Board Converting News, December 28, 2020

Board Converting News, December 28, 2020

BoardConverting Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries for 36 years December 28, 2020 VOL. 36, NO. 52

Year In Review, Part II: Industry Bounces Back From COVID-19 BY LEN PRAZYCH The nation, along with the corrugated and folding carton industries, continued to adjust to the “new normal” that was living with a pandem- ic. While millions of jobs were lost, mostly in the service and hospitality sectors, manufacturing in general and box making specifically, began its recovery from the slowdown of the prior months.

AICC Celebrates Member Achievements, Milestones AICC, The Independent Packaging Associa- tion, has announced that it is accepting sub- missions to the Member Milestone Program and the Independent Safe Shop Awards. The Member Milestone Program is an an- nual opportunity to recognize member com- panies, boxmakers and suppliers, celebrating significant anniversaries, such as 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 90, 100 (and so on) years of continual operation. Members in good standing that wish to be included in this recognition, should be cele- brating an anniversary in 2020 or 2021 and will need to provide a 2-3-minute video pre- sentation featuring the history of their compa- ny and describing their growth. The members that submit qualifying vid- eos by the deadline will be recognized by AICC. The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 26, 2021. Additionally, each year, AICC recognizes Member Companies for outstanding perfor- mance in plant safety through the Indepen- dent Safe Shop Awards. Participation in the Independent Safe Shop Awards generates greater awareness, enthusiasm, and pride for

A survey of corrugated and folding carton converters revealed that virtually all of them have never been busier. Acquisitions and machine purchases continued and it was back to business, much better than usual. The fact that a containerboard price increase by integrateds -- the first in more than two years -- was not met with resistance from independent box makers is proof. That said, here are the items that made headlines in the second half of 2020: JULY • SCT Acquires Honeymoon Paper Products: Chattanooga, Tennes- see based Southern Champion Tray (SCT), acquired the assets of Fairfield, Ohio based Honeymoon Paper Products, Inc. • DS Smith Ready To Produce Cardboard Cutouts To Fill Empty Sports Stadiums : DS Smith has readied production of recyclable cardboard replacement fans for use at arenas forced to limit atten- dance of the real thing. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 Board Converting News continues its annual ‘Year in Review’ feature with the second of two parts.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

WHAT’S INSIDE 6 Cascades: Greenpac Mill LLC Successfully Refinances Debt 12 Building Industry Knowledge And Resources 14 Diamond Packaging Introduces Packaging For Marijuana 36 Dura-Fibre To Provide Specialty Packaging For COVID Vaccine

T H A C K E R I N D U S T R I A L S E R V I C E C O M P A N Y

O P E R A T O R T R A I N I N G T A I L O R E D T O Y O U R G O A L S Before any training star ts, we need to know your goals. We’ l l help you identi f y them, customize them, measure them and help achieve the expectations set by your team. Our intensive training wi l l encompass two ful l days at your faci l ity for al l par ticipants, during the week or on a weekend. Al l you need is a room for training your group and the machine you want to train on.

O U R T E A M

Our Training team consists of three corrugated industry exper ts with nearly 100 years of combined experience. Their backgrounds are in both integrated and independent companies with roles ranging from Machine Operator to Director of Operations. Making them more than qual i f ied to tackle any machine and training issue. Cal l today to learn how your team can benef it from the industry ’s premier training program.

www. thacker i ndus t r i a l . com (682) 552 5852 For more Information:

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December 28, 2020

C u r r e n t O p e r a t o r E x p e r i e n c e

S T E P 1

M a c h i n e t y p e G o a l s / E x p e c t a t i o n s

I s s u e s

Q U E S T I O N N A I R E

P l a n 2 d a y s w i t h i n y o u r s c h e d u l e

S T E P 2

1 d a y c l a s s r o o m a n d 1 d a y a t m a c h i n e

S C H E D U L E

1 - B o x S e t u p C a l i b r a t i o n T o o l i n g

S T E P 3

T R A I N I N G

T r o u b l e s h o o t i n g

AICC Celebrates (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )

the safety accomplishments companies and their employ- ees have achieved. It also allows companies to showcase their efforts and recognize individuals who are responsi- ble for the good safety record. This annual recognition is given to all member compa- nies that meet the following criteria: • 2020 OSHA Recordable Incident Rate is less than 2.5 • 2020 OSHA Lost Work Days Incident Rate = 0 (zero) • All rates (Recordable Incident Rate and the Lost Work Days Incident Rate) will be calculated by AICC using a company’s signed OSHA 300A. All members that meet the criteria will be recognized by AICC. To apply for the award, companies must submit the application and fee, along with their signed 2020 OSHA 300A by Friday, February 26, 2021. Visit www.AICCbox.org/Meeting for more information on both the Membership Milestone Program and the Safe Shop Awards. Due to the cancellation of AICC’s 2020 Spring Meeting, the member companies that submitted and qualified in 2020 will be recognized in 2021. Questions about award programs and National Meet- ings can be directed to Cindy Huber, AICC Director of Conventions & Meetings, at [email protected] or Laura Mihalick, AICC Senior Meetings Manager, at lmihalick@aic- cbox.org or (703) 836-2422.

The Price is Right More readers rely on Board Converting News’ containerboard pricing to negotiate their contracts. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.

Robyn Smith at 910-553-4055 /[email protected] Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 / [email protected]

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December 28, 2020

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

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

122.76

148.46

131.80

INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTION WITH AN INTEGRATED SQUARING AND STRAPPING SYSTEM

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.

SQ4A-TANDEM WITH SONIXS TECHNOLOGY

www.eammosca.com/corrugated [email protected] | 844-859-6968

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

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Decemeber 28, 2020

Cascades: Greenpac Mill LLC Successfully Refinances Debt

Kingsey Falls, Quebec based Cascades has announced that its 86.3 percent owned subsidiary, Greenpac Mill, LLC has entered into an agreement to amend and restate its existing term loan and revolving credit facility that were scheduled to mature in May 2021. The amended credit fa- cilities will mature in December 2023. Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fen- ner & Smith Incorporated served as Co-Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners on the amended credit facilities, which consist of a $75 million term loan and a $50 million revolver. The principal amount outstanding under the term loan was reduced from $121 million to $75 million in con- nection with the amendment to the credit facilities. Greenpac operates a state-of-the-art lightweight con- tainerboard mill, located in Niagara Falls, New York, which manufactures lightweight linerboard made with 100 per- cent recycled fibres. The mill has an annual production capacity of 540,000 short tons and employs 168 people. Founded in 1964, Cascades offers sustainable, inno- vative and value-added packaging, hygiene and recovery solutions. The company employs approximately 12,000 women and men across a network of close to 90 facilities in North America and Europe.

Boring? If we didn't paint it this way, it wouldn't get noticed.

When it comes to a baler that takes care of business, boring reliability is the holy grail. But right-sized automation that makes the baler an operator-friendly and low-maintenance part of your operation is no less important. The Balemaster brand of balers delivers both. (Paint job is extra.)

More than a source. A resource.

1-219-663-4525

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December 28, 2020

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 · [email protected] 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 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 [email protected] 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

FBA Social Media Promotes E-Commerce, Recycling For Holidays This holiday season, Fibre Box Association (FBA) is working to promote corrugated box recycling. Corrugated packag- ing is a part of daily life, especially with e-commerce pur- chases landing on doorsteps everywhere this time of year. Look for messaging about corrugated packaging’s essen- tial role in holiday e-commerce, along with reminders and how-to information on recycling holiday boxes. To finish out the year, we’ll continue our strong focus on boxes as the backbone of e-commerce. We’ve adapted our e-commerce ad (see page 16) for the holidays and will focus our attention on happy holiday deliveries made pos- sible by corrugated packaging and ask consumers to gift us back, by recycling their boxes. We have been and will continue to share messages, infographics, key facts and short videos on our social media platforms throughout the month. In addition, we’ll be amplifying the corrugated recycling messages shared through the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) and the Paper + Packaging Board’s holiday campaigns to ensure the broadest reach across all target audiences. We encourage you to follow, like, share and re-share these important messages. Find specific examples in FBA marketing coordinator Tricia’s “Trending Now” article at www.fibrebox.org .

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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December 28, 2020

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR ENTIRE SYSTEM

The BSP Express Link control system is designed specifically for the corrugated industry to measure the performance of key components with complete accuracy. It allows remote monitoring from anywhere, alarming you if any systems are not operating within parameters.

