Board Converting News, January 18, 2021

BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 37 years January 18, 2021 VOL. 37, NO. 3

Converter Outlook 2021, Part 2: It’s A Good Time To Be ‘In Boxes’ Board Converting News continues its traditional feature with three more of the continent’s independent converters as they recap the tu- multuous year that was 2020 and look forward to the possibilities of 2021. Despite the profound business and societal impact of the pan- demic, which was felt by virtually every manufacturer in the world, the converters here, like their fellow box makers did in these pages a week ago, have reinforced the obvious fact that it is a good time to be in the box business. They have shared their business strategies, the occa- sional political analysis and their forecasts on the future of the corru- gated and folding carton industries. They have also raised questions – and provided some answers – for the year that will be 2021: Kruger Packaging Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Serge Desgagnes reports, “Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night in a panic and unsure of your sur-

3D Corrugated Moves Operations From OH To KY 3D Corrugated is beginning 2021 with a new location and new ownership in Covington, Kentucky. Founded in 2012 in Cincinnati, the company is moving to Covington after its operations were taken over by Marty Boyer and Matt Mauser, who also operate Theatre House at that location. 3D Corrugated specializes in corrugat- ed boxes, packing supplies, void fill, tape, and custom-sized pads. Theatre House is an e-commerce and retail theatrical supply com- pany that utilized 3D Corrugated’s services before the acquisition. By operating out of the same location, 3D Corrugated will be able to use Theatre House’s large warehouse. “3D and Theatre House are a lot alike in terms of operations, inventory management and fulfillment, but that is not what made us leap at this opportunity. 3D has been a great partner to Theatre House since we reopened in 2017, and before that too,” said Boyer. “Con- tinuing their commitment to service, brothers Dan and Terry Davis, who founded the com- pany, have personally walked us through their customers and worked with us on the transi- tion in the best way possible. It’s natural for us

roundings? Maybe you’re still dreaming? May- be this isn’t real and you’re still sleeping? That’s what this past year has felt like. A peaceful sleep one night and complete frenzy and un- certainty the next morning. “Prediction and forecasts for 2020 could not have been more inaccurate as the market did a complete 180 in contrast to what the re- searchers said. An independent box plant sur-

Serge Desgagnes

vey was taken from April 27th – May 8th, 2020, to gauge the market opinion from industry experts. I must warn you, the initial predictions were quite frightening. Demand growth expectations for box supply in Q2 and Q3 were... down 6.7 percent. From those who took the survey, 71 percent expected the price to decrease in 2020, 67 percent expect- ed the next price increase to be after 2021 along with 84 percent be- lieving box demand would get worse over the next 6-12 months. Not the most uplifting and hopeful predictions coming into the year. “Here are a couple more forecasted statistics that might surprise you. After Q1, RISI Pulp and Paper Week published box shipments to be up 3.8 percent, while PPM predicted overall box shipments for 2020 to be down 2.92 percent. After 11 months at the end of November 2020, box shipments were up 2.7 percent, which is much better than the forecasted 2.92 percent. Not only were we expecting a significant de- crease in box demand, PPM forecasted a $30 short ton price decrease in 2020, which was far from the $50 price increase we incurred. “Prior to the surge in demand, FBA released April numbers, which

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

WHAT’S INSIDE E-Commerce Has Shifted Recycling Responsibilities TAPPI Academy Online Courses Help Corrugated Training 0 AICC To Host New Webinar On ‘Re-Onboarding’ Employees 12 ICPF Launches Inaugural Virtual Student/Exec Dialogue Dinner 6 x x 8 x x 12 x x 26 x x

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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 indi- cated 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 $885.00-890.00 $900.00-910.00 $900.00-910.00 $900.00-910.00 $930.00-940.00 $903.00-912.00

26# Semi-Chem. Medium

Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del. Short Ton Del.

$820.00-850.00 $835.00-855.00 $835.00-855.00 $835.00-855.00 $865.00-875.00 $838.00-858.00

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

275# DBL-WALL 350# DBL-WALL

107.46 118.45

114.69 129.32

116.54 137.25 117.82 145.56

141.08

122.76

148.46

131.80

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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.

