Phoenix Challenge Foundation Announces 2026 Competition Dates As excitement builds among high school and college students preparing to compete in this year’s flexograph- ic printing challenges, the Phoenix Challenge Foundation (PCF) has announced the official dates for its 2026 compe- titions. Taking place in April, these two highly anticipated events continue to serve as premier platforms for students to demonstrate their skills, creativity, and innovation while gaining valuable insight into future career opportunities. PCF 29th Annual High School Skills Competition The 29th Annual High School Skills Competition will be held April 15-17 on the Harper campus of Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina. Open to high school and technical school students, the event will bring together teams from across the region to compete in a series of challenges focused on foundational flexog- raphic printing skills. Designed to promote teamwork, technical knowledge, and hands-on learning, the competition offers students a unique opportunity to explore their interests in printing and packaging technologies. Participants gain early exposure to industry-relevant skills, helping lay a strong foundation for both academic pursuits and future careers. PCF 19th Annual College Competition College students will take center stage at the Milwau- kee Marriott Downtown on April 26 in conjunction with the 2026 FFTA Annual Forum and InfoFlex. This event chal- lenges students to build complete business cases that uti- lize and showcase each team’s technical expertise, busi- ness acumen, and creative problem-solving scenarios that directly impact real-world industry demands. The College Competition culminates in Milwaukee where teams present their semester-long projects cover- ing all phases of real-life, client-based projects. A team of industry professions provide peer review and scoring of key categories to derive top winners. Students enrolled in technology- and print-related programs will compete in dynamic, hands-on challenges designed to prepare them for the complexities of today’s workforce. Bridging Education And Industry The Phoenix Challenge Foundation remains committed to evolving its competitions to reflect the changing land- scape of technology and manufacturing. Both events em- phasize not only academic excellence, but also practical application—reinforcing PCF’s mission to bridge the gap between education and industry needs in support of build- ing tomorrow’s workforce. Participants can expect immersive experiences that go beyond traditional classroom learning. Challenges are crafted to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and col- laboration—skills that are essential for long-term career success. Visit: phoenixchallenge.org .
Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY
SAUER SYSTEM www.sauersystem.com
Sauer provides intelligent solutions for scoring, slitting, slit-scoring, and perforating on corrugators and floor slitters; and glue tab cutting, creasing, slotting, trimming and scrap chopping on presses. New, featured offerings include FRX Adjustable Folding Rail System and G3 Scoring System: the latest proven creasing technology on the market.
STAFFORD GROUP www.go2stafford.com
Interactive website for Stafford Corrugated Products and Stafford Cutting Dies. Featuring online ordering of replace- ment parts. Also, visitors can automatically calculate sheet size for most die-cut standards.
SUN AUTOMATION GROUP ® www.sunautomation.com
SUN Automation Group is the global leader in providing innovative solutions to the corrugated industry. SUN engi- neers and builds the SUN625 Rotary Die Cutter, provides sales, service and support in North and Central America for Latitude Machinery Corporation, manufacturer of Mini to Jumbo FFG and RDCs. Additionally, SUN is the North Amer- ican, UK and Ireland sales and service provider for Para Machinery’s line of equipment, and is the North American sales provider for Highcon. SUN also powers the corrugat- ed industry’s premier IIoT platform, Helios, and is the OEM source for Langston/Staley equipment parts and service. THACKER INDUSTRIAL SERVICE COMPANY www.thackerindustrial.com Specializing in corrugated machinery, T.I.S.CO. offers quali- ty-made products, support services, and more. T.I.S.CO. has a reputation of dependability, not only in the product, but in service and support. With more than 25 years’ experience, T.I.S.CO. installs equipment and machinery, moves or sets up entire plants, rewires and rebuilds - all over the world. VT GROUP www.vtgrouponline.com VT offers prepress services for the POP display and corru- gated shipping container industry including graphic design, optimized digitally imaged printing plates and innovative pre-mounting solutions. Our large-format digital printing fa- cility (Digital Impact) is a leading short-run manufacturer of distinctive POP displays and signage where litho-like graph-
ics are preferred. WPR SERVICES www.wprservices.net
WPR Services was established in 2016. What originally start- ed as a technical services company expanded its product offerings to include a machine center learning platform POWtalk™. Our analysis of video, audio, machine metrics, employee ergometrics, and person to person conversation provides a way to identify safety and process inefficiencies.
48 February 23, 2026
www.boardconvertingnews.com
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker