BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 38 years January 24, 2022 VOL. 38. NO. 4
Accurate Box Thrives With Transformative Investments BY LEN PRAZYCH As the number of independent multi-generational folding carton man- ufacturers dwindle with the years, those that survive must find ways to compete with the integrateds who threaten their very existence. Ob- vious enough, it is the surviving owners who possess an innovative vision and a robust investment plan. However, that allows for the next generation to continue “fighting the fight” for market share and invari- ably, rise to the top of its class.
G-P Acquires Property For Expansion In WA
WHAT’S INSIDE 5 NAM: Consumer Inflation At 40-Year High In December 10 Supreme Court Stays OSHA ETS Mandate 12 Surviving The Great Resignation 34 Pratt Industries Donates $2M To Muhammad Ali Center “The Economic Alliance of Lewis County (WA) is excited to have Georgia-Pacific ex- pand in our community. They have a long history of collaboration in working to support families in the Pacific Northwest,” said Richard DeBolt, Executive Director of the Alliance. Atlanta, Georgia based Georgia-Pacific has announced the acquisition of property in Cen- tralia, Washington, saying in a news release it intends to expand its corrugated packaging operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Georgia-Pacific’s corrugated business has strong relationships with produce and e-commerce customers, and a new facility will help us serve these growing customer seg- ments,” said Travis Dawson, Vice President of the West Region for G-P’s corrugated busi- ness. “The solid performance of our Olympia plant gives us confidence in the ability to ex- pand business in the region.” The company didn’t specifiy where the property was located, but indicated additional details will be forthcoming. In the release, the company said expansion plans are still in the early stages and that once plans are solidi- fied, it is expected a new facility would create about 85 new jobs.
Paterson, New Jersey based Accurate Box Company is such a com- pany. Founded in the gritty South Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey, in 1944 with a $25,000 loan from a friend, Henry Hirsh began his folding carton operation in a 17,000-square-foot building containing a Miehle press, a Miehle die cutter and a Model A gluer. Henry’s son, Charlie Hirsh, joined the company in 1950 at age 20 and with his father grew the company. They together competed for their share of business with many other companies in the burgeoning box industry in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. In 1950, the industrious father and son team moved the company to a 35,000-square-foot facility and pur- chased its first Bobst die cutter. Business boomed. Henry Hirsh passed away in 1964 and at age 34, Charlie Hirsh be- came the company’s president. He led it through the turbulent 1960s and inflationary 1970s, at a time when several New Jersey-based toy CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 The leadership team at Accurate Box Company: at left, Mark Schlossman, Executive VP Sales and Marketing; Lisa Hirsh, President, right; and their daughter, Samara Ronkowitz, Director of Sales and Marketing, center.
2 January 24, 2022
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
3
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January 24, 2022
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4 January 24, 2022
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NAM: Consumer Inflation At 40-Year High In December
Consumer prices rose 0.5 percent in December and the consumer price index has risen 7.1 percent over the past 12 months (seasonally adjusted), the fastest year-over-year pace since June 1982, according to Chad Moutray, Ph.D. and Chief Economist at the National Association of Manu- facturers (NAM). At the same time, core inflation (which ex- cludes food and energy) increased 5.5 percent year-over- year in December, the most since February 1991. The cost of used cars and trucks jumped 3.5 percent in December, with prices for new vehicles up 1.0 percent. The automotive sector continues to be challenged by sup- ply chain disruptions and the chip shortage. New vehicles and used cars and trucks have seen price growth of 11.8 percent and 37.3 percent year-over-year. Producer prices for final demand goods and services rose 0.2 percent in December, the slowest monthly gain since November 2020. Over the past 12 months, produc- er prices for final demand goods and services jumped 9.8 percent (seasonally adjusted), just shy of November’s record 9.9 percent. Core producer prices increased 6.9 percent year-over-year in December, the same pace as in November and remaining an all-time high. The Index of Consumer Sentiment declined to 68.8 in January, according to preliminary data from the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters. This was not far from November’s reading (67.4), which was a 10-year low. Con- sumer sentiment has declined largely on worries about in- flation and the continued spread of COVID-19. Retail sales fell 1.9 percent in December, the first de- cline since July and