companies has confirmed the appointment of Ed Wisinski as National In- novations Development Manager. “We are excited to welcome Ed to Vanguard Compa- nies, where his sales mindset, design skillset, innovation,
TAPPI Seeks New Industry Professionals For Membership
TAPPI is the world’s largest association of professionals in the pulp, paper, tissue, packaging, and associated indus- tries with more than 6,000 members. It is a community of engineers, managers, scientists, academics, and suppliers from around the world. Members have the opportunity to build leadership skills, make meaningful connections, and gain information that will help accelerate your career. As a member, you’ll have resources tailored specifical- ly to your area of interest, valuable event and education discounts, networking opportunities, and access to the in- dustry’s largest collection of papers, articles, reports, and technical documents. For $188 a year, members receive numerous benefits to take advantage of including Access to Ask the Experts discussions, 50 eLearning modules and online courses; the Career Center for job searching and resume postings; six specialty eNewsletters, the TAPPI Connect online fo- rum, more than 60 webinars, discounted TAPPI Standards and TIPs, average discounts on TAPPI press publications, average discount on more than 30 events a year. As a special thank you for joining, you’ll receive $25 TAPPI Bucks to use towards your next TAPPI purchase (use promo code JOIN25A). For more information, visit tappi.org .
retail expertise, and passion will help support and drive new growth op- portunities,” said Chris Cummings, Executive Vice President of Sales. “Working collaboratively with our national sales team, marketing, and design teams, he will be responsible for expanding our presence across
Ed Wisinski
national channels, as well as developing our corrugated merchandising solutions and graphic packaging offerings in targeted market segments.” Wisinksi’s role will involve providing the value, vision, and design direction as the creative point of contact for the national sales team. He will be responsible for sup- porting and driving ideation on key accounts. In addition, he will be responsible for the development and implemen- tation of the national creative processes and systematic methods to improve cross-functional effectiveness and speed to market through design.
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Packaging Machine Sales In 2027 Projected To Reach New Highs The US packaging machinery shipments grew 5.8 per- cent in 2023 to $10.9 billion, according to the 2024 State of the Industry report published by PMMI, The Associa- tion for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the pro- ducer of the PACK EXPO portfolio of trade shows. While the growth rate is projected to slow to 2.5 per- cent in 2024, the 2025 forecast calls for an upturn in growth rates to reach a high of 8 percent in 2027. This slowdown in 2024 is expected to be the next low point in the industry’s usual peak-to-trough sales cycle, typically lasting three to five years. Factors influencing machinery investments include substantial investments in new plants and line upgrades in many industry segments, lower interest rates, and changes in consumer preferences like the growing popu- larity of individually packaged single servings. The report notes that consumer and regulatory de- mands for more sustainable packaging remain a major influence. These demands are encouraging end users to transition away from single-use plastics to more renew- able and/or recyclable packaging materials and set goals to reduce carbon emissions. Labor shortages also continue to influence machinery purchases, driving interest in automation and orders for
easier-to-use machines. Other factors garnering attention in the machinery pur- chasing process include concerns about product quality and safety and the potential benefits of Big Data. A dramat- ic jump in product recalls is accelerating interest in hygienic features and strengthening demand for advanced clean-in- place and clean-out-of-place designs. Utilization of Big Data offers an opportunity to optimize machinery perfor- mance via preventative maintenance, predictive mainte- nance, AI-supported operator interfaces, and AI-based data analysis, which could enable continual improvement of overall equipment effectiveness. Organized by industry segment and machine type, PM- MI’s State of the Industry report predicts that food will main- tain its position as the most significant industry segment, but the pharmaceuticals segment will grow faster. Forecast numbers are also broken out for the beverages, household, industrial, and agricultural chemicals, personal care, toilet- ries, cosmetics, and other end-user segments. To enhance clarity and usability, machinery categories in the report have been adjusted to match the naming con- ventions used in PMMI’s ProSource database. For 2023,
the four best-selling categories were: • Conveying, Feeding, and Handling • Cartoning, Multipacking, and Case Packing • Bagging, Pouching, and Wrapping • Filling, Capping, and Closing
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
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PMMI (CONT’D FROM PAGE 8)
Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Discover the future of packaging and processing at the most comprehensive show in the region offering crossover solutions for any of today’s biggest manufacturing needs to 40+ vertical mar- kets. Brands will find the Atlanta location easy to access for teams to attend, assess the latest technologies, learn from leading industry experts, and make valuable connec- tions to meet current or upcoming projects. NAM: Manufacturers Congratulate Trump, Vow To ‘Get To Work’ Manufacturers pledged to work with President-elect Don- ald Trump to provide “a fresh opportunity … for all Ameri- cans.” National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Pres- ident and CEO Jay Timmons congratulated Trump on the
Sales in all machinery segments are projected to grow yearly, peaking in 2027 and slowing slightly in 2028. The fastest growth is expected in four sub-segments: prod- uct and package handling; palletizing, pallet conveying, dispensers, and slip sheets; form/fill/seal, horizontal ma- chines; and packaging inspection equipment. Other report highlights include an overview of the Ca- nadian market, a list of major end users’ pledges and goals to reduce carbon emissions, and an overview of packag- ing materials regulations. With projected market growth comes an increase in the demand for the latest solutions to meet manufacturing’s greatest challenges. Taking place in one of the US’s most vibrant manufacturing hubs comes the new PACK EXPO Southeast on March 10-12, 2025 at the Georgia World
historic win and urged the soon-to-be commander-in-chief “to get to work to address the policies that will define your administration.” Timmons said it should include permitting reform; reinstatement of 2017 pro-growth tax reform provisions, and an all-of-the-above energy strategy. “We are facing monumental headwinds today, and sector optimism is at its lowest levels in years,” Timmons said. “The cost of business continues to increase. From health care to looming tax hikes, and ag- gressive agency overreach, the policies of today are keeping shovels out of the ground. We believe that we can build on the successes of our previous work to- gether to roll back burdensome regula- tions, unleash American energy security and power the economy of the future.” The NAM worked with the first Trump administration to advocate for the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which contained sev- eral key provisions that acted like “rocket fuel” for the manufacturing industry. Timmons referred to the letter sent Monday to the new president by the NAM and more than 600 manufacturing leaders, in which the signatories advocated for put- ting aside divergent opinions and uniting around policies that support a strong man- ufacturing sector. “Elections may place Americans on different sides, but as we approach Amer- ica’s 250th anniversary, this can be a mo- ment to renew our belief in each other and in the promise of our nation,” Timmons said. “Let’s work together as we did before to define not just your time in the White House but to define a historic moment in our nation’s history.”
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Ciao bellA!
Say hello to Italian innovative excellence with the Encore FD 821 flexo folder gluer. From prefeed through palletizing, there’s beauty cooked into the process.
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Packaging Express Wins Colorado Sustainment Supplier Of The Year Colorado, Springs, Colorado based Packaging Express Inc. was presented with the Sustainment Supplier of the Year Award during the 2024 Colorado Manufacturing Network Awards hosted by the Manufacturer’s Edge. The award celebrates companies that have committed to qual- ity, transparency, and connection by joining the Colorado Manufacturing Network through Sustainment’s badge ver- ification process. Packaging Express was recognized as one of Colora- do’s last independent custom box manufacturers. With over 25 years of history, the family-owned business takes pride in delivering custom packaging solutions at lightning speed, continuing a legacy that spans three generations. Small Business Optimism Rises, But Uncertainty Highest To Date The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.2 points in October to 93.7, marking the 34th consecutive month below the 50- year average of 98, but the Uncertainty Index rose seven points to 110, the highest reading ever recorded, according to a report from the National Association of Manufacturers.
This high level of uncertainty is making small business owners hesitant to invest in capital and inventory, with 54 percent of owners reporting capital outlays in October and a net 9 percent of owners reporting inventory reductions compared to gains. However, uncertainty was expected to fall with the election over. Although price increases have slowed in recent months, inflation is the top concern for small business owners, with 23 percent identifying higher input and labor costs as their primary issue. Filling job openings continues to be a top issue for small businesses. In October, 35 percent of small business owners reported jobs they could not fill, up 1 per- cent from September. A net 26 percent of small business owners planned price hikes in October, up 1 percent from the month prior. A net 31 percent of small business owners reported rais- ing compensation, down one point from September and the lowest reading since April 2021. Following the Federal Reserve’s September interest rate cut, a net 5 percent of owners reported paying a higher rate on their most recent loan, down 7 points from September and the lowest read- ing since January 2022. Profitability remained under pres- sure, mainly due to weaker sales. The outlook for general business conditions remains negative but has improved significantly from earlier in the year. While small business owners are still facing unprec- edented economic adversity, owners remain hopeful as they head toward the holiday season.
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EMBA Celebrates Innovation, Global Presence On 70th Anniversary
Örebro, Sweden based EMBA, established in 1954, announced that this year marks their 70th anniversary. The primary focus of the company, initially named AB Emballagemaskiner, was on the design and manufac- turing of machines for semi-automatic and fully automatic folding and stitching of corrugated packaging. As business became more global, the EMBA brand was established. In 1962, the company introduced its folder gluer (model UVZ-RTZ), capable of converting up to 18,000 boxes per hour — further reinforcing the company’s international presence.
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Over the decades, EMBA has introduced several solutions that have had a major impact on the pace of the industry. 1968, EMBA launched its first flexo folder gluer, the FFG 240. Through its innovation of vacuum transport technology, the company significantly advanced the corrugat- ed packaging industry. With development as an ongoing process, EMBA has launched several new FFG machines, all characterized by a design
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that enables fast setup, high productivity, and excellent print quality. In 2006, the EMBA 245 QS Ultima was introduced, the world’s first Non-Crush-Converting machine. The groundbreaking, patented technol- ogy, featuring the unique Ultima Feeder, marked a major leap forward in the development of FFG converting machines. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
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EMBA Celebrates (CONT’D FROM PAGE 14)
the forefront of corrugated box production. By focusing on customer-driven product development, continuous pro- cess improvements, and a strong market presence, EMBA strives to provide high-quality machines for today and the
The concept clearly exemplifies how their products evolve to modern needs, with a focus on speed, precision,
future. This milestone also offers EMBA the opportunity to express its sincere gratitude to its customers, partners, and team for their contributions to the company’s success.
and care for materials. To address market needs, EMBA has expanded the EMBA QS Ultima range with three additional sizes: 175 QS Ultima, 215 QS Ultima, and 295 QS Ultima. This now pro- vides a versatile machine offering that can meet many of its customers’ needs. It creates customer value as all sizes are built on the Ultima platform, incorporating the same advanced technologies and benefits. This ensures a high level of consistency in operation and maintenance. EMBA has also introduced a range of product concepts under the EMBA Comfort brand, offering a 360-degree support program that covers every customer need. From professional service to condition monitoring, upgrades, spare parts, and training, EMBA Comfort ensures that both machines and operators perform at their best. As EMBA celebrates 70 years, their goal is to remain at
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Lewisburg Printing Invests In Koenig & Bauer Rapida 145 Press Lewisburg, Tennessee based Lewisburg Printing an- nounced it is investing in a Koenig & Bauer Rapida 145 57-inch seven-color press. It will be delivered to the firm’s 141,000-square-foot facility later this year. “The reason why we turned to Koenig & Bauer once again to supply our newest press asset is because, as the leader in speed-to-market, we determined that this new 57-inch press will provide us with the latest unique tech- nology and more flexibility to turn jobs quicker and meet our clients’ demands,” says Tonya Kowa-Morelli, Lewis- burg’s Chief Operating Officer. “This significant capital investment – our ninth offset press – allows us to remain ahead of our competition and deliver high quality consistent projects in a timely fashion in this on-demand world.” Kowa-Morelli did her careful due diligence in crunching the numbers, in which the new Koenig & Bauer 57-inch model is replacing two legacy presses in its fleet to pro- duce the majority of its workload. She specified that the new press be equipped with the latest quality control sys- tems to deliver unmatched eye-catching brand and shelf presence for its retail clients. For additional speed and quick makeready, the new 145 model is equipped with every automated feature to
address the need for shorter runs, highest quality output, and fastest turnaround times. Lewisburg’s press operators and management team will be assisted by two new Koenig & Bauer systems. An
instant, up-to-date analysis of the performance of the new Rapida 145 on the shop floor will be supplied with Koenig & Bauer’s PressWatch system. To identify untapped perfor- mance potential on press, assisting operators in ensuring maximum up throughput, and increasing the pressroom’s overall equipment efficiency (OEE) rate, they will imple- ment Koenig & Bauer’s SpeedWatch system. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 Tonya Kowa-Morelli, Lewisburg Printing’s Chief Operating Of- ficer, eagerly anticipates the new Koenig & Bauer Rapida 145 57-inch seven-color press at the Lewisburg, Tennessee facility.
Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries Since 1985
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Lewisburg Printing (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)
To offer its clients higher end finishing and unique spe- cial effects, the new Rapida 145 is equipped with a tower coater for water based and a Koenig & Bauer VariDry dry- ing system. “Having UV technology on the new press allows us to offer a variety of different effects using various coating techniques that will drive unique value-added looks for our clients,” says Joseph Morelli, Lewisburg Printing and Huston Patterson’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “It is essential to offer our clients total flexibility to produce an array of unique litho labels and top sheets.” Plans not only call for the installation of the new press but significant capital investments to the infrastructure in Lewisburg. “We’re demonstrating to our clients as well as our employees that we have a long-term future at that fa- cility,” says Morelli. “By investing in this new press, we’re giving our employees all the latest technology for inno- vative solutions to succeed at their job. It will significantly increase our efficiencies thus exceeding our client’s de- mands while helping our sales team go after new busi- ness. This investment demonstrates our unwavering commitment to maintaining a world-class printing facility, reinforcing our dedication to excellence for both our in- dustry and our employees.” “We have a long-standing strong and trusted relation- ship with Koenig & Bauer through Steve Korn, its Director of National and Key Accounts,” says Kowa-Morelli. “Koenig & Bauer’s reputation is unmatched with a worldwide sta- tus for its technology advancements. They are the premier leaders as world class printing press manufacturers, and they align perfectly with our vision as a world class print- ing organization. It is a great marriage, and we cherish our partnership with them.” “Lewisburg Printing and Huston Patterson, two of North America’s most respected independent family-owned packaging printing companies, now part of Radial Equity Partners, are making another strategic investment to fur- ther elevate their capabilities,” Korn said. “This new Koenig & Bauer 57” large-format press is a key addition to their portfolio, designed to meet the increasing demands of their growing client base while driving operational efficien- cy and reducing lead times. It’s a bold step forward in their commitment to excellence and innovation. “We are thrilled to congratulate their forward-thinking, client-focused team on this latest acquisition. The addi- tion of this advanced press not only increases production speed but also provides unmatched redundancy in the large-format printing sector — ensuring they remain at the forefront of the industry. “Our partnership with Lewisburg Printing, Huston Pat- terson, and now Radial Equity Partners has been built on trust and mutual success, and we’re confident this press will further fuel their growth and continue their legacy of delivering top-tier quality and service for the foreseeable future.” Visit koenig-bauer-celmacch.com .
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Balemaster (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1)
We had no computers; everything was entirely manual. We grew organically, devoting ourselves to learning about ev- ery new process that came alone. Over time, machine size has grown, the number of CNC machines have grown, and it just keeps getting bigger and better.” “Our eyes are always turned to how we can improve service to our customers, and how we can continue to automate,” said President George Orenchak, who joined the company in September 2021, a month after the Kadant acquisition. Balemaster offers a combination of horizontal auto-tie balers and solutions to meet corrugated and cardboard scrap handling requirements. From laminated single face to 2,000-lb. test triple wall, its balers run the gamut of needs put forward by the corrugated industry.
Consumers expect online product purchases to arrive in pristine condition. Retailers and E-tailers need to minimize costly returns. Shipping in corrugated boxes makes everyone happy. Corrugated
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Its balers’ automatic wire-tier completes the tie-off cy- cle in less than 30 seconds and have touch-screen con- trollers featuring more than 50 information screens. Advanced dust control features are standard on all E-series models of Balers. The new dust scavenger acces- sory automatically cleans behind the baling ram, reducing maintenance costs. The proprietary bale density control system on the bal- ers automatically and continuously regulates the tension- ing force when a paper grade change is made. For wax coated or laminated board, the bale density control sys- tem creates greater squeezing force to achieve the high- est bale density possible, with no adjustments required, according to the company. A trunnion mounted main hydraulic cylinder is standard on all E and EO series models, with 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-inch diameter cylinders available. Energy efficient hydraulic power packs are available from 25 to 150 horsepower. For The Well-Being of Employees Several of the initial investments made by Kadant were focused solely on the well-being of employees. The metal roof of the facility was replaced with an insulated rubber- Due to heavy investment in the well-being of its employees, morale at Balemaster is high.
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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SINCE 1955
Balemaster (CONT’D FROM PAGE 22)
ized roof that prevents overheating in the summer and low plummeting temperatures in the winter, creating a much more comfortable work environment for employees. Addi- tionally, the high pressure sodium lighting throughout the entire facility was replaced with modern LED lights. “That’s a huge boost to morale for a company to demonstrate that its employees’ safety and happiness is foremost on the owners’ mind,” said Josh Rykard, who has been Sales Manager since 2018, starting with the company more than a decade earlier as a Regional Sales Manager. The offices were updated, as well. Originally called East Chicago Machine Company when opened just after the Second World War, the company was a machine shop that supported steel mills. In 1979, the first several bays were added to the facility and the balers began production
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from Crown Point. The office building was added in 1984, and the decor and layout had remained much the same until the Kadant takeover. Despite the company’s long history, at the time of Kadant’s purchase, Balemaster was only a second gener- ation company. It’s family feel remains intact. When Oren- chak was brought on board the two sons of the original owner were still at the helm of the company. The Balemaster management team compares the man- ufacturing process behind the company’s machines as completing a jigsaw puzzle. “One way to ensure quality is to have control over ev- ery step of the production process,” Golinski said, “from raw material entering the facility to a finished machine be- ing shipped out.” The manufacturing process at Balemaster is a dynam- CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 Balemaster’s manufacturing process is finely tuned, from re- ceiving raw materials all the way through shipping the final product and helping its customers with installation.
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November 25, 2024
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Balemaster (CONT’D FROM PAGE 24)
Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY
ic, moving organism, winding its way from procurement through fabrication/fitting, electrical and control assembly and, in time, customer site installation. With its workload increasing over the past several years, and financial commitment from Kadant, Balemaster addressed a number of areas that would allow its con- tinued growth. A higher capacity overhead crane was installed to ensure safe transport between assembly sta- tions, as well as the ability to handle the increasing frame size of its machines. “Our frames are getting larger and larger as our cus- tomers are growing, and the amount of scrap our custom- ers are producing grows,” said Golinsk. “So naturally, the size of the balers are trending larger, too. That’s another reason for our upgrades. Before the new crane upgrade, we were limited on how large of frames we could pick up.”
ADVANTZWARE www.advantzware.com
Advantzware provides a comprehensive system to address the business management needs of the independent box business, as well as the ERP requirements of full scale pack- aging plants and integrated companies. With modules for estimating, scheduling, production, inventory and account- ing, this scalable system supports companies that produce corrugated boxes, folding cartons, point of purchase dis- plays, assembled partitions, and paperboard products. AIR CONVEYING CORPORATION www.accfilter.com Air Conveying Corporation is a leader in the industry of Pneumatic Conveying Systems and has been in business since 1968. As an equipment manufacturer rather than sim- ply a sales organization, we have complete control over the quality of material and products which make up your pro- posed system. Our equipment is found in printing, folding carton and corrugated plants throughout the world. We've been designing, manufacturing and engineering pneumatic conveying systems since 1984. We partner with our customers to ensure they operate efficiently and guar- antee our systems meet or exceed their specifications. ASDI specializes in full pull-through systems trim separators, and NFPA compliant systems with full electronic controls. AMTECH SOFTWARE www.amtechsoftware.com AIR SYSTEMS DESIGN, INC. www.airsystemsdesign.com Amtech offers the industry’s most innovative and com- prehensive corrugated and packaging ERP, integrated scheduling software, and engineered automation technol- ogy. For over 30 years, Amtech has kept our customers competitive in an ever-changing economy with customer digital storefronts and workflows, business intelligence, automated scheduling for corrugators, converting and shipping, proactive roll stock and inventory management. APEX INTERNATIONAL www.apexinternational.com World’s largest Anilox and Glue & Metering roll manufac- turer, providing the widest selection of corrugated engrav- ings and complementary services. Anilox engraving options available from our North American manufacturing facility include elongated 75°, 60°, 45°, plus Apex’s patented GTT technology. Glue rolls are produced with Hardened Stain- less Steel and a max TIR of 10 µ for Single, Double Facers.
In another dramatic capital move, an enormous robotic welding machine from IGM was recently installed. “Once the puzzle is put together and the shape of the machine is realized, it needs to be welded,” said Golinkski. “Experienced welders are hard to find, and welding is a tough process and takes great skill. We decided to auto- mate that whole process.” The Kadant purchase opened doors in that area as the company operates a sister company in Germany called Paal that had operated an IGM frame welding robot for more than five years. That experience aided immeasur- ably when Balemaster set its sights on a new welding ro- bot. “We discussed internally all of our criteria to design this welding robot and brought in IGM, based in Austria, to re- view everything we needed, point by point,” said Rykard. “We sat down with them and designed a welding ro- bot that spans 30 foot by 60 foot,” Golinkski continued. “It’s huge. It has multiple welding wire feeds on it, pre- heat torches and controls to fully automate the welding process of the frame. We’re welding frames in less time CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 The company’s newly installed robotic welder allows for full automation in the welding of machine frames.
