Converter Outlook Park II (CONT’D FROM PAGE 28)
in 2022, when there was some whispering of recession all the while our facilities (and many across the country) were breaking records with increased volume month over month. I had a canned response when people would come into my office worried about how they were going to get all the work out, feeling the pressure. I told them, ‘These are the golden years we are living, volume like we cannot remember and problems we have not faced before, great problems at that which will not last forever so drink it in!’ “Well, 2023 certainly corrected itself with regard to vol- ume and pace of work with a marked slowdown that again was felt across the country. Inflationary pressures really took hold while the old paper game started from the big guys leaking paper prices downward to secure their vol- ume. Personally, I felt that the ‘golden age’ was over, and we were simply back to normal for our market and indus- try. Price cutting started up again in the field, uncertainty of what was going on with paper prices and customers seemed to simply want security in their own supply. “Recessionary talks really began to heat up with every- one seeming to have their ‘indicator’ that the big one is coming or here already. We began to see the dip in ear- ly 2023 which has carried through most of this year. Was that simply the boon being over or a signal of much harder times ahead? My prognostication is that our mild reces- sion started for our industry in early 2023, was shallow throughout the year and as we have seen bookings again
empowering the salesforce. This collective pursuit of ex- cellence aligns with our vision of industry success. This approach ensures our ability to thrive, regardless of mar- ket fluctuations. Acknowledging the challenges ahead, our optimism remains based on our focus on core princi- ples that have proven successful. In the past eight years, we have doubled our packaging group through acquisi- tions and organic growth, boasting 14 box plants across 23 facilities. Our founder, Ben Fiterman's timeless wisdom rings true: ‘Take care of your customers and take care of your people; the rest will take care of itself.’ These endur- ing words guide Liberty Diversified International's mission, transcending time and shaping our path forward.” VALLEY CONTAINER Bridgeport, Connecticut: Robert Niedermeier reports, “Looking forward to understanding what the new year will bring is always a challenge in any environment. Typically, we follow the age-old adage of whether or not past performance will trend towards future results. The environment over the past few years has proven to be anything but typical from the hang- over from a worldwide pandemic to a boon in sales volume that followed. I recall just a year ago, Robert Niedermeier
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Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries Since 1985
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January 15, 2024
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