BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 39 years July 24, 2023 VOL. 39, NO. 30
Crushing The Box: The Secrets Of Visionary Thinkers BY SUSAN ROBERTSON When we think about famous visionary thinkers, we subconsciously as- sume that they have some magic characteristic that the rest of don’t have or can’t achieve. But in reality, the only magic they have is an intuitive understanding of how to avoid some very common creative thinking blocks. One of those blocks is the Curse of Knowledge, a cog- nitive bias, or mental shortcut, that all humans share.
WestRock To Close Box Plant In St. Louis
Atlanta, Georgia based WestRock Company will be closing its corrugated container plant in St. Louis, Missouri as of September 15. The closure affects 52 people who work at the fa- cility, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act letter filed with the Missouri Department of Higher Edu- cation & Workforce Development. The layoffs include 10 stackers, seven shipping staff and maintenance and produc- tion workers, as reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In May, WestRock announced plans to per- manently cease operations at its paper mill in North Charleston, South Carolina, which employs 500 people, citing high operating costs and the need for significant capital in- vestment. The company said it was planning to exit the unbleached saturating kraft paper business when the shutdown is completed. In May, WestRock announced its fiscal re- sults for the second quarter with net sales of $5.3 billion. “We are accelerating our efforts to stream- line our operations and drive growth in the most attractive markets,” WestRock CEO Da- vid B. Sewell said in a press release.
Stuck Inside The Box: The Curse Of Knowledge You’ve probably heard the term “Thinking outside the box.” And you've probably, at some point in your career, been asked the think outside the box. But without any understanding of why the box is there or how it was created, it’s hard to know how to break out of it. The re- ality is that we each create our own “box,” through this Curse of Knowl- edge. To understand this concept, imagine for a moment that your task is to think of new ideas for salad dressing. Try to come up with a few in your mind right now — don't skip ahead! Chances are, the ideas that came to your mind were incremental variations of existing flavors or ingredients. You may have thought of fruit-flavored dressing. Or spicy, chipotle dressing. Or perhaps dressing that’s flavored like your favorite cocktail. Or your favorite dessert. All really interesting ideas, IF you are only looking for ideas that don't change the current nature of salad dressing, nor the way it’s cur- rently manufactured, packaged, sold, or used. The task was to find NEW ideas for salad dressing. That challenge was not limited to simply new flavors, but your brain likely limited your thinking to mostly just new flavors. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
WHAT’S INSIDE
4 FBA: A Mid-Year Update From The CEO 8 CorrExpo 2023 Announces What's New/Tech Talks 14 BHS Corrugated North America Awards Student Scholarships 32 G.F. Puhl Celebrates 40th Anniversary In TN
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The Price is Right!
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 $ 9 55.00-960.00 $ 9 70.00-980.00 $ 9 70.00-980.00 $ 970.00-980.00 $ 1000.00-1 010.00 $ 9 73.00-983.00
26# Semi-Chem. Medium
Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del.
$ 890 .00-9 4 0.00 $9 0 5.00-9 2 5.00 $9 0 5.00-9 2 5.00 $9 0 5.00-9 2 5.00 $9 2 5.00-9 4 5.00 $9 0 8.00-9 2 8.00
West Coast U.S. Average
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, brokers and end users are relying on the containerboard pricing in Board Converting News to negotiate their contracts than ever before. See the current prices every week right here on Page 3.
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.
Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 lprazych@nvpublications.com
42# Kraft Liner 26#
Semi-Chem Medium
East West
$9 2 0.00 $ 96 5.00
$9 1 0.00 $9 4 5.00
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FBA: A 2023 Mid-Year Update BY BOB MCILVAINE
It’s hard to believe we’re already in the second half of 2023. In the last six months we’ve witnessed a slowing economy, high interest rates and a Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) below the 50 percent mark. And this isn’t lim- ited to the US. During the FBA Annual Meeting and ICCA/ WCO Global Summit last month, we had an opportunity to interact with packaging association leaders from around the world. The news was very similar – slower economies, difficulty in hiring and retaining employees, and inconsis- tencies in acquiring raw materials. Most industry leaders felt these conditions would persist through 2023 and into the first half of 2024. Manufacturing in the US has fallen to 70 percent of normal production according to the Institute of Supply Management. The PMI has been below 50 percent for six straight months, indicating a recession in the sector. Since corrugated box shipments follow manufacturing output, box shipments experienced a weak first quarter of -8.5 percent growth. It’s important to keep in mind 2023 ship- ments are being compared to record industry shipments in 2020, 2021 and 2022 resulting from pandemic-induced changes in consumer behavior, including increased online purchasing. As a result, current demand should be com- pared to pre-COVID times. Shipments were off less than 1 percent in the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the same period in 2019 on a per day basis. (Second quarter data will be released on Friday, July 28 at 4:30 p.m. ET). To help individual companies benchmark performance against the industry, FBA has published the North Amer- ican Industry Classification System, Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Report, FBA Annual Report, and Key Perfor- mance Indicators Survey and Sheet Plant Operating Ratio Survey to participating companies. In addition, the FBA team planned and executed the FBA Annual Meeting and ICCA/WCO Global Summit held in Alberta, Canada. Bryan Hollenbach, FBA’s new chairman, and ICCA chairman Mike LaFave, led us through three days of excellent presenta- tions and activities. At the meeting, our membership voted to add Joe Palmeri, Jr. (Jamestown Container), Juan Pablo Perez (Smurfit Kappa NA) and Clay Shaw (Batavia Contain- er) to the FBA Board of Directors for the 2023-2026 term. We would like to welcome them to the Board and thank those whose term has ended for their contributions. Two important webinars were conducted on the Eco- nomic Trends and Outlook for Corrugated Products and the Pallet Overhang research project. Both webinars can be found on the FBA website. If you’ve recently viewed the FBA website, you noticed a new look, streamlined navigation and device responsiveness. We welcome your feedback as we continue to improve the website’s value to members. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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FBA: Mid-Year Update (CONT’D FROM PAGE 5)
Box Shipments ( U.S. Corrugated Product Shipments) Industry Shipments In Billions of Square Feet Month December 2022
We’d also like to welcome Peachtree Packaging & Dis- play, Coastal Container and Merrill Industries, three new FBA member companies in 2023. Our association and in- dustry appreciate your support. During the second half of 2023, FBA will work with the Corrugated Packaging Alliance to communicate the cor- rugated industry’s latest Life Cycle Assessment. This re- port will show improvements made from 2014 – 2020 to reduce the environmental impact of corrugated products including the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, and end of life. We expect state legislative activity affecting packaging to continue throughout the year. As the voice for the cor- rugated industry, FBA will work closely with the AF&PA to communicate any movement on major legislative issues such as Extended Producer Responsibility and others that may impact your business. The Corrugated Industry Promotion Program continues to gain followers on social media and deliver messaging about the benefits of corrugated boxes. FBA will help sup- port the Box to Nature campaign by working with mem- bers to place a recycling message on the top flap of the corrugated box. Our industry is facing challenges once again in 2023. This is nothing new for us. We will continue to persevere and be stronger as a result. Bob McIlvaine is the President/CEO of the FBA. Are you getting a clean cut? Now you can!
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2022 2021
30.124 34.180
-11.9
7.927 8.545
-7.2
Industry Total
Year-to Date
December 2022
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2022 2021
400.520 416.189
-3.8
7.979 8.291
-3.8
Industry Total
Containerboard Consumption (Thousands of Tons)
Year
Month
Percent Change Year-to-Date Percent Change
2022 2021
2.4260 2.7360
-11.3
32.5461 33.8321
-3.8
Container Board Inventory - Corrugator Plants (Thousands of Tons)
Corrugator Plants Only
Date
Percent Change Weeks of Supply
Percent Change
Dec. Nov.