42# Kraft Liner 26#

Semi-Chem Medium

East West

$920.00 $965.00

$910.00 $945.00

AVERAGE CONTAINERBOARD PRICES.indd 1

3/7/19 2:04 PM

January 18, 2021

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3D Corrugated Moves (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )

Core Competency

to continue the awesome customer service, great prices and to pick up the phone for 3D Corrugated customers.” “Rebooting Theatre House, we learned the details of shipping and setting up the right operations for the e-com- merce world. We get to extend that expertise to 3D Corru- gated,” Boyer said. “We get to share our knowledge with other e-commerce providers, manufacturers and produc- ers. It also allows us to get more local with our products and services.” 3D Corrugated also provides customized box sizing, print and storage services and offers same-day delivery or pickup for in stock items throughout the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. Primarily a business-to-business operation but open to the public, 3D’s customers include e-commerce providers, companies in the food service, manufacturing, construc- tion, healthcare, and education sectors, as well as small to mid-sized retail businesses. Because the cost of shipping boxes can be expensive, organizations can reduce costs by working locally with 3D Corrugated because they can order online and pick up at the Covington location. “At Theatre House, we ship all over the world and that is something really special being a company in Coving- ton,” said Mauser. “3D is an exciting opportunity because we get to help people locally while getting to know some of the amazing companies right in our backyard.”

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January 18, 2021

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E-commerce Has Shifted Recycling Responsibilites To Consumers As stated in an article on theverge.com , the fate of card- board and corrugated boxes in the U.S. rests in the hands of consumers more than it ever has been before. In the past, brick-and-mortar retailers handled much of the left- over packaging from shipments. Malls and grocery stores usually send big bales of used but relatively clean card- board (folding cartons) and corrugated to recycling pro- grams so that they can be made into new boxes. Now, the rise of e-commerce, which started before the pandemic, has shifted more responsibility onto shoppers to properly dispose of boxes so that they can be recycled. Boxes are piling up on curbsides instead of at retail stores. The pandemic has only accelerated this shift, which experts expect to continue even after COVID-19 is under

control. One of the largest waste collection companies in the US, Republic Services, saw as much as a 25 percent increase in waste it picked up from households last year — after the volume it picked up from commercial custom- ers dropped by up to 30 percent when pandemic-induced lockdowns began. The company says it’s even had to change its equipment so that it can capture smaller boxes from e-commerce in addition to the larger packaging used to send goods to stores. When paper based packaging winds up at a person’s house instead of at a store, there’s a bigger chance that it could be tossed in the trash or otherwise become too dirty to recycle. “The concern is that when you have more [cardboard] transitioning to the home, it becomes more of an individual choice for consumers whether they recycle it,” says Rachel Kenyon, Senior Vice President at the Fibre Box Association, a trade group representing packaging manufacturers. “We really want to encourage consumers

to recycle because we do need that fiber back. It does help make another box again.” The corrugated cardboard used to ship the things people buy in stores and online is remarkably salvageable. Virgin card- board can be recycled to make more of the same material up to seven times. Once the fiber degrades, it can be used to make paperboard, which is used in things like ce- real boxes. The average box now contains about 50 percent recycled material, accord- ing to Kenyon. Recycling is no substitute for cutting down on waste in the first place, and online retailer behemoths still have a lot of work to do on that front. But cardboard has a much higher recycling rate compared to other packaging materials. The overall recycling rate for materials, including paper, glass, and plastics, in the US was about 32 per- cent in 2018, according to the Environmen- tal Protection Agency. The recycling rate for cardboard boxes, on the other hand, has hovered close to 90 percent since 2011. To keep those rates high, the cardboard industry will need shoppers to recycle the increasing number of boxes from the record amounts of box shipments made during the pandemic, according to Kenyon. By last November, the containerboard packaging industry saw a 3.6 increase in production, according to the American Forest & Paper Association. In the past couple of years, new paper mills have already come online, and others are on the way. The demand for more box- es — fueled by a pandemic-driven boom in e-commerce — is also helping once-strug- gling recycling programs stay afloat.