well below the consensus estimate, which was for spending to have edged down just 0.1 per- cent. Indeed, the data declined for the most part across the board. This could be the result of a multitude of fac- tors, including the purchase of holiday gifts earlier than normal (as encouraged because of supply chain issues), the spread of the omicron variant and consumer worries about inflation. Despite the disappointing figures in the latest data, retail spending has soared 16.9 percent over the past 12 months, or 16.5 percent with gasoline stations and motor vehicles and parts sales excluded. Manufacturing production declined 0.3 percent in De- cember, pulling back from November’s 0.6 percent in- crease, which was the best level since December 2018. Manufacturers have been challenged by supply chain bottlenecks, workforce shortages, rising production costs and, more recently, the spread of the omicron variant. Manufacturing capacity utilization edged down from 77.2 percent in November, also the strongest since De- cember 2018, to 77.0 percent in December. Overall, man- ufacturing production has risen 3.5 percent year-over- year, with 1.5 percent growth relative to February 2020’s pre-pandemic pace. • www.boardconvertingnews.com
5
January 24, 2022
AF&PA: Industry Achieves Record Containerbord Production In 2021 The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has re- leased preliminary 2021 data from U.S. paper and paper- board mills indicating record containerboard production, which indicates total containerboard production in 2021 increased 5.6 percent compared to 2020, the ninth in- crease in the past 10 years. “Paper products and materials like containerboard help to meet the needs of consumers seeking sustainable choices,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. “These are some of the most-recycled materials in the United States – in fact, more paper by weight is recycled from municipal waste streams than plastic, glass, steel and aluminum combined.” Based on this information, the consumption of old-cor- rugated containers (OCC) may also reach record numbers with data published by AF&PA on Thursday, January 20, 2022. OCC consumption is strongly tied to production of containerboard, and through November 2021 consump- tion already reached 22.2 million tons, just shy of the pre- vious full-year record set in 2020. “Consumer demand is growing for sustainable paper products, and our industry is investing to meet evolving customer and consumer needs,” Brock said. “AF&PA mem- CONTINUED ON PAGE 40
Box Shipments ( U.S. Corrugated Product Shipments) Industry Shipments In Billions of Square Feet Month September 2021
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2021 2020
34.261 34.901
-1.8
8.157 8.310
-1.8
Industry Total
Year-to Date
September 2021
Year
Actual
Percent Change Avg Week Percent Change
2021 2020
312.632 300.767
3.9
8.227 7.873
4.5
Industry Total
Containerboard Consumption (Thousands of Tons)
Year
Month
Percent Change Year-to-Date Percent Change
2021 2020
2.7786 2.8459
-2.4
25.4959 24.5672
3.8
Container Board Inventory - Corrugator Plants (Thousands of Tons)
Corrugator Plants Only
Date
Percent Change Weeks of Supply
Percent Change
Sept.
2.312
3.8
3.5 3.4
2.9
Aug
2.2272
Shipping Days
Year
Month
Year-to-Date
2021 2020
21 21
190 191
SOURCE: Fibre Box Association
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6
January 24, 2022
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
C/ Orfeó Català 13-15 · 08440 Cardedeu (Barcelona) telf: +34 93 846 01 06 · comercial@al-gar.com WWW.AL-GAR.COM
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
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 w orking 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.
CORR24usa.com
ance from steam to paper surface results in fast heat flow
AICC To Hold Supplier Innovations Workshop At 2022 Spring Meeting AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, will hold a two-day Supplier Innovations Workshop during the AICC 2022 Spring Meeting on Thursday, April 7, and Friday, April 8, 2022. The workshops will allow AICC Associate Members to present their company’s latest and greatest innovations in a short, commercial presentation dedicated to the newest technology, product, or service. The AICC Convention Content Committee will review all applications. This committee is made up of AICC mem- ber volunteers, both suppliers and converters, from dif- ferent sectors of the industry. The product launch date of the innovation will be considered strongly in the selection process. Presentations must focus on products that have been introduced to the market after January 2020. AICC Associate Members who have been selected to present will be given seven minutes to present their lat- est products. Participants will also have the opportunitiy to place handouts in the session room. AICC Associate Members interested in applying to present during the Supplier Innovations Workshop must complete the applciation by Friday, February 4, 2022. More information and the application is available at www. AICCbox.org/supplier . Questions can be directed to Cin- dy Huber, at chuber@aiccbox.org or (703) 836-2422.