2.2603 2.2586
0.1
3.5 3.6
-2.8
Shipping Days
Year
Month
Year-to-Date
2022 2021
19 20
251 251
SOURCE: Fibre Box Association
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CorrExpo 2023 Announces What’s New/Tech Talks Presentations Innovation and advancements will take center stage at the Huntington Convention Center. Back by popular demand, the What’s New/Tech Talks Sessions will be part of the conference program at CorrExpo 2023 on August 28-30 in Cleveland, Ohio.
tional, Amtech Software, Ducker-Ringwood, Durst Image Technology, EFI, eProductivity Software, Haire Group, HP Inc., HighCon, JB Machinery Inc., Kento Digital Printing, Kolbus America, SERRA, SRC America, SUN Automation Group, and Valmet. Be sure you are on the show floor at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland from 1-2pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 29 and 30 for these not-to-miss sessions. Another not-to-miss event takes place at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Tuesday night. This year's speakers include Bob Chapman, Chairman & CEO of Bar- ry-Wehmiller, who will deliver the keynote on “Truly Human Leadership: The Skills and Courage to Care.” Mark Schulman, the famed drummer for P!nk, Foreign- er, Billy Idol, and Cher, will give the closing keynote. The pre-show event on August 27 centers on “Effective Methods to Maximize Diecutting Productivity.” The com- prehensive one-day course enables students to better comprehend why equipment ifferences, general mainte- nance needs, and subtle structural design differences in- fluence quality and profitabiity for corrugated converters. CorrExpo 2023 provides industry decision makers with a variety of unique connections through networking events, educational opportunities, and an extensive show floor. Early bird registration rates end July 28. Rates for the multi-discount tiered pricing program for Box Plants and Converters increase on July 30. Learn more and register online at correxpo.org .
Held on the main stage of the exhibit floor, the sessions feature seven-minute presentations from CorrExpo exhib- itors showcasing the industry’s latest developments and innovations. This is your front row ticket to see the latest and great- est from AG Stacker, Alliance Machine Systems Interna-
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NAM: Manufacturers Make Progress On Diversity, Equity And Inclusion BY CHAD MOUTRAY Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts have a lot of payoffs: they widen talent pipelines, increase retention
“Our 2019 analysis finds that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile — up from 21 percent in 2017 and 15 percent in 2014.” So what are manufacturers doing to strengthen DE&I in their workplaces? A newly updated survey from the Man- ufacturing Institute (MI) and Keybridge has the answers. The Survey Says The MI and Keybridge conducted their inaugural DE&I benchmarking survey in October 2021, and manufactur- ers’ DE&I efforts have grown a lot since then. One year later, the MI and Keybridge repeated the survey, and the results are in — along with recommendations for manufac- turers seeking to grow further. The survey reported that 72 percent of manufacturers agreed that improving and maintaining DE&I was a key fo-
rates and improve business out- comes. According to a 2020 McK- insey report titled “Diversity Wins,” gender diversity, cultural diversity, and ethnic diversity all contribute to better business outcomes. “The most diverse companies are now more likely than ever to out- perform less diverse peers on profit-
Chad Moutray
ability,” says the report.
cus for their company in 2022 — and many of them have been taking tangible steps to- ward that goal. Of the 60 percent of companies that made public statements affirming their commitment to DE&I, most have followed through with diversity commitments, em- ployee resource groups, donations and transparent updates on their DE&I progress. More than 60 percent of respondents reported that the representation of women within their companies has increased in the past five years. Still, there were also some challenges in expanding the diversity of hir- ing pools. Fifty percent of companies reported struggling with hiring diverse candidates, with 40 percent struggling with retaining di- Companies that have not yet taken con- crete actions toward fulfilling their com- mitments can get started by developing a strategic plan or designating a senior lead- ership position for DE&I issues, the report recommended. Another useful tactic is set- ting up feedback mechanisms for employ- ees, so the company can track its progress on DE&I. For those further along, the report sug- gests other moves, including: • Expand recruitment pipelines by partner- ing with community organizations, commu- nity colleges, and technical schools to tap into more diverse pipelines • Update position descriptions with lan- guage that widens and diversifies the ap- plicant pool. • Review hiring practices to minimize bias, verse workers. Where To Start