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AICC Opens Registration For Facility, Maintenance Assessment Webinar AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, has opened registration for Maintenance - Facility Assess- ment, a new webinar taking place on Friday, January 22 at 2:00 pm EST, with Electrical Engineer Craig Gast. This webinar will review techniques used to assess the condition of your facility’s maintenance program. Starting with a global view and drilling down to the department processes, these techniques will examine facility mainte- nance from a holistic perspective. Participants will learn to establish a facility overview, conduct work center assess- ments, audit maintenance programs, and more. Craig Gast is an electrical engineer with 34 years of experience in the corrugated container industry, working with both independent and fully integrated corporations. His primary career focus has been to safely maximize as- set up time while maintaining a low cost of ownership. Specializing in the maintenance and reliability elements of this industry, Gast has served as a Technician, Mainte- nance Supervisor, Maintenance Manager, Plant Engineer and Capital Projects Engineer. His broad experience in the manufacturing processes includes, but is not limited to, corrugation, flexo folder gluers, rotary die cut, lithographs, flat bed die cutting, litho lamination, sheeting and folding cartons.

In the facility leadership roles, aside from day to day de- partment operations, Gast has implemented standardiza- tion maintenance processes, maintenance team, training programs and PM/PPM programs. As a projects engineer he has worked extensively with major industry equipment manufacturers on the specification, purchase, integration, installation and training of process work centers. Gast is a Navy veteran, serving in the submarine service after com- pleting Nuclear Power School. Registration for Maintenance - Facility Assessment is $250 for members and $500 for non-members. This we- binar is part of the All Access Pass. Pass holders can use their promo code to register at no additional cost. AICC members lower training costs and streamline payments 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 sched- uled through August 2021. Each company also receives a recording of each webinar. With more than 50 webi- nars scheduled, the All Access Pass represents a value of $12,500. Learn more at www.AICCbox.org/Pass . Visit www.AICCbox.org/Calendar to register for Main- tenance - Facility Assessment. Questions about training and the value a well-trained workforce brings to a company can be directed to Taryn Pyle, Director of Education & Leadership Development, at [email protected], or Chelsea May, Education and Train- ing Manager, at [email protected] or (703) 836-2422.

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December 28, 2020

Money making machine

Domino X630i digital aqueous inkjet corrugated press

…MORE PROFIT per job. …MORE CAPACITY in a given day. …MORE CORRUGATED out the door faster. …MORE MONEY in your pocket sooner.

Why DOMINO? • 40+ years of inkjet technology experience • Financially strong and stable • Heavily invested in digital technology • 1,000 industrial inkjet installations • Service & Support,Trusted Business Partner • Small footprint (10’H x 38’W x 21’D) • Change SKUs & print jobs on the fly • NO PLATES to make, mount, or inventory • Less downtime, MORE UPTIME • Print SPEED up to 246 fpm • AQ95 aqueous ink, POLYMER-based • Prints on COATED & UNCOATED stocks • Swiss Ordinance & Nestle COMPLIANT • Environmentally FRIENDLY • LOWER Total Cost of Ownership Why X630i?

Contact us today for X630i print samples, product brochure, and more information on the press engineered and built to transform your business. Digital Printing for everyday corrugated box production that MAXIMIZES productivity & efficiency, while MINIMIZING cost & consumption. Experience the DOMINO di
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Building Industry Knowledge And Resources BY MARY DRAIN

Ben Frank, Director of Materials Research and Innova- tion for Packaging Corporation of America and FBA Tech- nical Committee Chairman, recently spoke with TAPPI on the importance of standards for the industry and the val- ue of participating in Standards development. All TAPPI and ASTM D10 members are eligible to help develop new Standards for the industry and update old ones. This is a very rewarding foray for junior members of technical, en- vironmental and safety teams both for personal develop- ment and keeping informed of standards your customers and vendors may be channeling. In addition to our committee work, FBA is also team- ing up with the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) to help update the Corrugated Fibreboard chapter in the next edition of the Packaging Fundamentals textbook. This textbook is a peer-reviewed reference for university-level packaging students and industry professionals. Here at FBA, we strongly believe in the importance of continuing education and collaborative efforts to build in- dustry knowledge and resources. Participation is key, and we encourage all to get involved. Participating does not require as much time as you think, and the benefits of volunteering are substantial. Reach out if you are interested in joining one of our com- mittees. We’re always looking for additional expertise and another friendly face to see every six weeks. Mary Alice Drain is the Director of Technical Services at Fibre Box Association. Reach her at [email protected].