Board Converting News is read by more independent and integrated decision-makers in the corrugated and folding carton industries than any other weekly publication. LEVERAGE YOUR REACH. Expansive Reach
Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 prazych@nvpublications.com
8 January 24, 2022
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Supreme Court Stays OSHA ETS Mandate For Large Employers BY DEVORA LINDEMAN AND IAN JONES Large employers with 100 or more employees do not need to worry about complying with the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) vaccine or test mandate issued by the Oc- cupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). At least, not for now. On January 13, 2022, the United States Supreme Court blocked the enforcement and implementation of the OSHA large employer ETS. The underlying litigations brought by multiple businesses, business organizations, and states are still pending in the Sixth Circuit Court of Ap- peals. Therefore, it is possible that the OSHA ETS could be found to be valid and enforceable at some point in the future. However, those litigations are not likely to be re-
solved any time soon, so employers can breathe a sigh of relief. In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, large employ- ers who have implemented or are considering a vaccine mandate or vaccine-or-test policy should keep an eye on ongoing developments and evaluate any current polices for compliance with state and local laws. The laws in some locations run contrary to a company’s ability to implement a vaccine mandate. In some localities, companies may also need to permit accommodation requests for reasons other than just disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs. Other states and localities have implemented their own vaccine mandates that need to be considered. In some cases, these mandates apply to businesses without regard to size. The OSHA ETS expressly preempted state and lo- cal laws that are contradictory to its requirement. With the ETS stayed for now, employers should be mindful of any local vaccine-mandate-related laws that could apply. Your
employment counsel can advise regarding what requirements apply to your business and can assist you with developing legal- ly-complaint policies for your workforce. Health Care Workers Mandates Remain On the same day the U.S. Supreme Court blocked the OSHA ETS applicable to large employers, the Court upheld the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) vaccination requirement for staff at hospitals, nursing homes and other health- care facilities as a condition for participating in Medicare and Medicaid. The Supreme Court decision ended a block on the CMS mandate that had been put in place in a number of states. As a re- sult of the Court’s decision, the CMS vacci- nation requirement for health-care workers is now back in effect for all states, except perhaps for Texas. The Supreme Court opinion did not reference reversing a Texas District Court decision that stayed the im- plementation of the CMS rule in Texas, leav- ing some uncertainty about that ruling. Covered health-care employers are encouraged to consult with counsel to en- sure compliance with the CMS vaccination mandate. Health-care facilities may begin to receive fines if they do not reach compli- ance by February 28, 2022, which is when workers are expected to be fully vaccinat- ed. CMS is requiring staff to have received one COVID-19 vaccine dose by January 27, 2022. Devora L. Lindeman and Ian M. Jones are attorneys at Greenwald Doherty LLP. For more information, call (212) 644-1310 or visit the firm’s website at greenwaldllp.com.
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Surviving The Great Resignation BY SUSAN PALÉ You’re probably sick of hearing about The Great Resigna- tion but listen up. Not only isn’t it going away, it is gaining
The Perfect Combo Get Peak Performance From Your Equipment with Matched Component Sets
momentum. Consider the follow- ing statistics from the US Depart- ment of Labor: Three percent of the total U.S. workforce left their jobs in September. That is an as- tonishingly high number. As of November 5, there were 11.2 mil- lion job openings in the United States. That is also a record. Edu-
Susan Palé
cation and health services lost more than 50,000 workers in September. Remember that these are essential workers. About 300,000 women left the workforce in September. These are jaw-dropping statistics. For employers who want to recruit, retain, and expand in 2022, the challeng- es are daunting. There are some actions you should take now to help prepare for the bumpy road ahead that will be 2022. 1. Review Paid Salaries If you typically award year-end salary increases, now is the time to determine whether you’ll award them and the amounts necessary to maintain both external competitive- ness and internal equity. The challenge is that sometimes external competitiveness and internal equity are at odds. For example, entry-level pay has increased 15 percent to 20 percent in many locations, and you may have need- ed to hire at those increased rates. That means some of your longer service employees may require larger sala- ry increases. Across the board year-end increases don’t work well when compensation for certain groups is this volatile. Now is the time to look at other pay increase mod- els, such as equity increases, bonus payments vs. base salary increases, and special incentive programs. Make sure your compensation is and remains competitive. 2. Review Those Bonus and Incentive Plans Too Now is the time to determine whether you’ll pay 2021 bonuses and incentives. If you are a home improvement retailer or sell to a home improvement retailer, chances are you’ve had a good 2021. If, on the other hand, you’re a brick-and-mortar department store, 2021 probably isn’t your best year. The wild economic fluctuations of the last two years make planning difficult but more important than ever. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you begin to set bonus and incentive goals and measures for 2022: • What are the objectives for your plans? Do they com- plement the organization’s business strategy? • How will you pay for these plans? • Do individual goals support business strategy? Do you need to establish new goals/revise existing goals as you develop new products, enter new markets, etc.?