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The Perfect Combo Get Peak Performance From Your Equipment with Matched Component Sets
such as by including blinded resume reviews, stan- dardizing interview questions, and employing skills tests and panel interviews. • Standardize the promotion processes by using the same scoring system and criteria for all employees, seeking input from multiple sources and highlighting clear career pathways. • Standardize work assignment systems by cross-train- ing workers, to ensure that no one employee is stuck in an undesirable role for too long. TAPPI Supports P&P Industry DEI For manufacturers of pulp and paper, support for DE&I efforts can be found through TAPPI. The association's commitment to supporting gender and age diversity has become an integral part of its mission. The Women in In- dustry (WIN) and Young Professionals (YP) Divisions were both launched to attract and retain a more diverse work- force, while also providing the educational resources and networking opportunities needed to help advance careers. TAPPI continues to build and expand on its DE&I efforts with the launch of its new DEI scholarship for underrepre- sented students with an interest in working in the paper, packaging, or converting industry. The scholarship was established in support of populations that include (but are not limited to) African American, Native American, Hispan- ic and Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. All applicants must be students enrolled in an under- graduate or graduate program and must demonstrate an interest in a career in paper, pulp, tissue, and packaging. “The purpose of the inaugural TAPPI DEI Scholarship is to reach underrepresented students who may not know there are opportunities in our industry and assure them that the TAPPI community welcomes and values their con- tributions,” says Larry N. Montague, President and CEO, TAPPI. In addition, TAPPI’s PIMA Division, which focuses on management issues specific to the pulp, paper, and pack- aging industries, has formed a new committee with a mis- sion to promote policies and practices that encourage the attraction, retention, and engagement of a diverse work- force, leading to a more sustainable industry. This volunteer group supports the business case for creating and cultivating a DEI strategy within the TAPPI community, as well as within their own organizations. Representatives from many different areas of the in- dustry — including manufacturers, suppliers, consultants, and academia — serve on the DEI Committee. If you are involved in DEI initiatives for your company or have some- one at your company involved in this role who would like to be a part of this committee, please reach out to Lisa Lockwood (llockwood@tappi.org), PIMA Division Manager, for more details. Chad Moutray is the Chief Economist for the National Association of Manufacturers.
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BHS Corrugated North America Awards 2023-24 Student Scholarships
BHS Corrugated North America, Inc. has announced those students who were awarded the company’s annual scholarships for the 2023-24 school year. BHS awarded four $5,000 scholarships and one $10,000 scholarship in June of 2023. To be eligible for a BHS scholarship, the student needed to be the child or grandchild of either a BHS/BHS Robotics employee or the employee of a BHS customer.
Douglas Manzano is the son of Paul Manzano, Program Manager of iCorr at BHS Corrugated.
Eligible students could be attending a 4-year institution, technical col- lege, or trade school. The application process required that students share their academic achievements, volunteer and work activities, and their future educational plans. Each applicant wrote an essay related to the corrugated industry. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 Esmerelda Can is the daughter of Melchor Can Varguez, M2P Service Technician at BHS Corrugated.
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Student Scholarships (CONT’D FROM PAGE 14)
BHS congratulates the recipients of this year’s schol- arships and wishes them success in the upcoming school year.
Sophia Shroyer is the daughter of Kevin Shroyer of the Packag- ing Corporation of America, a BHS customer.
Those interested in scholarship information for next year may email inquiries to hr@bhs-world.com to receive eligibility requirements and an application form. For more information visit bhs-world.com . Hudson Reynolds is the son of Bill Reynolds, Production Man- ager at BHS Corrugated.
Gia Klasa is the daughter of Patryk Klasa, an Inside Sales em- ployee at BHS Robotics.