As winter approaches and many of us continue to work from home and not travel, there are still opportunities to

interact with peers and build in- dustry knowledge and resources. FBA has adapted by recently changing the structure of some of our committee meetings. Instead of holding half day in person meet- ings two times per year, we have shifted our Technical and Safety & Health Committee meetings to

Mary Drain

one-hour short agenda virtual meetings, every six weeks. This new format has led to meetings with more attendees, better productivity and less frustration. And the FBA Envi- ronmental Committee meeting will be the next in a similar series to be held until travel bans are lifted. We have found that this model helps the committees stay on top of industry projects and to-do lists and connect with industry peers on a more frequent basis. FBA com- mittees work to manage an ever-increasing number of key industry issues from technical responses to regulations and standards development, to sustainability and industry technical research projects.

Contact Ray Cornell for system demonstration C-847-542-8487 or [email protected]

SAFE-GUARD OPERATORS , eliminate clamp trucks around unwind stands!

High speed, two roll position RollCAR delivers rolls to unwind stands from roll storage area. NO clamps around operators.

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December 28, 2020

Diamond Packaging Introduces Lockbox Child-Resistant Packaging For Marijuana Rochester, New York based Diamond Packaging has announced the in- troduction of its new Diamond Lockbox folding cartons, an upscale, cer- tified child-resistant (CR) packaging solution for medical or recreational marijuana products.

Cosmo DeNicola Chairman, Amtech Software

Packaging ERP Algorithmic Scheduling Web-Based Access Online Customer Portals

Diamond Lockbox folding cartons combine beauty with strength for the ultimate in cannabis packaging design. The single and dual lock op- tions feature finished edges and ample billboard space and can be dec- orated with a wide range of printing and finishing effects. Diamond’s award-winning team of design engineers and packag- ing experts developed Diamond Lockbox folding cartons for cannabis brands looking for a user friendly and compliant packaging option luxu- rious enough to rival that of high-end cosmetic brands. “We are excited to introduce Diamond Lockbox as a natural evolu- tion in cannabis packaging design,” said Dennis Bacchetta, Director of Marketing. “The Lockbox designs are a synergy of creative structural design, beautiful aesthetics, and industry-leading sustainability practic- es that Diamond is known for.” The patent-pending designs were tested by a third party laboratory using the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) protocol and standards for Poison Prevention Packaging and fulfill the require- ments of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 16, Part 1700.20. All Diamond Lockbox designs feature discreet child-resistant (CR) release mechanisms to ensure compliance for both child safety and se- nior adult use effectiveness (SAUE). The reclosable designs maintain CR functionality and produce a clicking sound for audible feedback. The cartons utilize laminated, tear-resistant paperboard outer cartons and paperboard inserts that can be customized to hold a wide range of prod- ucts, including edibles, pre-rolled joints, vape cartridges, vape pens, and concentrates. Diamond Lockbox cartons incorporate the company’s Green Chic™ packaging model, which delivers “Beauty without Compromise” by cap- turing the essence of luxury or upscale cannabis brands through more sustainable converting methods. Visit www.diamondpackaging.com/lockbox for more information.

Paperless Workflows Mobile Sales Systems Digital Signage Production Monitoring Mobile Logistics Management Analytics & Reporting Cloud Hosting IT Management Services Cyber Security Management

600 + Plants 60,000 Users North America Latin America

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December 28, 2020

STOP GUESSING.

WE KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS...

WHAT IF?