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January 18, 2021

40 ft of paper travel from preheater to hot plates 3 seconds of heat, glue and bonding 1 chance to get it right! the ZONE

Design & Production

Chicago Electric offers 10 technology solutions to control ‘the Zone’ CORRUGATOR Sectoral preheating plate

Our sectoral preheating plates provide direct heat by means of a double steam circuit, allowing for efficient heating in hard-to-access locations, as well as to act as a steam shower to open the paper’s fibre, making it receptive to absorbing the heat and the glue.

This translates into increased speed and improved quality of the cardboard sheet finish.

The system’s main advantages are as follows:

• The plate may only be used to heat, only to humidify, or both options at the same time. • The plate is sectored, which allows for applying humidity to the sections. • It provides temperature in previously inaccessible locations and near the location needed. • It compensates the loss of temperature dissipated due to distance, speed or limitations of the exiting preheaters. • Quick transferring of heat to the paper. • The combination of the hot plate and steam shower allows for providing heat even to the hardest papers to heat. • Does not dry out the paper. • Possibility of operating as a humidifier and pre-conditioner. • Maintains and improves the fibre’s elasticity. • Acts according to the operator’s needs. • Facilitates the paper’s hygroscopy to absorb the glue and improve rubberising.

CONTROLLABILITY

1. Wrap Arm - Position & Temperature 2. Preheater Direct Drive

DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT

3. Steam Plate 4. Contact Roll 5. Glue Machine Direct Drive Touch Productivity Issue—Glue Unit Many glue units run with a rider roll or a guiding bar system. The rider roll with paper gap allows a precise glue application, but requires frequent Contact Roll

PRODUCTIVITY

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DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT

calibrations and settings. Bar systems avoid this, but compensate this with the risk of exces- sive glue application. The system contains many wearing parts. Solution The contact roll combines the ad antage of both systems and ensures minimum contact between board and applicator roll. The system uses small pneumatic cylinders in order to achieve a “soft touch.”

6. Gap Control 7. Curved Plate 8. Roller Shoe Press When it comes to a short-term increas of web tension, spring loaded systems with shoes or airpressure activated system have problems in compensating these. The system is lifted for a short time. This may result in de-lamination and in the ‘double kiss’ effect. Solution For a defined and exact bonding point of the web fiv weight rollers will be installed usually over the first flat hotplate of the heating section. The rolls are mounted into a frame, which is actuated by means of two pneumatic cylinders. P oductivity Issu —Double Kiss Bonding

PRODUCTIVITY

DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT

Roller Shoe

DOUBLEBACKER IMPROVEMENT

9. Thin Wall Hot Plates 10. Pressure System Benefits —Exact glue application due to defined contact of applicator roll to web. Web is in contact to less flute tips compared to bar systems. • High precision glue application • Less moisture applied to web —No wear of shoes and springs —No adjustment of shoes or paper gap —Uniform glue application over entire working width for all flutes by use of pneumatic cylinders instead of springs — Less contamination by paper dust and glue remains —No jam of board because of web breaks caused by splice joints going through 630-784-0800 Benefits —Rollers secure exact defined first point of contact of liner and single-faced board - No double kiss —Frame design avoids unintended lifting of roller shoe (compared to spring or air loaded systems) - No double kiss —Pressure can be increased or released for special grades or products 490 Tower Blvd., Carol Stream, IL Contact Chicago Electric to GET IT RIGHT 630-784-0800 info@chicagoelectric.com chicagoelectric.com Solution The ProPress system ensures an optimum heat transfer to the board. It offers a wide range of set- tings. The loadi g pressure can be varied, the number of shoes can be lifted in accordance t the line speed. The outer shoes can be lifted in accordance to the paper width. The shoe bars will be delivered pre-assembled for a short installation time. —Liftable for easy paper infeed and for cleaning of the machine —Position adjustable in paper direction to avoid grooves in hotplate Press Productivity Issue—Poor Heat Transfer Rollers are usually limiting the heat transfer, since they often have contact mainly on the edges of the plates due to wear or bent plates. They also cause often loss of caliper and bearing need to be replaced frequently. Airpressure actuated systems can only supply a limited pressure and have com- pared to shoe systems a closed surface. Pressure Shoe

Plate vity Issue—Poor Heat Control l hotplates are slow to react to pressure due to high steam volume and massive y also have high heat radiation and heat profile. Worn plates can damage crease edge crush.

