Kruger Packaging’s Legacy (CONT’D FROM PAGE 38)
of an ever-growing customer base. According to Gingras, the labor issue in Canada is still a challenge and is a little more difficult in rural areas. “It was very tough during Covid but now that we’ve recovered, it’s still a challenge to find and keep the right people ready and willing to work for the long term. Trying to staff three
construction. A Kruger Recycling operation feeds the mill. Efficiencies In LaSalle Minutes from its Place Turcot mill is Kruger’s 195,000 square-foot corrugator plant in LaSalle, which runs an upgraded 98-inch hybrid BHS/Fosber corrugator that produces 1.5 billion square feet of corrugated board per year. The corrugator produces B, C and D flutes that could be combined to produce D/B doublewall and lightweight grades of 18#, 20# and 23#. PMs are done on weekends when the machine is down or when switching MFs. The extremely tight schedule applies to the plant’s converting equipment as well. “LaSalle is an efficient box plant and very stable busi- ness that contribute a lot within our larger group,” says Martin Gingras, LaSalle’s General Manager. “Everything is done internally, from costing to shipping and from design to testing. We maintain a full production floor of both older and newer equipment.” The older, yet meticulously maintained machinery – a 4-color Martin 924, a Simon mini flexo, a 66-inch by 113- inch Ward 3-color rotary die cutter, and a Koppers 50-inch by 113 flexo, the oldest in the LaSalle facility – comple- ments a Bobst 8.20 Expertline flexo folder gluer, which was commissioned in 2017. The Bobst and other machines run 24/5 and one shift on weekends with the goal of grow- ing the weekend shift to support the production demands
shifts with the best people can be challenging, however our innovative approach helped us to attract and retain employees that are our most valuable asset” he says Kruger’s LaSalle facility is SQF (Safe Quality Foods) certified and boasts 220 salaried and hourly employees; CONTINUED ON PAGE 42 Kruger’s 66-inch by 113-inch Ward 3-color rotary die cutter.
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www.boardconvertingnews.com
April 8, 2024
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