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: [email protected] 215.639.9540 www.amtechsoftware.com/accurate-costing

WestRock Names Colander Chief Sustainability Officer

vance our work to imagine and deliver a more sustainable future. I am very pleased that she is joining us on our sus- tainability journey.” Colander brings to WestRock a cross-section of expe- rience that spans the private, government and nonprofit sectors. Colander was most recently a principal at The Ra- ben Group, leading teams to advance client public policy goals. She has worked as head of external relations with Charter Communications, where she created diverse part- nerships and oversaw philanthropic investments. Colander has also served as a Deputy Assistant Secre- tary for Land and Minerals Management at the U.S. Depart- ment of the Interior and Deputy General Counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, advising on environmental laws and policies across federal agen- cies with diverse stakeholders. Before joining the Execu- tive Office of the President, she was an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Norcross, Georgia based WestRock has named Brandi Colander to its executive leadership team as Chief Sus-

tainability Officer. Colander further strengthens WestRock’s commit- ment to sustainability, both within the company and in the packaging solutions it provides its customers. “WestRock is committed to a world in which fiber-based pack- aging plays a central role in ad- vancing the circular economy,”

Brandi Colander

said Steve Voorhees, Chief Executive Officer of WestRock. “As we work in partnership with our customers, I am con- fident that Brandi’s extensive experience will help us ad-

“I’m very pleased to be joining the West- Rock team, a company that recognizes the important role it has to play in realizing a sus- tainable future,” said Colander. “As we contin- ue to meet the needs of evolving consump- tion trends and behaviors, we are listening to the customers, consumers and other critical stakeholders who expect us to operate with future generations in mind. Aligning our en- vironmental, social and governance priori- ties with the products we produce inherently drives efficiency and market value. That is the circular economy at work.” MacDermid Adds Schimmack As Sales Director, EMEA Atlanta, Georgia based MacDermid Graphics Solutions has announce the appointment of Dirk Schimmack as Sales Distribution Direc- tor, EMEA. With this appointment, MacDermid adds a strategic resource for MacDermid’s network of distributors throughout the re- gion. Most recently, Schimmack held the Re- gional Sales Director role at Flint Group. He has over 17 years in the graphics supply chain with significant experience in flexographic printing plates and workflows and interna- tional distributor management. “We have an aggressive strategy to grow MacDermid in the EMEA region and our dis- tributors are key to this growth,” said Matt Bennett, Vice President, EMEA of MacDer- mid Graphics Solutions. “With the addition of Dirk, we can now better partner with our dis- tributors to provide value to our customers and the entire graphics supply chain.”

Kids toys. New shoes. Electronics. Only one container is gifted enough, flexible enough, cushioned enough and strong enough to ship all the holiday gifts today’s consumers shop for online. They click it, corrugated ships it. Cushioned. Gifted. Extraordinary.

Learn more at boxesareextraordinary.com

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December 28, 2020

Increase Productivity by 15% in 30 Days* *Actual results may vary and could be even higher.

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Year in Review: Part II (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )

• John Carman Of Stand Fast, Dies At 90 : John S. Car- man, former owner and president of Stand Fast Pack- aging Products (now Stand Fast Group) in Carol Stream, Illinois, passed away on Thursday, July 2, at 90. • McLean Packaging Commits To Completely Renew- able Energy : Moorestown, New Jersey based McLean Packaging has contracted with national energy advi- sory firm 5 and ENGIE Resources, LLC on a five-year energy agreement that supports the development of renewables. • AICC Is First Association Partner Of ConneXion : Following the announcement from Brunton Business Publications Ltd regarding the launch of ConneXion, AICC, The Independent Packaging Association — has become the first Association Partner. • Checkoff Campaign Reaches Record High Engage- ment : The award-winning marketing program from the paper and packaging industry, Paper & Packaging –

• Menasha Packaging Wins 14 Shop! Retail Association Awards : Wisconsin based Menasha Packaging Com- pany was awarded one gold, four silver, seven bronze, and two budget OMA Awards on June 22-25 from Shop!, the global trade association • SERRA Grows By Tripling Its Manufacturing Floor : Barcelona, Spain based SERRA has inaugurated its new facilities, tripling the size of its manufacturing floor. • Hood Container To Invest $50M For Expansion In LA : Atlanta, Georgia based Hood Container announced it is expanding and upgrading its paper mill in West Feli- ciana Parish, near St. Francisville, Louisiana. • RISI Names Pratt North American CEO Of The Year : Fastmarkets RISI has announced that Anthony Pratt, Ex- ecutive Chairman of Pratt Industries USA and has been named the 2020 North American CEO of the Year.