Thin-Wall Hot Plates

t by peripheral drilled hot plates. anufactured out of special wear and nt steel, through which a continuous is drilled, with one inlet and one outlet. ecured by a massive steel frame.

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ance from steam to paper surface results in fast heat flow n higher plate surface temperature

Benefits

TAPPI Academy Online Courses Help Corrugated Packaging Training Whether you are looking for quick, concise videos that address specific corrugated packaging machinery compo- nents or want to dive into a self-guided course that not only answers the question of how, but also why—then look no further than TAPPI Academy eLearning. TAPPI Academy online courses help you succeed in building a solid foundation for your individual or compa- ny’s future by providing flexible, on-demand learning op- portunities that allow you to train your way. Online Training is available for individual users as well as company licens- es. Choose to purchase a complete course or a specific topical course module. The Corrugated Packaging - Box Plant Basics course includes ten modules and covers equipment, materials, and processes. Best of all, the individual modules can be purchased separately so you can quickly and easily ad- dress your specific area of interest. TAPPI has partnered with The Packaging School (TPS) to offer online education to members. Learn more about The Packaging School courses at tappi.org/packaging- school . Learn more about TAPPI online courses at www. tappi.org/basics . Have multiple team members who could benefit from our content? Consider a company license Contact training@tappi.org to get your team started.

Box Shipments ( U.S. Corrugated Product Shipments) Industry Shipments In Billions of Square Feet Month November 2020

Year

Actual

Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change

2020 2019

33.612 32.060

4.8

8.845 8.437

4.8

Industry Total

Year-to Date

November 2020

Year

Actual

Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change

2020 2019

371.553 362.151

2.6

8.008 7.839

2.2

Industry Total

Containerboard Consumption (Thousands of Tons)

Year

Month

Percent Change Year-to-Date Percent Change

2020 2019

2.6756 2.5847

3.5

30.3291 29.7345

2.0

Container Board Inventory - Corrugator Plants (Thousands of Tons)

Corrugator Plants Only

Date

Percent Change Weeks of Supply

Percent Change

Nov. Oct.

1.7912 1.8156

-1.3

2.5 2.6

-3.8

Shipping Days

Year

Month

Year-to-Date

2020 2019

19 19

232 231

SOURCE: Fibre Box Association

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January 18, 2021

AICC To Host New Webinar On ‘Re-Onboarding’ Employees

Attendees will learn from the experience of this excep- tional speaker. Registration for Why You Need to Re-On- board Every Single Employee Now is free to All Access Pass holders, $250 for AICC members and $500 for non-members. AICC members lower training costs with the All Access Pass. For one payment of $1,695, participating companies are given a code that all employees can use to register for every webinar scheduled through August 2021. Each com- pany also receives a recording of each webinar. With new webinars scheduled and over 50 recordings available, the All Access Pass represents a value of $12,500. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org/Pass . Register for the webinar at www.AICCbox.org/Calen- dar . Questions about training can be directed to Taryn Pyle, Director of Education & Leadership Development, at tpyle@aiccbox.org or Chelsea May, Education and Training Manager, at cmay@aiccbox.org or (703) 836-2422. IP Declares Quarterly Dividend Memphis, Tennessee based International Paper (IP) last week declared a quarterly dividend of $0.5125 per share for the period from January 1, 2021, to March 31, 2021, in- clusive, on its common stock, par value $1.00. This divi- dend is payable on March 15, 2021, to holders of record at the close of business on February 18, 2021.

AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, has opened registration for “Why You Need to Re-Onboard Every Single Employee” Now, a new webinar, to be held Wednesday, January 27, at 2:00 p.m. EST with Ben Baker, President, Your Brand Marketing. 2020 did not go as expected. The carefully crafted business plans of most companies need to be looked at again, with a new lens for 2021. Employees need to un- derstand the new goals, expectations, and processes. This webinar will help attendees understand how to articulate the changes and challenges to employees, get them on track, and have the company headed for success. Ben Baker has been helping companies, and the peo- ple within them understand, codify, and communicate their unique value to others for nearly a quarter of a century. Baker is the president of Your Brand Marketing, an Em- ployee Engagement Consultancy, author of “Powerful Per- sonal Brands: A Hands-On Guide to Understanding Yours,” and “Leading Beyond a Crisis: A Conversation About What’s Next,” and the host of IHEART and Spotify syndi- cated YourLIVINGBrand.live show with more than 170 ep- isodes behind him. He believes that if companies under- stand and build cultures around their purpose, employees will engage, stay, and want to grow with the company.