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
12 January 24, 2022
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Surviving The Great Resignation (CONT’D FROM PAGE 12)
• Are your performance measures appropriate? Have you included non-fi- nancial metrics such as customer satisfaction, resource utilization, peo- ple and project management where appropriate? • Do employees understand the plans and what they must do to be suc- cessful? 3. Get Ready for More – and More – Legislative Changes We’ve been noticing for quite some time that state legislatures and municipalities have enacted all types of legislation that impacts employee compensation. The list below is some changes scheduled for 2022: • Illinois HB-1207 prohibits employers from seeking an applicant’s sala- ry history but allows employers to provide compensation information about the position applied for • California AB-701 requires warehouse distribution center employers to provide written descriptions of quotas at time of hire • District of Columbia B-285 amends the Universal Paid Leave Act to in- crease the amount of paid leave to 6 weeks of medical leave and 2 weeks of parental leave per year • Several bills in different areas of North Carolina prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of protected class. The definition of pro- tected class is amended to include gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and natural hairstyle This is particularly important if you do business in multiple locations. And don’t forget that 26 states also have minimum wage increases scheduled for 2022. The Affinity HR Support Plan is a great tool that not only tracks the legislative changes happening in the states where you do business but also provides next steps for how to stay compliant. 4. Do a Deep Dive Into Employee Retention Most likely you’ve had some employees leave during 2021, and you’ve probably collected some basic exit interview information. Have you looked closely at the information you’ve collected to determine if there are pat- terns or reasons for leaving? According to a 2021 survey by NerdWallet, the top 5 reasons employ- ees left their jobs this year were: • Lack of respect or trust • Low pay • Poor company culture Recently a large manufacturing client that had been experiencing high turnover took a closer look at their turnover statistics and discovered that most of the employees who left had worked in two workgroups. Further analysis revealed that the first-line supervisors in these workgroups were new and pretty much untrained. These supervisors are now receiving addi- tional training and are working closely with their managers and more expe- rienced peers to help reduce turnover in their areas. 5. Plan Your Year End Compensation Communications Now • Overwork and underappreciation • Bad management and supervision. We hope 2021 has been a successful year for your business, and that you have good news to communicate to employees. Regardless of what the news is, there are some things that are critical to communicate: • Legislative changes and how they will impact employee paychecks • Plans for base salary increases and incentive and bonus plan payouts • 2022 planned changes to base salaries, incentive and bonus plans, and related compensation policies and procedures. Susan Palé is Vice President for Compensation at Affinity HR Group, Inc. 14 January 24, 2022
Cosmo DeNicola Chairman, Amtech Software
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600 + Plants 60,000 Users North America Latin America
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WE KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS...
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Get Answers-Be Proactive. • There’s a board increase or decrease? • My volume goes up or down? • I lost my largest customer? • My MIX changed ? • I bought a new machine? • I sold more sheets? • My labor costs go up 5%? • I added OT or another shift?
