Board Converting News, May 9, 2022

BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 38 years May 9, 2022 VOL. 38, NO. 19

Great Little Box Company Celebrates 40th Anniversary This year, Great Little Box Company/Ideon Packaging (GLBC) is cele- brating its 40th anniversary, and the Canadian box and label manu- acturer is not so “little” any more. Today, almost 500 people call GLBC their employer. These profes- sionals work across two divisions: Retail Packaging (including labels and folding cartons) and Corrugated & Industrial Packaging (includ-

Akers Packaging Acquires Packaging Logic, Inc. Middletown, Ohio based Akers Packaging Service Group (APSG) has announced the ac- quisition of Packaging Logic, Inc. of LaPorte, Indiana. The transaction continues the expan- sion strategy of Akers Packaging across the Midwest United States. Founded in 1994 by Richard Parrette and Dennis Bardon, Packaging Logic, Inc. is a growing converting plant operating out of a 228,000-square-foot facility. The company has a reputation in the market for excellent quality and service to its many longstanding customers. “Packaging Logic’s core philosophies of ‘operate with a sense of urgency’ and ‘do what we say’ perfectly align with the Akers companies,” said APSG Chief Executive Offi- cer Bill Akers. “It is laser-focused on the cus- tomer with a goal of finding packaging solu- tions. We are excited to welcome them to the family.” Akers Packaging Service Group, founded in 1963, operates fourteen facilities in five states and employs more than 500, including a sales team of approximately 60, throughout the midwest United States. Visit www.akers-pkg.com for more info.

ing corrugated boxes, displays, protective packaging, and shipping supplies). In addition to its 250,000-square-foot facility in Richmond, British Columbia, the company has distribution locations in Kelowna, Victoria, and Abbotsford, British Columbia, and in Everett, Washington. And GLBC has a continent-spanning reputation. Its widely admired people-first culture earns the company consistent recognition as one of Canada’s best managed companies and top employers. But despite the growth, the name still fits. And that’s because it captures an attitude that the GLBC team never intends to drop. Just ask Christine Tindall, VP of Human Resources and daughter of founder Robert (Bob) Meggy. “Did you ever read The Little Engine That Could? I feel that’s what our company culture is all about. When we started out, there were big- ger, faster, stronger engines, but we tried harder and cared more. My mom (Margaret Meggy) would say, ‘You have to give your dad credit. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 From left, Great Little Box Company founders Robert and Margaret Meggy with their daughter Christine Tindall, VP of Human Resources, and son-in- law Brad Tindall, President.

WHAT’S INSIDE

6 x x 8 x x 12 x x 26 x x 4 Welch Packaging Expands With Purchase Of Fosber Corrugator 10 Nashville Box Begins Production In New Plant In Lebanon, TN NAM Helps Manufacturers Stand Out In Tight Labor Market 18 Forget B2B Or C2C: Why Digital Engagement Is Actually P2P

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

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May 9, 2022

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Welch Packaging Expands With Purchase Of Fosber Corrugator

Core Competency

Elkhart, Indiana, based Welch Packaging, a multi-site family-owned business concentrated in the Midwest, has announced the expansion of corrugator operations with a newly acquired 98-inch Fosber Corrugator. The expan- sion will be housed at 4200 Industrial Blvd., in Indianapo- lis. Welch Packaging also has a converting plant located a few miles north of the new corrugator facility and expects to add at least 50 new jobs resulting from the expansion. The new Fosber corrugator will expand Welch Packag- ing’s current production of corrugated products, which will then be used to create corrugated packaging for custom- ers. The 98-inch corrugator will also enhance capabilities to produce specialty scoring profiles and additional coat- ings for Welch’s custom packaging solutions. With opera- tions located in six Midwestern states, this expansion rein- forces Welch’s commitment to growth. ”Welch Packaging has always focused on corrugated packaging solutions for our customers,” said Scott Welch, President and founder of Welch Packaging. “This new op- eration will enable us to improve the customer experience while continuing to make a difference for our associates and the communities in which we live.” Welch Packaging serves markets across 16 locations and two distribution centers with nearly 1,300 associates.