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January 18, 2021

Kolbus Hycorr understands that quality is a reflection of the great care that takes place throughout the entire manufacturing process. From the time we pour the first casting until the equipment is prepared for shipment, our manufacturing team owns every step to maintain strict quality control. Our customers can rest easy knowing that their equipment has been built with great attention to detail. FOCUS ON QUALITY

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ICPF Launches Inaugural Virtual Student/Executive Dialogue Dinner

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (ICPF) has taken its ongoing Student /Executive Di- alogue Dinner Series to a virtual platform. The first ICPF virtual dialogue dinner was conducted on December 16, 2020, when more than 35 stu- dents from 10 universities across the country -- with education and interest in packaging engineering & production, sales, packaging design, graph- ic design, chemical engineering, supply chain management and related fields -- participated. The students were joined by corrugated packaging

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Students from 10 universities across the country participated in the virtual dia- logue dinner on December 16, 2020. Their resumes, along with over 100 addi- tional active resumes, are accessible to ICPF Corporate Partners by visiting the ICPF career portals resume bank at www.careersincorrugated.org.

600 + Plants 60,000 Users North America Latin America

executives from five ICPF corporate partners that included Green Bay Packaging, Hood Container Corporation, Packaging Corporation of Amer- ica (PCA), Pratt Industries and WestRock. ICPF’s dialogue dinners are directed towards enabling top students, who already have interest in corrugated packaging, to learn more about the industry and its operations. Many of the participating students in each of the eight past years were recruited for internships and full time posi- tions through the company contacts they made during the dialogues and through referral to ICPF’s Career Portal. For those ICPF Corporate Partners that have not posted 2021 openings, it’s not too late. Over 100 additional student and upcoming graduate resumes are posted on the portal, as well. ICPF’s Virtual Student/Executive Dialogue Dinner series is one of sever- al new programs initiated by ICPF to expand its outreach during COVID-19. In early 2020, ICPF worked with colleges and universities to assist them in utilizing ICPF’s online corrugated packaging curricula as campuses around CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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January 18, 2021

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ICPF Launches (CONT’D FROM PAGE 12)

ICPF student representatives on each university campus. Members assisted in ICPF’s launch of a new industry men- toring program for students who are seeking internships and full time positions due to the earlier reduction in the industry’s 2020 openings because of COVID-19. Most recently, ICPF’s new student program manager in- tern worked to identify available 2020 - 2021 scholarships for packaging students whose families may have been fi- nancially impacted by COVID-19. This work prompted sev- eral scholarship programs to provide additional funding to reopen or extend application deadlines. Visit www.careersincorrugated.org for more informa- tion on these and other ICPF programs. Bill Zito Scholarship Awarded To Indiana State University Student

the country adjusted to set up distance learning capability. Additionally, ICPF reached out to Arden and Esko to devel- op the capability for students to access design software remotely. Licensing previously required students to utilize Impact and Artios software directly from the computers lo- cated in the design labs on each campus. This past summer, ICPF established a student advisory board that meets up to twice a month. The student ad- visors have provided valued input on the establishment of the virtual dialogue dinners and plans for converting ICPF’s annual Teleconference on the Business of Corru- gated Packaging & Displays Careers to a virtual format lat- er this quarter. Over 500 students from 20 campuses have participated in the teleconference annually. The student advisory board has also been helpful in this year’s expansion of ICPF’s program to identify and recruit