How Life Unfolds, reported record high consumer engagement and stronger con- sumer preference for products and pack- aging made of paper in its 2020 State of the Campaign Report. • Triumph Sheets Sets Production Record On BHS Corrugator : Triumph Sheets, a sheet feeder in Cleveland, Tennessee, set a company lineal record for one shift, av- eraging 1,074 fpm, running a total of 5.456 million square-feet. of board during an eight-hour shift on its 132-inch BHS Cor- rugator AUGUST • Sonoco To Invest $83M In SC Facility Upgrades : Sonoco announced plans to upgrade its corrugated medium machine in Hartsville, South Carolina, with an in- vestment of $83 million. • Cascades To Close Ontario Container- board Packaging Plant : Kingsey Falls, Quebec, Canada based Cascades Inc. announced that it will close its Etobicoke, Ontario Containerboard packaging facility as part of the strategic repositioning of its Containerboard platform in Ontario. • American Carton Expands Folding Car- ton Capabilities : Mansfield, Texas based American Carton Company has installed a six-color Komori Lithrone GX40 press with both conventional UV and UV LED to increase its folding carton print capacity. • Saica To Enter U.S. Market In New $72M Facility In OH : Zaragoza, Spain based Sa- ica Group (pronounced SAY-ka), a major European manufacturer of recycled pa- per for corrugated packaging, announced

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John Kelley President at Dusobox We have achieved 98% machine availability, and significantly reduced machinery downtime from days to minutes. We have been able to maintain such reliability at a cost of 4% of net replacement value; much lower than expected for professionally managed assets and more.

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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INTRODUCING

LINERBOARD A NEW LIGHTWEIGHT SO POWERFUL, YOU’D THINK IT WAS A HEAVYWEIGHT.

LIGHTER I STRONGER I SUSTAINABLE

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containerboard.kruger.com

Year in Review: Part II (CONT’D FROM PAGE 18)

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.

that it is establishing its first North American facility in the city of Hamilton, Ohio, near Cincinnati. • McKinley Paper Acquires U.S. Corrugated Inc. : McKin- ley Paper Co., a subsidiary of Mexico based Bio Pap- pel, has acquired Washington, Pennsylvania based U.S. Corrugated Inc. McKinley also acquired U.S. Corrugat- ed’s subsidiaries and affiliated companies. • Fosber America, DPi Inc. Collaborate On Inline Digital Print Solution : DPi Incorporated and Fosber America, Inc. announced a collaboration. Fosber America manu- facturers complete corrugators for the North American market and DPi offers inline digital printing solutions for corrugator lines. • Domino Acquires Lake Image Systems : Domino Print- ing Sciences has confirmed its acquisition of Lake Im- age Systems, a producer of automated, vision-based inspection systems. • DS Smith Launches Environmentally Friendly Al- ternative To Plastic Foam Coolers : Atlanta, Georgia based DS Smith announced that it has produced a 100 percent recyclable cooler using its proprietary Green- coat corrugated material • Sonoco Acquires French Packaging Manufacturer : Hartsville, South Carolina based Sonoco announced that it acquired Can Packaging, a privately owned de-

AIR CONVEYING CORPORATION PH: 901-454-5016 FAX: 901-324-7979 e-mail: [email protected] www.accfilter.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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CORRUGATED BOARD

Setting the bar higher Don’t compromise between unbeatable graphics quality and high productivity in printing and converting. Combine both in the most productive corrugated box-making machines.

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Year in Review: Part II (CONT’D FROM PAGE 20)

signer and manufacturer of sustainable paper pack- aging and related manufacturing equipment, based in Habsheim, France, for about $49 million. • SCT To Invest $85M In In New Tennessee Plan t: Chat- tanooga, Tennessee based Southern Champion Tray (SCT) plans to invest nearly $85 million in a new man- ufacturing plant, which will create more than 120 jobs. • Domtar To Convert TN Paper Mill To Produce Recy- cled Containerboard : Fort Mill, South Carolina based Domtar announced that it will convert a printing and writing paper mill in Kingsport, Tennessee, to produce recycled packaging using OCC and mixed paper. • Paperboard Packaging Council To Host: Virtual In- sight & Growth Conference : The Paperboard Pack- aging Council (PPC) announced that it hosted its first multi-day, online event: The Insight & Growth Confer- ence (I&G), August 25-27, 2020. • U.S. Display Group Acquires GCC In CA : Tullahoma, Tennessee based, U.S. Display Group has announced its expansion to the West Coast with the acquisition of General Container Corporation (GCC) of Buena Park, California. • GBP To Build New ‘Super Plant’ In OK : Green Bay, Wisconsin based Green Bay Packaging Inc. (GBP) announced it will begin construction of a new

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

EXPAND THE REACH OF YOUR MARKETING MESSAGE!