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© Blower Application Company, Inc., Germantown, WI 2020

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Baysek Machines Introduces New Model C-190 Die Cutter

Nelsonville, Wisconsin based Baysek Machines Inc. has in- troduced its new Model C-190 die cutter. The “big brother” of the Baysek’s flagship model C-170 die cutter, the C-190 die cutter has been successfully field tested for three years. The Nick-Free multiple-out one operator die cutter offers the same great features as the predictable and prof- itable C-170 with an 8-inch by 55-inch (203mm x 1400mm) or 440-square-inches (11176mm2) increase in sheet size capacity, maintaining the same speed of 1800 sheets per hour, and the same relatively small floor footprint in com- parison to many traditional die cutters. Renowned for reducing manual labor while increasing quality and production, the single operator “flat-die rota- ry anvil die cutter” has been a popular choice around the

globe for its versatile nature and straightforward opera- tion. Simple to complicated jobs of various materials are accomplished with ease, without the need for ancillary stripping equipment or additional manual hand stripping and restacking. The entire Baysek die cutting process is accomplished with one operator via an improved comput-

erized touch screen, with remote machine diagnostics capability and job recall feature. The vacuum assisted Baysek die cutting method provides a highly innovative and labor-reducing solution for all corrugated converting facilities, especially those facing all-too-common skilled labor shortages. The method begins with a sheet being picked and placed via suction cup feed assemblies onto the reciprocating flat die. Registration suction cups on the lead edge of the die se- cure the sheet to the die for a (+/-) 1/16-inch (1.5mm) cut to sheet margin. The recipro- cating flat die is compressed between two rotary anvils, the top anvil protected with a semi-soft anvil sleeve. Suction cups with- in each die form hold 100 percent perime- ter cut “nick-free” finished pieces in the die while scrap is simultaneously pneumatically extracted up the waste hood and directed to recycling as the die travels from the load side to the unload side of the machine. Suc- tion cup unload assemblies pick accurately counted finished pieces from the die and stack them into neat and clean units, imme- diately ready for shipping preparation upon exiting the machine. Servo driven with optional 2,500 lb. lift table capability, the Baysek C-190 handles F Flute through Double Wall corrugated, solid/ thin/chip board, PET foil/foam/glossy/printed laminates, coated board, single/open face corrugated (*via optional component), recy- cled and warped board, and more. Simple to complex large one-out shapes or up to 60- out small pieces are converted each cycle with no nicks/tags, angel hair or paper dust. Call (715) 824-5300, email sales@baysek. com or visit www.baysek.com .

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May 9, 2022

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ISM: Manufacturing, Economy Grow Again In April, But At Slower Rate Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in April, with the overall economy achieving a 23rd consecu- tive month of growth, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. The report was issued last week by Timothy R. Fiore, CPSM, C.P.M., Chair of the Institute for Supply Manage- ment (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee: “The April Manufacturing PMI registered 55.4 percent, a decrease of 1.7 percentage points from the March read- ing of 57.1 percent. This figure indicates expansion in the overall economy for the 23rd month in a row after a con- traction in April and May 2020. This is the lowest reading since July 2020 (53.9 percent). The New Orders Index registered 53.5 percent, down 0.3 percentage point com- pared to the March reading of 53.8 percent. “The Production Index reading of 53.6 percent is a 0.9 percentage point decrease compared to March’s figure of 54.5 percent. The Prices Index registered 84.6 percent, down 2.5 percentage points compared to the March figure of 87.1 percent. The Backlog of Orders Index registered 56 percent, 4 percentage points lower than the March reading of 60 percent. The Employment Index figure of 50.9 percent is 5.4 percentage points lower than the 56.3 CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Box Shipments ( U.S. Corrugated Product Shipments) Industry Shipments In Billions of Square Feet Month March 2022

Year

Actual

Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change

2022 2021

37.675 37.992

-0.8

8.190 8.259

-0.8

Industry Total

Year-to Date

March 2022

Year

Actual

Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change

2022 2021

102.648 102.938

-0.3

8.019 8.170

-1.8

Industry Total

Containerboard Consumption (Thousands of Tons)

Year

Month

Percent Change Year-to-Date Percent Change

2022 2021

3.1027 3.0967

0.2

8.4866 8.4625

0.3

Container Board Inventory - Corrugator Plants (Thousands of Tons)

Corrugator Plants Only

Date

Percent Change Weeks of Supply

Percent Change

Mar. Feb.