16 July 24, 2023
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NAM: Make The Most Of Manufacturing Day
turers do every day. But whether a manufacturer opens their doors for a tour or designs a “Parents’ Night” for family members, the most important thing is to find an authentic way to connect with community members, the panelists recommended. “If you are reaching students and educators, parents, even community members, then you’re growing aware- ness of manufacturing and hopefully exciting folks about potentially working in the industry,” said White. According to Isbister, the first priority of an MFG Day event should simply be to present careers in manufactur- ing as a viable option for community members. “We’ve had over 3,000 students tour here, and our goal is to let them know that manufacturing exists,” said Isbis- ter. “Most of them don’t, most parents don’t. Most teach- ers and guidance counselors and school board members don’t have the faintest idea of what we do. And when they walk in the building, their jaws hit the ground, and they’re excited to see things.” While engaging students is important, companies should be sure to invite others in the community as well, Isbister said. “Don’t just invite students (to your event), but teachers and guidance counselors and administrative people and school board members,” said Isbister. “If you get a student, you got one. If you get a teacher, you got 24. If you get a school board member, you’ve got the person with the pen
This year’s biggest celebration of manufacturing is coming up soon in October and manufacturers who want to take part should start planning now. On MFG Day, Friday, Oct. 6, and throughout the rest of the month, manufacturing companies, community col- leges and associations will have their best opportunity to show young people all the industry has to offer them, via factory visits, career fairs and more. So how can compa- nies make the most of it? Recently, the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501(c)3 nonprofit workforce development and education affiliate, hosted a webinar to share tips, insights and re- sources for companies interested in putting on their own MFG Day events. The webinar, titled “Making the Most of Your Event,” was hosted by MI Director of Student Engage- ment Jen White. It included presentations and insights from GenMet Corporation CEO Eric Isbister and American Honda Motor Co. Assistant Manager of Government and Industry Relations Meredith Reffey. Manufacturers can engage in a range of different kinds of events from career fairs to school visits to challenges and competitions. The most common MFG Day event is a facility tour or open house, which allows students, educa- tors and parents to see firsthand the work that manufac-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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Fujifilm Announces Partnership With Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems Hanover Park, Illinois based Fujifilm North America Cor- poration, Graphic Communication Division, announced Miamisburg, Ohio based Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems as its supplier of digital cutting table solutions for the sign and display, packaging production, and manufac- turing markets. Through this partnership, Fujifilm will distribute and sell all Kongsberg PCS digital cutting systems across the Unit- ed States and Canada. “Kongsberg PCS is highly regarded as one of the most reliable, innovative finishing/cutter device manufacturers in the wide format market,” said Toyoyuki (Tommy) Kata- giri, Division President, Fujifilm North America Corpora- tion, Graphic Communication Division. “This partnership demonstrates Fujifilm’s commitment to a ‘whole solution’ approach; we are with our customers from start to finish, offering complete printing and finishing solutions in one easy-to-implement package.” By partnering with Kongsberg PCS, Fujifilm customers will have direct access during the purchase process to Kongsberg cutting system solutions for multiple materials, including folding cartons and packaging, labels and de- cals, POP displays, banners, wall graphics, aluminum signs and flexo plates.
MFG Day (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)
who can authorize things — and that’s important, too.” According to Reffey, it’s critical to meet audiences where they are. One of the most important lessons Honda has learned from past events is that high school audiences respond well to hands-on activities — particularly those that have an element of competition. By offering activities that the audience enjoys, manufacturers can amp up excitement and promote more engagement. “High school students can act very ‘too cool’ — but if you set things up as a competition, they break out of their shells,” said Reffey. “Put a racing simulator in front of ’em, they seem to come unglued. They get so excited to par- ticipate.” The MI has a range of resources designed to help man- ufacturers create effective events — and White empha- sized that those resources are open and available to all manufacturers interested in using them. “Being involved with MFG Day, hosting events, using the branding that’s available on the website, registering your events on MFGday.com and all of our resources and toolkits are 100 percent free to you,” said White. “You do not have to be an MFG Day sponsor. You do not have to be an NAM member. It is 100 percent free for you to use. We want as many companies and partners of manufacturers involved in MFG Day as possible.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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Pamarco Invests In 500-Watt Harmony Laser For Atlanta Plant Roselle, New Jersey based Pamarco has announced its investment in a state-of-the-art 5.5M, 500-watt Harmony laser for its Atlanta, Georgia plant. This major investment, worth millions, is a significant step in expanding the com- pany’s capabilities and growth in markets requiring high volume ceramic coatings from 60 to 100 bcm. "Pamarco’s commitment to the industry continues with the addition of this equipment. The machine going into At- lanta supports our growth in the large roll segment, and the laser for La Palma increases our service capabilities for the West Coast and South and Central America," said John Burgess, President of Pamarco.