Leverage your message to your customers and potential customers with the power and credibility of Board Converting News behind it. Sponsor a weekly Monday issue or we’ll send out an eblast any day of the week to our full online circulation. You provide the copy, images and/or link to a video or website and we’ll do the rest. Give your digital marketing campaign a boost! Robyn Smith President/NV Publications 910-553-4055 [email protected]

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Year in Review: Part II (CONT’D FROM PAGE 22)

550,000-square-foot corrugator plant in Tulsa, Oklaho- ma. Construction is set to begin on September 1, 2020, with operational start up scheduled for October 2021. • DS Smith Introduces ‘Circular Design’ Principles To Eliminate Waste : As pandemic-induced online shopping has boosted demand for boxes, DS Smith launched its Circular Design Principles, citing compa- ny research that shows better packaging design could save the industry $46 billion a year in logistics costs globally. • AICC To Offer Its First Hybrid Event : The Leadership Mirror: AICC, The Independent Packaging Association, has opened registration for its first ever hybrid event, • J ames Kowall, Founder And First President Of AICC, Dies At 94 : James Lionel Kowall, a principal founder and first president of AICC, passed away on Monday, August 17, in Bellaire, Michigan. He was 94. • Stafford Corrugated Products Breaks Ground On New Facility : Indian Trail, North Carolina based Staf- ford Corrugated Products has broken ground on its new 50,000-square-foot headquarters. This facility will replace the current 21,000-square-foot headquarters it has operated for the past six years. SEPTEMBER • Mill Rock Packaging Acquires TrojanLitho : New York City based Mill Rock Packaging Partners, LLC, a new platform created by Mill Rock Capital, a private equity firm, announced that it has acquired Renton, Washing- ton based Trojan Lithograph Corporation from Arbor Investments. • IP To Invest $175M In Eastover, SC Mil l: Memphis, Ten- nessee based International Paper (IP) reported that it will invest $175 million during the next 10 years in its Eastover, South Carolina mill. • Graphic Packaging Invests $180M In LA Consolida- tion : Atlanta, Georgia based Graphic Packaging has in- vested $180 million to consolidate two plants and three offsite warehouses into one of the largest folding car- ton operations in the world. • ISOWA Celebrates 100th Anniversary With Adven- ture, Rebrand, New Logo : Thanks to the continuous and warm support of its customers, Aichi, Japan based ISOWA is celebrating 100th year anniversary in 2020. • Young Shin Adds To Product Line With SuperFeed Prefeeders : Phillip Mack, Vice President of Young Shin USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of South Kore- an-based Young Shin Industries, has announced the latest addition to the company’s diecutter product line. • Chicago Electric Establishes NewManagement Team : Carol Stream, Illinois based Chicago Electric Sales, Inc. has announced the establishment of a new Manage- ment team with the addition of Christopher Clark as President and Christopher McIlroy as VP of Operations

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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Have it both ways!

No more having to choose between belts that offer board-side starch protection, OR pressure-side wear protection. With DuraPro G , you get the best of both worlds. DuraPro G has a new, breathable starch resistant edge on one side, and a full-width aramid surface on the other—which gives maximum wear resistance. This unmatched combination is the ultimate belt for the Corrugator industry.