2.2693 2.3081

-1.7

3.4 3.5

-2.9

Shipping Days

Year

Month

Year-to-Date

2022 2021

23 23

64 63

SOURCE: Fibre Box Association

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May 9, 2022

Availability Repeatability Flexibility

When you’ve been in the business as long as we have, you start to be able to anticipate the market’s needs. That’s why Haire isn’t experiencing year-plus wait times on APSTARs. Have yours installed in 2022.

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Nashville Box Begins Production In New Sheet Plant In Lebanon, TN Nashville Box announced that it has officially begun manufacturing at its Lebanon, Tennessee, facility. Since announcing plans for the new operation in late 2021, the company has installed manufacturing and convert- ing equipment and scaled production capacities at its 100,000- square-foot facility. The announcement comes as Nashville Box commis- sions both its 92-inch by 190-inch converting line and its 37-inch by 98-inch converting line. These corrugated box production lines allow Nashville Box to supply customers with high-volume boxes ranging from the largest jumbo sizes to more standard shipping-sized boxes. “Our team has done a remark- able job of achieving a safe startup in an exceptionally short period of time, allowing us to start producing quickly, meeting both current cus- tomer needs and allowing Nashville Box to serve growing market de- mand,” said Scott Lawrence, CEO of Nashville Box. “It is an exciting time to be establishing manufacturing roots in Tennessee.” Led by COO, Derrick Wilson, the Nashville Box opera- tions team is focused on serving customers, product qual- Scott Lawrence

ity, and the safety of employees. “From the beginning, we have had a commitment to manufacturing quality products and creating safe, enjoyable experiences for our employ- ees and customers,” said Wilson. “Now that we have com- pleted the first leg of equipment commissions and have started moving product, we can focus on optimizing and our continued expansion steps.” “The corrugated market is extremely dynamic right now and that has given us opportunities to quickly grow,” add- ed Lawrence. “As we plan for our second phase of capital projects, we are watching key indicators at the national and regional level and are excited for the future.” Visit www.NashvilleBox.com or call (615) 551-2691. New Episode Of ‘Breaking Down Boxes’ Podcast Available Now Gene Marino, AICC Board Chair, and Joe Morelli, AICC Associate Board Chair, sat down during the AICC 2022 Spring Meeting to record the latest episode of Breaking Down Boxes. The hosts had an in-depth conversation, recounting some of the worst leaders they have encoun- tered, the human side of leadership, personal core values, and the Entrepreneurial Operating System. The latest episode, “Start Climbing,” is available now. Subscribe to Breaking Down Boxes on all major podcast platforms or visit www.AICCbox.org/boxes .

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May 9, 2022

NAM Helps Manufacturers Stand Out In Today’s Competitive Labor Market

As job recruiters rush back to campuses and career fairs nationwide, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and The Manufacturing Insti- tute’s Creators Wanted Tour Live continued to help manufacturers stand out in the competitive labor market this week in Freeport, Texas. The three-day tour stop, presented by Creators Wanted Legacy Sponsor Dow, drew more than 800 students to Brazosport Independent School District’s (ISD) new Career and Technical Education Center.