With Amtech’s NEW AUTOMATED PERFORMANCE COSTING To Learn More or Schedule a Demo Darren Artillio: dartillio@amtechsoftware.com 215.639.9540 www.amtechsoftware.com/accurate-costing
Signode To Highlight StorFast Technology At MODEX 2022
Glenview, Illinois based Signode, a manufacturer of a broad range of end-of-line packaging equipment, tools, consum- ables as well as end-to-end automation and warehouse automation solutions, announced it will be showcasing its StorFast technology at MODEX. The event, which will take place in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center, March 28-31, 2022, will also feature additional Signode solutions that support the warehousing, distribution and logistics operations of its customers. Signode’s StorFast Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) is an innovative cart-based solution con- sisting of powered carts and lifts that automatically move pallets in and out of storage positions in the warehouse. The newly enhanced cart-based StorFast system operates
at twice the speed with improved control for acceleration and deceleration of the robotic carts. In addition, StorFast components can now handle pallets weighing up to 4,400 pounds. Visitors will be able to see the technology in ac- tion at booth B2013. Signode’s StorFast Automated Storage and Retrieval System
The StorFast ASRS delivers an intelligent logistics management solution integrating with order management, warehouse man- agement, and order fulfillment systems. The system offers a fully customizable logistics solution to enhance throughput to meet customers’ demands and optimize oper- ational resources and improve inventory management. “Signode’s StorFast ASRS delivers a ful- ly integrated warehouse automation system solution to maximize operational savings for the supply chain,” said Byron J. Paul, Group President, Signode. “Our customers are in- creasingly looking to invest in smart auto- mation solutions. Signode is responding, as our organization has for the past 100 years. We’re collaborating with our customers to help them achieve greater profitability by delivering new technologies and equip- ment that provide faster throughput, uptime and operational efficiency.” In addition to the ASRS, the Signode au- tomation product portfolio includes a full range of robot-based depalletizing, palletiz- ing and material handling solutions, all pro- viding cost and performance advantages over other traditional warehouse systems. Signode is the $2+ billion global Tran- sit Packaging Division of Crown Holdings, Inc., with more than 95 manufacturing facil- ities and 7,000 employees worldwide. The breadth and depth of Signode’s experience and product portfolio allows the company to offer the resources, reach, and vision to provide transit packaging solutions globally. To learn more, visit https://www.si- gnode.com/en-us/productslist/asrs/ .
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P+PB To Fine Tune Messaging For Packaging, Recycling In 2022 BY MARY ANNE HANSAN According to the food consultancy, the Hartman Group, a mere 22 percent of American consumers between the
Can we change the trajectory of the data point in the study? I would like to think so, especially with some of the content we’re about to roll out. The Hartman Group study confirms that we’re at least on the right track. It shows, for instance, that consumers have an expectation for packag- ing to be recyclable, that they report frustration when they encounter products that fail to meet this baseline, and that they draw an equivalence between sustainability and recy- clability. It also provides us with data on where consumers learn about sustainability issues (mostly media, tv, books and online). Knowing consumers see ease of recyclability as intrinsic to sustainability, and knowing we have a multi- channel campaign designed to reinforce that knowledge in all the places they look for it, is a great start. We enter a new year – the second full year since Amer- ica’s papermakers and paper importers voted to renew their program – with strong tailwinds. We are finetuning our story, narrowing our messages to those simple truths about forests and recycling that reinforce consumers good feelings about using our products. We will also continue to debunk long held but outdated information about the pa- per and packaging companies’ role in growing forests and the communities they rely on. The year 2022 is going to be about reinforcing good feelings about paper and boxes sustainability because un- like plastics, we’ve got the sustainability stuff covered. Visit paperandpackaging.org for more information on The Paper and Packaging Board campaign.
ages of 18-75 can identify a sus- tainable product and even less a sustainable company. That’s a stunningly low number on its own. But it’s even more stunning when you consider that there has never been a time when consum- ers are more awash in environ- mental and sustainability claims
Mary Anne Hansan
and messaging from brands. Deluged with information, consumers it seems are hav- ing a harder time than ever figuring out what to believe and on what grounds. A few brands that come to mind for me when I think about sustainability as a core part of their identity include Patagonia, North Face and L.L.Bean to name a few. Food companies that rise to the top include Ben & Jerry’s, Beyond Meat and Horizon Organic. How do we break into this rarefied air? We know we belong there. After all, our commitment to sustainability isn’t incidental to the products we make, it’s wrapped in their very fiber (no pun intended).
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18 January 24, 2022
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Engineered to maximize production time reliably, the CTV SoniXs® features up to five narrow spaced SoniXs® strap heads for strap placements as close as 9 inches. Place up to 5 straps in one hit! CTV SoniXs ® Minimize Your Hits. Maximize Your Production Time.