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Driven by an opportunity to undertake large cylinder engraving projects for a Fortune 500 paper company and following successful trials in the UK, Parmarco says it is confident that this cutting-edge technology will ensure high-quality engravings. Additionally, they say that the new laser will significant- ly enhance their ongoing cold seal projects for esteemed clients like Con Agra, providing more consistent engraving than standard lasers. The Harmony laser, fully equipped with the latest soft- ware and hardware from ALE, including Twin Track tech- nology, will provide the Atlanta plant with dual laser ca- pacity for engraving Jumbo rolls, improving operational efficiency and product quality. In parallel to the expansion, the Atlanta plant will trans- fer one of their newest 3.5M 500-watt lasers to the La Palma plant. This laser will be upgraded with new soft- ware and hardware, also supporting the advanced ALE Twin Track technology. This strategic move is designed to enhance their graphic design capabilities and boost the overall laser engraving capacity. Pamarco anticipates both systems to be operational by the end of the first quarter of 2024. For more information, visit pamarco.com . Pamarco's new Harmony laser engraves an anilox roll.
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Visionary Thinkers (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1)
ideas like: • Salad dressing that you heat in the microwave (not cold). • Dressing for fruit, or for meat (not used on lettuce). • A powder whose full flavor is activated when it contacts the moisture of the lettuce (not liquid). • Salad dressing in the form of a wrap, so you can eat the salad on the go (salad isn’t served on a plate). • Salad dressing in the form of an edible skewer (salad isn’t eaten with a fork). As you can see, the nature of the ideas that arise after crushing the imbedded assumptions is dramatically differ- ent from the ideas that came before. That’s because your brain is no longer limiting your cre- ativity with artificial guardrails that may not actually exist and that you weren’t even consciously aware of. Interest- ingly, the more expertise you have in an area, the more of these limiting assumptions you have subconsciously im- bedded in your thinking. So, as an expert in your field, you likely have MANY im- bedded assumptions that you’re not aware of, but that are likely impeding your creative thinking in a significant way. The Cure: Assumption Crushing™ process Fortunately, there is an antidote to the curse of knowl- edge. Assumption Crushing is a technique that involves consciously surfacing and challenging our hidden as- sumptions. CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
Here’s why incremental ideas tend to be the first, and sometimes the only, kind of ideas to emerge. All humans rely on past knowledge to subconsciously try to shortcut problem-solving. We instantly — and subconsciously — call on every- thing we know from the past to come up with solutions for the new problem. While this ability to call on past learning is an incredibly useful trait in many situations (it’s one of the reasons we're at the top of the food chain), when you're looking for new ideas and solutions, it actually becomes a significant barri- er. It limits your thinking to nothing but slight variations of what already exists. The minute you saw the words "salad dressing,” your brain made a bunch of instantaneous assumptions that you’re likely not aware of. Those assumptions were prob- ably things like: • Salad dressing comes in a bottle. • It’s liquid. • It’s stored in the refrigerator. • It’s used on lettuce. • Salad is eaten from a bowl or plate. • Salad is eaten with a fork. Using the salad dressing challenge again, now assume one of the above “facts” does NOT have to be true. What ideas could you come up with then? You might think of
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Visionary Thinkers (CONT’D FROM PAGE 24)
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Assumption Crushing Step 1: Surface your subcon- scious assumptions by generating a long list of statements that start with things like: • Well, in our business everyone knows ... • We have to ... • Our product is/does/has ... Be sure to list some really obvious, superficial, or seem- ingly trivial “facts,” observations, processes, etc. Some- times breaking the obvious ones can lead to the most in- novative ideas. For example, the fact that salad dressing is liquid seems fairly trivial. But breaking that assumption led to some truly breakthrough ideas. Assumption Crushing Step 2 Once you’ve come up with a long list, pick one that may not have to be true, and start to think of new ideas based on breaking that one. Then pick another and do it again. And again. You’ll amaze yourself with the innovative ideas you come up with. • Well, of course … • We could never ... Remember that the Curse of Knowledge is based on experience and expertise. Many people often assume that the best way to get new thinking, new ideas, and new solu- tions is to bring together a bunch of experts on the top- ic. But the reality is that all those experts will have a very similar set of subconscious mental frameworks. (They’ll all have essentially the same Curse of Knowledge.) A better way to generate new ideas is to invite a few experts, and then several other people with different expe- riences, knowledge, and perspectives. Those non-experts will help force the experts to confront and overcome their curse of knowledge. The Curse of Knowledge is a formidable adversary that exists in our brains all the time and hinders our visionary potential. By embracing Assumption Crushing, we can shatter the chains that confine our thinking and unlock the path to visionary breakthroughs. Susan Robertson empowers individuals, teams, and orga- nizations to more nimbly adapt to change, by transforming thinking from “why we can’t” to “how might we?” She is "The Curse of Knowledge is a formidable adver- sary that exists in our brains all the time and hin- ders our visionary potential."