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More than 25,000 students and career mentors signed up online to learn more about manufacturing careers. Students came from all over the area, to get access to industry leaders, including: • Dow Senior VP of Operations, Manufacturing and Engineering John Sampson • Dow VP of Operations for the Gulf Coast Fernando Signorini • Cornerstone Building Brands Executive VP and Chief Human Resourc- es Officer Katy Theroux • Dow Plants A&B Manufacturing Director for Texas Operations Sharon Hulgan • BASF Corporation VP of Operations, Polyamide & Precursors Deborah McKitten. These leaders joined creators at their companies, as well as teammem- bers at Fluor Corporation, on livestreamed panels throughout the stop to discuss their career journeys and offer advice to students. Here are some of the themes of the event: Inclusion and diversity : Manufacturing is “for all,” said Dow Associate Research & Development Director Kalyani Martinelango during a Creators Panel on inclusion, diversity and equity. “For Dow to be competitive, we need to be inclusive. And it’s not just about diversity of gender or race, but thought, too. We have to be passionate about inclusion because it’s the right thing to do.” Change the world, live a good life : Panelists uniformly agreed that manufacturing careers offer significant benefits. From making sustainable products to driving innovations to advancing decarbonization to earning great pay, industry careers offer a lot. “Manufacturing is an awesome [ca- reer] option,” said Hulgan, who oversees two plants in the company’s Tex- CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 Some of the 800 students who attended the Creators Wanted event at the Bra- zosport ISD’s new Career and Technical Education Center.

  

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NAM Helps (CONT’D FROM PAGE 12)

manufacturers. “It’s definitely a lucrative field to be a part of,” said Dow apprentice Chris Thurman. Dow apprentice Anna Green reinforced the point, pointing out that she worked with many people who re- ceived two-year degrees at Brazosport College and “are making six figures a year.” The last word : “Creators Wanted shows the variety of opportunities available,” said Brazosport ISD Superinten- dent Dan Massey “There is something to meet the needs of every student. That’s what’s amazing about this event.” What’s next ? Creators Wanted is working on secur- ing additional financial commitments to finalize a fall tour schedule and reach more students and communities. Email Creators@nam.org to support the campaign. Marius Batrin Promoted To President Of Alliance Machine Systems Int’l Spokane, Washington based Alliance Machine Systems International, a leader in the manufacturing of automated paperboard packaging equipment, announced the ap- pointment of Marius Batrin as President of the company. Batrin, who has served as Alliance’s Vice President of En- gineering, Global Development and Innovation since 2011, replaces Mark Duchesne, who is retiring after leading the company for the past 21 years.

as operations. “They’re in the top 10 percent of income earners. This is the place to be if you want a nice lifestyle.” Calling all women : Women shouldn’t hesitate to jump into manufacturing, panelists advised. Manufacturing “is a male-dominated industry, yes,” said Dow Texas Operations Apprentice Leader for the United States Natalia Muniz Ri- vera. “However, we’re changing that. Don’t be shy. Get yourself up. This diversity is what makes the future better.” Meanwhile, the teacher- and student-endorsed immer- sive experience continued to win accolades. One student said, “They made this a fun and interactive event so that people can get interested and into manufacturing.” Students repeatedly confirmed that the experience changed their perceptions and increased their interest in manufacturing careers. Activities galore : It wasn’t just Dow that brought the A-team and A-game to excite students. • Chart Industries and Turner Industries brought team members to answer student questions and help them explore manufacturing in their own backyards. • Brazosport College helped students chart the next steps in their career processes. • FactoryFix was on hand to provide pathways to career coaching and job opportunities. What young people are saying : In surveys and testi- monials, one point came across clearly to prospective

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Alliance Promotes Batrin (CONT’D FROM PAGE 14)

ate real value for them and for our fellow team members. I look forward to leading the Alliance team as we focus not on finding customers for our products, but rather develop- ing innovative solutions for our customers.” In 2015, Alliance was acquired by Barry-Wehmiller, the 137-year-old, $3 billion-plus global capital equipment and engineering solutions firm led by CEO Bob Chapman and President Kyle Chapman. “Marius is an extremely talent- ed and experienced executive poised to lead Alliance to even greater levels of success,” said Kyle Chapman. “With his strategic vision, operating skills and leadership experi- ence, Alliance will continue to evolve into a global leader known for its exceptional people, innovative products and service, and ability to offer enduring value in the market- place.” A native of Romania, Batrin earned a Master of Science in Engineering from Polytechnic University of Timișoara and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Man-