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Domino Launches New Informational Video For New, Existing Customers Domino Digital Printing has created a brand-new video to kick off the new year: The Domino Difference for convert- ers who are considering implementing digital printing for the first time, or adding additional digital printing systems to their business, this video allows potential and existing customers to watch 28 individuals from 21 companies – a wide cross-section from small to medium to large orga- nizations – and job titles – including owner, president, CEO, general manager, vice president, operations man- ager, pressroom supervisor, pess operator, technician, en- gineer, account executive and more – discuss why they chose Domino, their experiences, and what they consider the Domino difference. “We’ve known that Domino digital printing solutions help our customers make money, grow their business, and succeed,” says Bill Myers, Marketing Manager – Domino Digital Printing North America. “In this video, a wide array of customers share what is most important to them. What will quickly become apparent to viewers of this video, is that the feedback and responses are not solely focused on the equipment. Yes, there is mention of the Domino press and printers, but more so the conversations you’ll witness speak to important factors beyond the machine… such as our In-House Leasing program, our service & sup-
port, our sales & marketing, our people, our brand, all of the nuances and distinctions of Domino.” The video highlights interviews mostly from present day, but also spans back over the past few years to illus- trate longevity. Several companies in this video have pur- chased from Domino multiple times. Others are first-time, brand-new customers. In either case, the common denom- inator is these interviews illustrate and allude to a business relationship which exceeds expectations, as they describe their partnership with Domino. Organizations considering an investment in equipment want to understand as much as they can about the com- pany they are investing in, and the type of experience they can expect to have. “We know that much time, energy, and thought is in- volved in the due diligence process when a converter is considering adding digital printing equipment to their business,” adds Myers. “For them to be able to view a video in which similar-type companies to theirs describe why they chose Domino, or their experiences in being a Domino customer is very powerful and impactful. It helps prospective digital printing users answer a very important question: ‘If all these converters trust Domino and have success with Domino, why shouldn’t I?” Visit www.dominodigitalprinting.com to see this vid- eo and others or contact Bill Myers, Marketing Manager – Domino Digital Printing North America at (636) 751-2232 or bill.myers@domino-na.com for more information.
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Accurate Box Thrives (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )
manufacturers represented a significant portion of Accu- rate Box’s folding carton business. The ‘Marriage’ Of Graphics and Corrugated The industry shifted and toys from China were arriving already packaged in a box. Many New Jersey based toy companies closed or moved offshore and box makers who serviced them scrambled to recover lost business. Vision- ary box makers like Charlie Hirsh, however, recognized the opportunities created by a new player in the market, club stores, which needed their packaging to look like a fold- ing carton but with the strength of corrugated box. Hirsh and his entrepreneurial spirit embraced the “marriage” of folding carton graphics and corrugated – litho-lamination – which at the time, was only popular in Europe. In the early 1980s, with his folding carton business growing and its litho-lam business just beginning to grow, Hirsh moved Accurate Box to a 280,000-square-foot facil- ity on a nine-acre parcel 15 miles north of Newark to indus- trial Paterson, New Jersey. Charlie’s daughter, Lisa Hirsh, joined the company in 1982. That same year, another for- tuitous marriage took place: Lisa married Mark Schloss- man, who joined the company in 1983 as a salesman. In 1998, 15 years later, Schlossman became Accurate Box’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, thereby completing the leadership team that nearly 25 years later, continues to thrive. In 1986, with the demand for litho-laminated corrugated continuing to grow, Accurate Box installed one of the first Asitrade in-line corrugator/laminators in the United States. “We were doing both folding carton and litho-lam until the late 1990s,” says Lisa, who has been president of Accurate
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Box since 1997. “Then Charlie, Mark and I made the deci- sion that we were really going to concentrate on the litho- lam portion of the business and invest in the equipment for lamination and corrugation and not for folding carton. We really got out of the folding carton business completely in the early 2000s, when we became an all litho-lam facility.” “We’ve been very fortunate in that new markets As it was in 1986, an Asitrade is still a key piece of machinery on Accurate Box’s production floor.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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Accurate Box Thrives (CONT’D FROM PAGE 22)
AIR CONVEYING CORPORATION is a recognized leader in the industry of Pneumatic Conveying Systems and has been in business since 1968. As an equipment manufacturer rather than simply a sales organization, we have complete control over the quality of material and products which make up your proposed system. Our equipment is found in Printing, Folding Carton and Corrugated plants throughout the country and the world.
emerged that really fit our expertise in printing – we’ll al- ways be excellent printers first,” adds Schlossman. “What were once fast-food restaurants are now ‘quick-serve’ restaurants, a segment we began targeting in earnest
about 10-12 years ago, and this business only continues to grow. We’re also capitalizing on the explosive growth that is e-commerce. Our mission has been to convince brands that having higher ticket items in our strong and beautifully printed graphic boxes increases the ‘wow’ response for their customers during the unboxing experience.” A Koenig & Bauer Rapida 162 is a recent new investment.