The PMMI Foundation and Enercon Indus- tries Corporation have selected Max Klein, a junior packaging engineering student at Indi- ana State University, as the recipient of the 2020 Bill Zito Scholarship. The scholarship was established to honor Packaging Hall of Famer and longtime Enercon employee, Bill Zito, who strongly believed in the importance of education in the packaging field. Awarded to students in their junior year at a PMMI Education Partner school who major in packaging engineering or a related field, candidates must show interest in the pack- aging industry and have excellent academic achievement. “We are pleased to contribute to the edu- cation of tomorrow’s packaging leaders with Enercon’s Bill Zito Scholarship. Bill earned a place in the Packaging Hall of Fame for his commitment to advancing induction cap seal- ing technology and educating the industry on the technology’s benefits,” said Mark Plantier, Vice President, Marketing, Enercon. “We’re proud to carry on the tradition of supporting packaging education opportunities.” Enercon is a longtime PMMI member and supplies induction cap sealers, corona treat- ers and plasma surface treaters. Each year, the PMMI Foundation provides over $200,000 in scholarships to students attending a PMMI Education Partner school. These scholarships underscore PMMI’s com- mitment to the future of the packaging schol- arships to students majoring in packaging. Students must currently attend a PMMI Edu- cation Partner school to be eligible for PMMI Foundation scholarships. Visit www.pmmi. org/scholarships for more information on the PMMI Foundation.

www.boardconvertingnews.com

January 18, 2021

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Huston Patterson Invests In K&B Rapida 164 Press

When Huston Patterson chose to invest in a new 8-color Koenig & Bauer Rapida 164, its management team, led by Tonya Kowa-Morelli, saw the potential of being the only printer among its competitors with this specific large-for- mat configuration. The Decatur, Illinois based packaging printer gave its sales team the advantage to sell jobs designed for a 64- inch 8-color press with the option of UV or AQ coating. Since the installation at its 110,000-square-foot facility, the company is producing top quality color critical packaging that can be found up and down the aisles of any retailer, such as Walmart and Amazon. Operating 24/7, Huston Patterson’s new Rapida 64- inch press is in full production along with its Rapida 56-

inch 6-color press. “These are our go-to presses,” says Tonya Kowa-Morelli, President of Huston Patterson. “But From left, Tom Kowa, Zachary Kowa, Joe Morelli and Tonya Kowa-Morelli of Huston Patterson.

the new Rapida 164 has the speed, auto- mation and color control features that can produce more efficiently for our higher-end color critical work. Our internal tracking sys- tem tells us that the new Rapida is giving us 15 percent faster speeds and has reduced our makeready in half. In particular, Koenig & Bauer’s color management system with in- ternal camera allows us to excel at efficiently matching color and producing jobs built with five, six, seven or more PMS colors. We have to meet the demands of our clients and the Koenig & Bauer color management system ensures we exceed their expectations.” Kowa-Morelli is grateful that they already had the new press in operation before 2020 hit. As a business owner, she acknowledg- es that it’s been a challenging year, yet she proudly notes that the month of September has been the company’s best in its history and sales have been growing during the past three months, along with ten new customers, all on board virtually. During the spring when most printers were affected by the pandemic, Huston Patterson saw an increase in its con- sumable goods and pharmaceutical packag- ing, specifically the quick production of thou- sands of much-needed COVID-19 test kits. “The start-up of this new Koenig & Bau- er press was our most exciting,” she says. “We’ve had four previous Rapida press instal- lations, but you could just see the massive speed, all of its new technology, and comput- erization. Our new Rapida 164 has certainly surpassed our expectations. We’ve formed a strong alliance with Koenig & Bauer over the years, which has maximized our compa- ny’s growth over the three generations of our family’s ownership of the business.”

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January 18, 2021

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DS Smith Partners With Brrr Box On Cooler Alternative To Styrofoam Atlanta, Georgia based DS Smith has joined forces with Vig Pak LLC to introduce Brrr Box, a patented, 100 percent recyclable, biodegradable cooler that incorporates some of the most modern technologies available in corrugated cardboard packaging.