“Marius has been a key member of the Alliance Lead- ership Team for more than a decade and his experience as VP of Engineering uniquely qualifies him to take on the role of President,” said Duchesne. “He has a compelling

vision for the future of Alliance and I am more than confident that he will continue to drive its growth by tak- ing care of our customers and our team members.” “I am excited and honored to lead the Alliance team,” Batrin comment- ed. “Our people-centric mission is

Marius Batrin

centered on treating everyone with respect and dignity and exceeding our customers’ expectations. The more we understand our customers’ challenges and goals, the more effectively we can respond to their needs and cre-

agement. Prior to joining Alliance Machine Systems, he was the Director of Operations and Engineering for O’Hara Technologies of Ontario, Canada. Scott Beamer Named CFO Of TricorBraun St. Louis, Missouri based TricorBraun has named Scott Beamer Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. He succeeds Declan McCarthy, who has been appointed President, TricorBraun Europe. Both report to President and CEO Court Carruthers. “Scott’s background and accomplishments with growing, global organizations make him an ideal fit for Tricor- Braun,” said Carruthers. “Our entire team is thrilled to welcome Scott, and we look for- ward to his contributions as we continue to exe- cute our growth strate- gies while building the best place for the best people in packaging.” Beamer joins TricorBraun with extensive financial leadership experience, including nearly a decade in CFO roles. Most recently he served as VP and CFO at CMC Materials. After serving as TricorBraun’s CFO for three-and-a-half years and overseeing signif- icant growth, McCarthy has been appointed President, TricorBraun Europe. In this new- ly-created role, he will drive growth of the company’s European businesses. McCarthy will continue to serve on the company’s Exec- utive Leadership Team. Scott Beamer

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Forget B2B Or B2C: Why Digital Engagement Is Actually P2P BY LISA APOLINSKI, CMC The pandemic arrived and brought with it many new and surprising changes in how companies do business. One

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of the most interesting, and most impactful, changes for organizations has been how consumers engage with brands. There was a recent survey* on this very topic and the results were clear. Consumers are re-thinking how they interact with others and have re-evaluated prior-

Lisa Apolinski

ities in life. This includes the types of brands that will get their business in the future. These consumers were much more willing to change brands if they did not feel the brand promise was in alignment with their core values. They also felt that they would spend more money with brands that they felt supported and understood their needs during challenging times. This can translate to a simple construct: the more hu- man the brand, the more business that brand may get. These consumers looked at factors other than just price and quality; trust and brand reputation factored into their decisions. This trust encompassed brands taking respon- sibility to live by their values and be more relevant in to- day’s world. No Longer A Nebulous Concept Consumers are looking for companies that represent and reflect their values, their beliefs and their sense of pur- pose in the world today. Brands of the PPE (Pre-Pandemic Era) could float out in the ether as a nebulous concept with

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no real shape or form. Those types of companies may still try to exist on that plane, but companies that do are miss- ing out. They fail to capitalize on retaining customers as well as attracting new customers. And those new custom- ers may be willing to pay more for the relevancy brought to the business exchange. The antiquated constructs of business-to-business or

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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ARC.5pBCN_AnlxChmbr.indd 1

3/31/21 6:09 PM

Digital Engagement (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)

business-to-consumer (B2B or B2C) do not take into ac- count this new shift in consumer beliefs or wishes. Pros- pects and customers want a deeper focus on building the relationship, having a brand reflect today’s current val- ues and providing the type of support and alignment that makes the interaction feel more like an investment in a relationship. Instead of looking at organizations as one end of a transaction, companies that wish to grow in the current paradigm must look at the who in the interaction. The fo- cus must now move to people-to-people or people-to-per- son (P2P). How To Translate Digital Engagement Into P2P Digital engagement and communication are set up to be much more humanistic than many organizations allow. The focus on connection and community is readily avail- able for organizations. By allowing the people behind the brand to emerge out of the shadows, companies can move beyond the products and services they sell and provide engagement with the people who create those products and services. Several recommendations can be quickly applied by any organization to move past B2B and B2C and move into a P2P interaction. Here are three ways to help move in that direction.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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Digital Engagement (CONT’D FROM PAGE 20)