ALBANY INTERNATIONAL www.albint.com
Albany International has a corrugator belt for every appli- cation. Our reputation for durable performance is the trade- mark of the most dependable belts in service today.
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Balemaster (CONT’D FROM PAGE 26)
Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY
than ever. As we build and grow, it will allow us to move in directions that increasingly bring value to our customers.” “The newer technology on the welding machine is much more automated, more sophisticated,” Orenchak said, “offering different weld patterns to be able to do bet- ter weld with less skill,but more technology. It brings a little more science to welding instead of art.” “What we’re trying to do is increase the velocity,” said Rykard. “From the time we start to make a machine until we have it on a truck going out the door, we want to do that quicker by continuously adding value the whole time
ARC INTERNATIONAL www.ARCInternational.com
ARC International is a world leader in the manufacturing of roller products for flexography. The latest nano-technology laser engraving in our NC and NV manufacturing facilities ensures superior quality and consistency in anilox rollers.
AES (ADVANCED EQUIPMENT SALES) www.aesales.net
AES is a leading full-service provider of integrated convey- ance systems specializing in scrap, trim, and dust. AES en- gineers custom scrap systems and works as a partner in process improvement to help businesses achieve greater profitability, productivity, and sustainability. Products include balers, shredders/hoggers, core shredders, filters, fans, and specialized dust control and collection systems. AES is the ex- clusive distributor for the AirShark Rotary Material Separator. For a wide variety of new and used equipment on to- day’s market, visit our website at www.acm-corp.com. BAUMER HHS CORPORATION www.baumerhhs.com hhs is a global leader in advanced gluing, camera verifica- tion and quality assurance systems for the packaging indus- try. Zero-defect quality and elevated production speeds are key parameters in the manufacturing of corrugated boxes. With hhs Xcam Box Monitoring and non-contact flap gluing of corrugated board, hhs offers every option for quality as- surance in the production of boxes with flexo folder gluers. AMERICAN CORRUGATED MACHINE www.acm-corp.com BLOWER APPLICATION COMPANY (BLOAPCO) www.BloApCo.com BloApCo has served the corrugated industry since 1933 with a variety of scrap handling solutions, including Hori- zontal Floor Shredders, Trim Cutters, and Material Handling Fans and Conveying Systems. BloApCo Shredders allow for continuous shredding and pneumatic removal of sheet waste stacks of all sizes, roll slab, cores, and carton scrap.
rather than having the work in process stagnant and not being improved. The last three years, it’s gotten a lot fast- er. A lot better. The equipment we’re bringing in is intend- Balemaster’s capital investments have helped streamline its production floor. Orenchak, Rykard and Golinkski all marvel at the tech- nological leaps the industry, and by extension Balemas- ter, have seen over the years. It also allows the company’s commitment to its customers to extend long after the sale. “For us, technology allows us to be closer to our cus- tomers,” said Golinski, “which is our primary goal. Meeting their needs faster and more efficiently. We now offer Bale- master Link, which allows us to monitor our equipment in our customers’ facilities and perform off-site diagnostics. And the benefits it adds in terms of preventative mainte- nance are unparalleled, especially when considering the maintenance departments at many of our customers’ sites are shrinking.” “The Balemaster Link provides the customer a report on the health of the asset on a periodic basis,” said Rykard. “We can then report something to our customer in ad- vance of it becoming a problem, remind a customer that they need service. We’ve got it to a point where we can automatically have an email sent saying, ‘You need these parts, and here’s an attached quote for you’. One press ed to help us get quicker.” Customer Commitment
CORRUGATED MACHINERY SPECIALISTS www.cmsretrofits.com
Leading manufacturer and installer of quality retrofits, up- grades and replacement parts for S&S and Prime Flexo Folder Gluers. Specialists in reconditioning of S&S Flexo Folder Gluers, including ink, air and electrical systems.
CORRUGATOR BELT SERVICE LLC www.corrugator.com
Serving the corrugated box industry since 1991, Chicago- based Corrugator Belt Service LLC maintains corru- gator belts for peak board quality and performance.
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