its sustainable alternative to Styrofoam. Unlike typical plastic foam coolers, Greencoat is bio- degradable, made of sustainable and renewable fiber that reduces waste to landfills and carbon emissions. “Greencoat was launched 13 years ago as a revolution- ary product created to survive the harsh poultry shipping supply-chain and has since been adopted by a number of other markets. Brrr Box is a natural extension of the product line that’s ideal for consumers looking for an eco-friendly, durable way to transport ice and cold bever- ages without the negative impact of Styrofoam,” said Mel- anie Galloway, Sales, Marketing and Innovation Director at DS Smith Packaging North America. Galloway announced the partnership with Brrr Box co-founder and President Ed Battle, who said the Brrr Box is an innovative corrugated beverage cooler solution be- ing used by a major U.S. convenience store chain to re- place Styrofoam coolers. “The chain was looking for a disposable cooler that performed as well as Styrofoam, first and foremost,” he said. “They are also conscious of precious floor space in stores, and Brrr Box is shipped and displayed flat, so they can carry more inventory in a much smaller footprint. And, frankly, they wanted an environmentally friendly alterna- tive as well. Brrr Box is the only product that does that.” Battle said it’s not a single-use cooler. It opens and closes with one hand, assembles in about five seconds,

Named “The Official Cooler of Planet Earth,” Brrr Box uses DS Smith’s proprietary Greencoat corrugated mois- ture-resistant and FDA food contact-safe material to coat

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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January 18, 2021

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DS Smith Partners (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)

Clicking Through

holds a dozen 12-ounce beverages and 10 pounds of ice and can keep contents cold for up to eight hours. “It’s a multi-use cooler if treated properly. And the best part is instead of those Styrofoam coolers going back into the waste stream, this goes back into the circular economy and is fully curbside recyclable,” he said. Galloway said Greencoat uses a patented process ap- plied completely in-house. The technology combines im- pregnation and coating on the paper to provide durability and long-lasting moisture protection and temperature re- sistance. For retailers looking to provide an eco-friendly alterna- tive to Styrofoam, Brrr Box offers many benefits, including: • It’s 100 percent recyclable and biodegradable. • It ships and merchandises flat. • It accepts high-impact graphic printing. • It reduces freight, warehousing and merchandising space. • It’s compatible with corporate green initiatives and re- duces carbon footprint. • It opens and closes with one hand and assembles in about five seconds. • The cooler holds a dozen 12-ounce beverages and 10 pounds of ice. It can keep contents cold for up to eight hours. • It’s made in the United States.

More independent and integrated readers are using Board Converting News’ Internet Directory than ever before. REACH THEM.

BCN(US)202006(出血5mm).pdf 1 2020/6/10 上午 09:40:14 Robyn Smith at 910-553-4055 / rsmith@nvpublications.com Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 / lprazych@nvpublications.com

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January 18, 2021

North American Graphics And Packaging Names Kirkpatrick CEO North American Graphics and Packaging recently named industry veteran Brett Kirkpatrick, as CEO. Kirkpatrick joined North American Graphics and Packaging and its

parent company, North American Corrugated, as Partner of both companies in September 2020. He brings with him more than 33 years of experience in leadership roles in the corrugated industry. His expertise and skill set has been honed-in the areas of opera- tions management, sales, process

improvement and business management. His most recent roles have included oversite of a regional sales and de- sign center and multiple pack-out and fulfillment centers. “I am excited to be engaged with my partner Len Cuoco, continuing to develop and grow this fantastic business,” said Kirkpatrick. “The company looks to acquire, merge, manage and turnaround operators in the graphics and packaging industry. We look to take controlling interests in our portfolio companies and retain, if practical, current ownership and management to grow with us and integrate our processes, centralized back office, and economies in select U.S. markets.” Brett Kirkpatrick

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January 18, 2021

SETTING STANDARDS in Corrugated Solutions

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Converter Outlook, Part 2 (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )

close their stores and redirect customers to shop solely on their online platforms. All use boxes to ship their products, which will force demand to remain strong. “The North American market also remains extremely attractive for foreign countries and I believe more capacity will flood our market over the second half of 2021. It is also important to recognize the advancements in our industry, starting with numerous investments in state-of-the-art box plants and the addition of high-tech corrugators, flexo ma- chines and digital printing machines. These technological improvements help reduce costs, eliminate waste and im- prove efficiencies. “To conclude, 2020 was an anomaly due to the pan- demic, which threw all predictions out the window. My 2021 prediction will be that the first half of the year will remain very tight, with demand continuing at an all-time high. The second half of the year will see an increase supply from do- mestic capacity and foreign suppliers. The corrugated in- dustry might be considered an ‘older’ industry without the flash that other businesses have, however, throughout the years this seems to have changed. Increased investment in technological advancements along with an emphasis on reducing plastic to improve the environmental impact, the corrugated industry has turned into the perfect alternative to satisfy consumer needs. If you don’t believe me, take a drive around your neighborhood on recycling day. I’m sure you will enjoy seeing the mountains of boxes.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