Many Voices, One Brand There was a time where one person was sharing con- tent on behalf of the organization. Smart organizations, however, have moved to sharing several different voices and points of view in their digital communications. Not only does this allow different viewpoints from a brand perspec- tive, it also keeps content fresh, as many voices make the brand what it is today. Providing different styles of content engages more than one type of prospect, which sets up potential growth. Focus On The Individual In Every Interaction It should be obvious that the individual consumer should be a focus. But what about when businesses mar- ket to other businesses? There are individuals that each business brings to the table for the engagement, and each one is important in bringing a different viewpoint. When

creating content, consider the personality of the key play- ers in the receiving organization. What are their individ- ual roadblocks? How does s/he define success? Always consider the individual sending and the one receiving the communication. Because either way, a person is on each end of that communication. Know Where The Power Lies

It has been said that consumers are now holding all the cards in the business interaction and have no plans to give them back. When organizations look at who is in control of the communication, the power lies with the con- sumer, not with the company. Organizations need to understand this fundamental shift in power to the person receiving marketing and communication. This will help move commu- nication to a person-to-person level and allow the consumer to drive the engagement, which is what the consumer not only wants but de- mands in today’s digital paradigm. Taking the opportunity to bring in humanity into any organization’s digital communications can bring accelerated digital growth and en- gagement. This may feel like a risk to some or- ganizations. However, the new paradigm has shifted this from novelty to necessity. By switching the focus from B2B or B2C to P2P, digital communication can be realigned to meet the current demands of audiences. With this ever-changing shift in consumer be- havior, thinking about how one person com- municates with another has become a corner- stone in digital engagement. This is no longer a passing trend but a new way of being, and the organization who embraces this way of being will reap the rewards. Lisa Apolinski, CMC, is an international speak- er, digital strategist, author and founder of 3 Dog Write. She works with companies to de- velop and share their message using digital assets. For information on her agency’s digital services visit www.3DogWrite.com.

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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.

Great Little Box Company (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )

He beat everyone on management.’ I didn’t understand what she meant when I was 10 years old, but I get it now,” she says. It was 1982 when Bob Meggy launched Great Little Box Company. “I was working for a packaging company, and I figured, ‘I could do better’, so when another small packaging company went into receivership, I bought it. We had one salesperson, one guy who could operate the ma- chines, and me,” he recalls. 1982 was the year of ET the Extraterrestrial, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and the start of the Falkland Islands War. It was also a time when surging interest rates were shut- tering businesses left, right, and center. “When we were launching, interest rates were over 20 percent for at least seven months,” says Margaret, who used to do the books while the kids played nearby. “I re-

GLBC’s first employee ‘box photo,’ circa 1983.

member one of our competitors saying that it was as if someone had turned the economy’s taps off. It was such a tough time to get something going.”

For Bob, doing better than the guy before him meant weathering a nasty recession while managing people in a particular way. “We started building the culture from day one. It’s about treating people fairly and as equals.” It’s one thing to be treated like an equal. But it’s another thing to be treated like a friend, with genuine curiosity and warmth. According to Margaret, “Bob always drew people in; that was just his personality. He would have Pres- ident’s meetings when he’d meet with every person in the company, eight people at a time. That was especially helpful for the many em- ployees who had immigrated from other coun- tries and felt shy about putting up their hand at a meeting. In Bob’s office, they felt free to speak up.” Tyler Martinuk has worked for GLBC for 36 years as a die cutting machine operator. It’s not hard for him to put his finger on why he never looked for a different job somewhere else. He recalls, “When I started working here, I had gone through a few jobs already. I chose to stay here because they treated me so well, the comfort level was high, and it was excit- ing to be part of a company that was always growing.” Indeed, GLBC was always growing. The years between 1984 to 1998 were the compa- ny’s first period of expansion. During this time, GLBC made its first move to a larger facility, and opened its Victoria, BC, Kelowna, BC, and Everett, WA, branches. Packaging Specialist Christine Bilodeau started working as a packaging specialist for the team in 1994, so she experienced this phase. She says, “When I started out, we were