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Year in Review: Part II (CONT’D FROM PAGE 24)

Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY

• Rusken Packaging Adds Two New K&L Machines In AL Headquarters : Rusken Packaging has announced the expansion of capabilities at its Cullman, Alabama headquarters with the addition of two new K&L ma- chines. OCTOBER • USC To Build $80M Plant In DE, Close NJ Operation : U.S. Corrugated (USC) reported that it plans to build an approximately $80 million corrugated cardboard box plant near Dover, Delaware, while relocating its long- standing operations in Newark, New Jersey, to the First State. • Rusken Packaging Consolidates Two Facilities Into One In GA : Cullman, Alabama based Rusken Packag- ing has opened a new facility in Conyers, Georgia, con- solidating two existing locations in nearby Canton and Conyers into one new facility, bringing all assets and personnel under one roof. • ND Packaging Opens Corrugated Plant In WI : Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin based ND Packaging, a subsidiary of Hong Kong, China based ND Paper, Inc. (Nine Drag- ons Paper Holdings Limited), has opened a new corru- gated plant in Mount Pleasant. • Cascades Launches 100 Percent Recycled Thermo- formed Cardboard Food Tray : Kingsey Falls, Quebec, based Cascades is launching the first 100 percent re- cycled and recyclable thermoformed cardboard tray designed for fresh food packers. • GBP Acquires Third Dimension : Green Bay, Wisconsin based Green Bay Packaging (GBP) announced that it acquired Geneva, Ohio based Third Dimension Inc. on October 1. • Flint Group Packaging Inks Acquires Poteet Printing Systems LLC : Luxembourg based Flint Group Packag- ing Inks has announced the acquisition of Charlotte, North Carolina based Poteet Printing Systems LLC. • Durst Acquires Majority Stake In Vanguard Digital Printing : Brixen, Italy based Durst has strengthened its position in the U.S. Graphics Industry with the acqui- sition of a majority stake in Vanguard Digital Printing Systems, headquartered in Lawrenceville, Georgia. • Opus Packaging Acquires Arvco’s Assets In Indiana : Opus Packaging – Indianapolis has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Arvco Container Corporation’s Indianapolis location (Arvco Indianapolis) and has offered employment to all current Arvco Indianapolis employees, effective Octo- ber 5, 2020. • Sonoco Announces Price Hike For Corrugated Medi- um Grades : Hartsville, South Carolina based Sonoco announced that it is implementing a $50/ton increase on all domestic and export corrugating medium grades shipping from its Hartsville mill.

ADVANTZWARE www.advantzware.com

Advantzware provides a flexible and comprehensive sys- tem to address the business management needs of the in- dependent box business, as well as the ERP requirements of full scale packaging plants and integrated companies. With modules for estimating, scheduling, production, inven- tory and accounting, this scalable system supports packag- ing plants that produce corrugated boxes, folding cartons, point of purchase displays, assembled partitions, paper- board products, foam fabrication, as well as distribution of packaging supplies. Advantzware has been in operation for over 30 years and continually enhances our system to ad- dress the needs of the industry. AIR CONVEYING CORPORATION www.accfi lter.com Air Conveying Corporation has been designing, manufac- turing, and installing state of the art trim removal systems for the Corrugated, Folding Carton and Printing industries for more than 49 years. Contact us today.

ALBANY INTERNATIONAL www.albint.com

Albany International has a corrugator belt for every appli- cation. Our reputation for durable performance is the trade- mark of the most dependable belts in service today.

AMERICAN CORRUGATED MACHINE www.acm-corp.com

For a wide variety of new and used equipment on today’s market, visit our website. You can e-mail us directly from the site for all your corrugated needs.

AMTECH SOFTWARE www.amtechsoftware.com

Amtech offers the industry’s most innovative and compre- hensive corrugated and packaging ERP, integrated sched- uling software, and engineered automation technology. For over 30 years, Amtech has remained at the backbone of successful businesses from the independent box makers to the largest integrateds. We keep our customers competitive in an ever-changing economy with options such as custom- er digital storefronts and workflows, business intelligence, automated scheduling for corrugators, converting and ship- ping, proactive roll stock and inventory management, and so much more in an integrated, single vendor environment. APEX INTERNATIONAL www.apex-groupofcompanies.com World’s largest Anilox and Glue & Metering roll manufac- turer, providing the widest selection of corrugated engrav- ings and complementary services. Anilox engraving options available from our North American manufacturing facility include elongated 75°, 60°, 45°, plus Apex’s patented GTT technology. Glue rolls are produced with Hardened Stain- less Steel and a max TIR of 10 µ for Single, Double Facers.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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