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Bobst Reveals 2023 Innovation Award Winners
UNFOLD THE POWER OF CONNECTION WITH THE
PAPERBOARD PACKAGING COUNCIL
Mex, Switzerland based Bobst has announced the win- ners of the annual Inventor Awards, given to innovators and their patents within the business that have pushed the boundaries of technology to enhance print and packaging workflows for customers. For 2023, Bobst has issued two awards for the first time. The main Inventor Award has been presented to Patrice Chatry and Maude Steiner, inventors of the Non-Stop with Automatic Swords Selection innovation, while a Special Jury Award has been presented to Rene Heinze, inventor of an intermediate dryer for rotary printing presses.
EDUCATION
ANALYTICS
COMMUNITY
INNOVATION
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“We believe in expanding the boundaries of convert- ing and printing efficiency, and each year we see Bobst engineers going above and beyond,” said Leonard Badet, Chief Technology Officer at Bobst. “Around the globe, our business is home to some of the industry’s most experienced and forward-thinking minds, making our customers production workflow more effec- tive. This year we are thrilled to award two inventions sup- porting our Automation and Sustainability pillars.” The Non-Stop with Automatic Swords Selection, creat- ed by Inventor Award winners Patrice Chatry and Maude Steiner, is a sheet pile supporting assembly. The device automatically selects which swords are used to temporari- ly sustain the pile of blanks in the separation station. With efficiency central to printing success, the key ad- vantage of this patent is that job-dependent blank sepa- ration structures can be avoided, meaning a replacement pallet of blanks can be swapped in without stopping the machine and disrupting productivity. The innovation offers packaging converters a valuable time saving of six minutes per job, creating valuable gains throughout the workflow. Presented with the Special Jury Award, Rene Heinze’s From left are Sigrid Wagner, René Heinze, Jean-Pascal Bobst, Maude Steiner, and Patrice Chatry.
Follow Board Converting News on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to get the most current news and information for the corrugated and folding carton industries.
Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 lprazych@nvpublications.com
CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
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Monroe Rubber & Plastic Approved By ISEGA Certification Institute Monroe, Michigan based Monroe Rubber & Plastic, Inc. announced that its complete line of ejection materials has been approved by the ISE- GA certification institute. This designation en-
Bobst Award Winners (CONT’D FROM PAGE 28)
Dryer is a new geometry of intermediate rotary printing press dryer. The design features areas of both high and low pressure and comprises a novel system of nozzles and openings for the discharging of heated gas in ex- change for cooled gas. In judging, the dryer was noted for presenting a 15 percent performance increase over conventional dryer designs, improving the yield of the overall drying process and making efficient use of hot air. “The printing and packaging supply chain is under pressure to deliver heightened quality, speed and sustain- ability. To meet these evolving demands, we must be bold in our innovation and find new ways to boost efficiency — and that’s what our Innovation Award platform is all about,” said Christian Zeller, Head of Marketing BU Printing & Con- verting at Bobst. “We’re celebrating the talented minds of the Bobst team and the novel technology patents that make a real difference for our customers, which ultimately signpost the future of effective printing workflows.” Bobst is one of the world's leading suppliers of sub- strate processing, printing, and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrgated board industries. Bobst runs 19 production faciities in 11 countries and employs more than 6,100 people around the world.
sures that these products meet the strict standards set by the EU Directive for food contact materials. The company says that
their customers can safely use their products for the manufacture of cutting dies used in the production of fold- ing boxes for food packaging. Monroe Rubber & Plastic has been in operation for more than 40 years. Today it is a leader in developing and manufacturing specialty ejection rubber for the diemaking and packaging industry. “We understand the importance of food safety and are committed to providing high-quality products that exceed industry regulations,” the company said in a news release. For more information on Monroe Rubber and Plastic’s line of ISEGA certified die ejection materials, call (734) 241- 7101 or visit monroerubber.com .
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