indicated box shipments to be down 2.1 percent and in- ventories up 145,200 short tons. Mills were even shutting down due to a lack of orders, almost hard to believe given the current market condition. This past year was quite the turnaround considering the initial expectations from the entire industry, which can only reinforce the meaning of the word ‘expectations’ as it can be far from reality. “This will lead me into my next topic, which is the mil- lion-dollar question everyone wants to know: what will happen to the corrugated industry in 2021? “As previously stated, predictions and forecasts can be helpful, but at times inaccurate, so I will offer my market insights given the information I have at my disposal. More supply will hit the market in 2021, beginning with the start- up of several machines, including IP’s Riverdale conver- sion (450,000t), New-Indy’s Catawba (400,000t), Green Bay Packaging (445,000t) and McKinley Paper’s Port An- geles (180,000t) to name a few. Overall, there will be an additional two million tons added to the market, which will alleviate the pressure on demand. Will demand remain strong or weaken while these additional tons are added? “We believe the box demand will remain strong through the first half of 2021 due to the increase demand in e-com- merce and home food deliveries, among other reasons. Unfortunately, the coronavirus is not going anywhere any- time soon, which is forcing restaurants and businesses to

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.

For more information contact: Charlie Freeman | 816-500-8889 | cfreeman@heartlandsheets.com Tim Kramer | 816-841-8317 | color@heartlandsheets.com

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January 18, 2021

Converter Outlook, Part 2 (CONT’D FROM PAGE 24)

RUSKEN PACKAGING INC. Cullman, Alabama: Rusken Packaging reports, “While 2020 has been a tumultuous year, full of uncertainties and shifts in demands, one thing is for certain: eCommerce pack- aging is more important than ever. Prior to the pandemic, eCommerce sales were predicted to rapidly increase over 35 percent by the year 2023, according to a statista re- port. Today, this market shift has accelerated even more. Many organizations are pivoting to a direct-to-consumer model and will continue to adapt to this changing market for the foreseeable future. “As eCommerce sales replace the traditional brick and mortar retail experience, the product packaging and un- boxing experience is, in many ways, the new storefront and provides a unique way of connecting with the end consumer. And within the online retail packaging sector, corrugated packaging is expected to account for over 80 percent of the market, according to PMMI. Not only does corrugated offer a reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective way of delivering products, the customization opportuni- ties are vast. “With eCommerce top of mind, Rusken Packaging, Inc. (Rusken) has continued to invest in its capabilities to best serve the needs of their customers. A significant portion of these investments have been machine additions at sever- al of our facilities, including two new K&L machines at our Cullman, Alabama, headquarters and Harrisburg, Arkan- sas, location. With custom printing and branding a focus for many with eCommerce packaging, these machines en- hancements provide the Rusken team with optimal capa- bilities, printing both inside and out, and ultimately adding efficiencies for their customers. “Additionally, the packaging design and prototyping phase has become more critical to meet eCommerce packaging needs, as designing the ultimate unboxing ex- perience, including custom messaging, is a top priority. Rusken has invested in the collaborative design approach with enhanced 3D and graphic design software capabili- ties as a one-stop shop for this process. The ability to col- laborate with customers to create a package design that fits around products, limits waste, and provides optimal branding is an extremely exciting and rewarding aspect for the design and sales teams. Seeing an initial idea come to fruition and ultimately run and ship with success, is some- thing the Rusken team is continually investing in to meet increasing demands. “In recent months, Rusken has also established a new online Custom Design Tool ( rusken.com/start-designing ) that allows prospective, new, and existing customers the ability to create their own design to begin this collabora- tive phase with sales and design. “With a surge in demand for both eCommerce retail and corrugated packaging in 2020, Rusken has invested in new locations, as well as increased capacity at existing

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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January 18, 2021

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