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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handed pagers. Different times. It’s been a wild ride! In the early days, we were a small group, so you’d see the whole company often. Obviously, it’s harder to get every- one together now. But overall, throughout all this growth, the company has held true to its roots. Putting employees first. Including them. Letting them know about everything that’s going on, and where we’re headed.” During this period, Bob and his leadership team were cracking the code of what building a great (little) company entails. Christine (Tindall) puts it succinctly: “There were two things that were always really important to my dad: culture and growth.” Bob suspected that these two goals were, in fact, two sides of the same coin. “If you treat people right, they treat each other right,” says Christine. “They treat vendors right. They treat customers right. That’s how growth happens.” So, when Bob got advice to cut management costs and simply push sales harder, he didn’t listen. Instead, he continued fostering genuine warmth in whatever way he could. And he also discovered the power of transparency and open communication. “The best thing I ever did was start running open books in the nineties,” he says. “I’d teach every employee how to read a financial statement. Every month, we’d review the books together. When you’re profit-sharing, it means people can see when they’ve made a few extra hundred Great Little Box Company (CONT’D FROM PAGE 24)

bucks in a month and that’s exciting. Everyone feels and acts like an owner.” Open communication was also key to the innovation that was gradually making GLBC a packaging company of note. At monthly meetings that included the entire compa- ny, creative ideas circulated freely.

GLBC headquarters in Richmond, BC, Canada.

Brad Tindall, Bob’s son-in-law and GLBC’s President since 2015, said: “If you put five people in a room and tell them to come up with innovative ideas, that’s a tall order. But if you have hundreds of people who are always en- couraged to think creatively and share their ideas, then as a manager you just have to become a good listener.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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From the late 90s to 2017, another phase of growth saw GLBC moving again, this time to the 250,000-square- foot, built-to-spec facility on Mitchell Island that it still calls home. The company also expanded its offerings to include its Folding Carton and Label divisions. Finally, it acquired several other smaller companies. One of those smaller companies was Action Box. Pa- mela MacRury had been working for Action Box for five years when she became a GLBC employee. “When GLBC acquired Action Box, not much changed. We didn’t lose customers. They saw that they were going to keep getting great service and a quality product.” Pamela, who is now the Abbotsford Branch Manager, quickly came to appreci- ate the people-first culture she’d become part of. “I’m so proud of the way GLBC cares for people. When Abbotsford flooded in 2021, we had an employee who was stranded and couldn’t get to work for weeks. He used up all their sick time and still couldn’t make it in. I called Great Little Box Company (CONT’D FROM PAGE 26)

Raptor XR –High-speed flexos –Rotary die cutters –Specialty gluers Raven –Medium-speed, 50-inch flexos

up HR and asked what we could do for this employee in these crazy circumstances. They just paid him. No ques- tions asked.” When Christine and Brad Tindall took on leadership roles for the company, they were clear on their mission. “What was really important to us was continuing that lega- cy that Bob & Margaret started,” says Brad. “How could we inject our energy into this legacy and keep building it for a new, changing market?” It wouldn’t be long before they would find out. 2020 was the year COVID-19 transformed life for peo- ple across the world. And it was also the year GLBC scaled up like never before in its already-impressive history of growth. With the acquisition of Ideon Packaging, the com- pany became a true one source supplier, with new digital printing and packaging capabilities unlike anything else in the North American market. Ideon partner and current VP of the Corrugated & In- dustrial Packaging Division Matt Dwane recalls the tran- sition of 2020 as both surreal and—ultimately—gratifying. GLBC’s long-term employees, from left, David Floro, Thean Cheav, Benedicto Reyes, and Robert Meggy

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

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DOUBLE THE OUTPUT OF YOUR NEXT DIE CUTTER