AIR CONVEYING CORPORATION PH: 901-454-5016 FAX: 901-324-7979 e-mail: sales@accfilter.com • www.accfilter.com
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
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Accurate Box Thrives (CONT’D FROM PAGE 24)
Allies in Productivity Improve efficiency with robotic loadformers by Alliance
Geographic Advantages That mission continues to be successful, as Accurate Box realized it could compete with the integrateds not only regionally but nationally, as well. “In the 1950s and 1960s, Charlie Hirsh could go from loft to loft here in Paterson and there was a different com- pany in every building, but that changed when companies
grew, went out of business or were acquired,” says Lisa. “For us, we sold in the Northeast into the 1990s and we branched out as our customers did. As we developed a bigger sales force, we realized we could economically ship all over the country and in fact, today Accurate Box ships to all but four states.” While some box makers and carton manufacturers try to keep their customers within a certain geographic radius to keep shipping costs from cutting into profits, Accurate Box realized there were economic advantages to being a Northeast-based manufacturer, primarily due to favor- able transportation costs that allow it to ship throughout the United States. Remarkably, according to Schlossman, Accurate Box ships the highest volume of its boxes to Cal- ifornia. “It’s less expensive to ship east to west than it is west to east and it costs less to ship the same order south than it does to ship it north,” says Schlossman. “This being the case, we benefit tremendously. The ‘dollars’ [cost of boxes] we can load on a trailer minimizes the cost of the trailer.” A History of Investment, A Culture Of Success Accurate Box’s transformation into a nationally rec- ognized producer and provider of world-class litho-lami- nation did not happen immediately or without significant investment, which has been an Accurate forte since the early years of the company. Continuous reinvestment is a major priority of Accurate Box and new equipment is al- ways entering its facility. Recently, Accurate Box’s machine investments consist of a new BloApCo waste removal sys- tem, a DPI digital printing press, two Bobst folder-gluers, and a new Koenig & Bauer Rapida press. “We’ve continued to grow and transform because our Accurate Box installed an Alliance Raptor with robotic load- former to manage its high speed box production.
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
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Accurate Box Thrives (CONT’D FROM PAGE 26)
expansion four years ago created room for new machinery and added capacity. “I feel like you simply can’t stay the same, you have to continue to grow,” says Lisa. “We’ve built a model that we know is successful and we’re continuing to build for the future.” The 4th Generation The future for Accurate Box also includes bringing on the 4th generation. Lisa and Mark’s daughter, Samara Ron- kowitz, is the company’s Director of Sales and Marketing and celebrated eight years with the company this past De- cember. She and Marketing Manager, Kristy LeVan, contin- ue to build the company’s digital presence while maximiz- ing opportunities developed via web site inquiries and the company’s SEO initiatives. The information is shared with Accurate Box’s sales team of 11 – five of whom are based in New Jersey with the remaining six strategically located throughout the country – who service the large regional and national customers that have become Accurate Box’s stock in trade. Ronkowitz shared the news of Accurate Box’s first foray into digital printing. Late last year the company invested in a DPI digital press with the feeder and delivery systems provided by Baysek Machines. “We have been wanting to jump into digital printing, so we are very excited to have added this machine to our facility. We are now able to print up to four colors on one side with litho-lam on the other
investment in the best machinery has made us more than competitive throughout the entire country,” says Schloss- man. “Combined with our ability to produce a great prod- uct, we believe a large part of our success is due to the company culture we’ve helped create through the years.”
That culture is embodied in Accurate Box Company’s 325 employees, who have combined their respective tal- ents to propel the company into a promising future. An A new scrap removal system by BloApCo removes 60 tons of scrap per day from Accurate Box’s production lines
CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
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