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“GLBC was our main competitor. Beating them was a rallying point for us. So, when this merger came together it felt weird at first. But then you realize that their people are just like yours. You’re all doing the same kind of work, Great Little Box Company (CONT’D FROM PAGE 28)

to pandemic conditions. In a context of social distancing, how could GLBC maintain its culture of connection? “Before COVID, we would all take trips together – the whole company – to Las Vegas or Mexico,” says Bob. “I remember hundreds of people dancing together on the beach in Mexico. During COVID, Christine had a creative idea for how to replace the idea of the trip by having em- ployees purchase something that would bring them joy to- day. We had a great year, so every employee got a bonus of $1,200. But you had to spend it on something you really wanted, something personal. Lots of people bought bicy- cles and camping gear.” With the worst of the pandemic over, those opportu- nities for connection are on the rise. Brad and Christine both look forward to facilitating those connections—this time with a 500-person-strong team—and feel gratitude for what was never lost. “We’re grateful for the fact that people tell us today that their favorite part of the job is their co-workers, and it’s the same answer people gave 20 years ago, when the com- pany was so much smaller,” says Brad. “The fact that the essence of the company is still intact even after all of this growth is collectively our greatest achievement so far.” Tyler, after 36 years with GLBC, echoes Brad’s grati- tude: “The best thing about work is the people. It’s always been that way. We started out as one big happy family and it’s just expanded over the years.” Visit www.glbc.com for more about the company.

all trying as hard as you can to succeed. And the transi- tion was relatively smooth, thanks to Brad and Christine’s leadership. It eventually became clear that our companies were a perfect fit and could really evolve together.” Of course, evolving during this time included adapting Bob & Margaret Meggy break ground on the new manufactur- ing facility on Mitchell Island, Richmond

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.

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BW Papersystems Marquip Ward United

Domino White Paper: When Does Inkjet Postprint Pay For Converters? If you are a corrugated converter wanting to know the an- swer to this topical question, download the latest White Paper from Domino Digital Printing Solutions. Written by Dr. Sean Smyth, this White Paper examines the latest corrugated industry trends and is designed to

“Inkjet is the fastest growing technology used to print corrugated packaging,” Smyth says. “It complements flexo and litho in a corrugated plant by reducing the number of flexo or litho set-ups, letting those presses print the lon- gest runs, thereby boosting the overall effectiveness of the operation. And it opens new opportunities for innova- tion, creating new business streams.” The White Paper looks at the TCO using a cost model to compare the cost of producing corrugated boxes using inkjet post-print, flexo folder-gluer and litho-lam enabling the economic crossover point to be determined. Finn MacDonald, President of Independent II, the first user of the Domino X630i in the United States, remarks, “It takes one to three business days to receive and mount flexo plates, and over 15 days to source and laminate litho sheets. With inkjet, it is easier to produce jobs with multiple versions. There is both demand and plenty of room to educate and inspire the Customer to consider versioning. The visual and functional benefits of versioning and digital flexibility are dynamic to say the least. Customers who benefit from this are ‘customers for life’.” If you are a corrugated converter looking to make your production plant more efficient while also saving you time, cost and reducing waste, download this White Paper at domino-printing.com. Finn MacDonald

inform corrugated converters about the new capabilities provided by the latest technology developments in printing and finishing. As consumption of corrugated packaging continues to grow across the world to cope with the increased demands from brands and retailers,

Dr. Sean Smyth

in response to the latest consumer preferences and the continued growth in e-commerce, printing production effi- ciency becomes ever more important. This White Paper looks at the different print technolo- gies available, explaining how converters select the most appropriate print technology depending on their work mix with flexo, gravure and litho-lam being increasingly chal- lenged by inkjet technology. It looks at the drivers and trends impacting packaging including growing sustainabil- ity concerns, with all companies looking at ways to reduce their environmental impact.

Let’s Tell Our Recycling Story

Investment, Jobs Created, Tons Produced

Rick Van Horne, Director of Creative Marketing srvan614@me.com Corrugated Supplies Corp. LLC

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