A Note from Marty Ochs
In the past 20 years, China has become the world leader in Paper and Pulp Manufacturing. GBIG invites you to a seminar featuring overviews of the Asian and U.S. Paper and Pulp Industry. The seminar is at 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at Urban Hub 340 N. Broadway Green Bay. Cost is $60, which includes lunch.
We welcome 3 industry experts:
Jeffrey D. Lindsay, former Head of IP at Asia Pulp and Paper (China), former Director at Innovationedge, and associate professor at the Institute of Paper Science and Technology.
Pat Chen, former Global R & D Head for Asia Pulp and Paper’s tissue business who oversaw the development and quality control of Asia’s most respected tissue brands QuingFeng (Breeze).
Brit Swisher of Midland, Area Vice President – Northern Region of Midland Paper, Packaging +Supplies, one of the nation’s largest independent paper and packaging distributors.
Sincerely,
Marty Ochs, GBIG Executive Director
| | THANKS TO OUR PLATINUN MEMBERS | |
Request for Proposals
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities seeks proposals to evaluate the technical, economic, and community feasibility of repurposing closed wood products manufacturing facilities for bioenergy.
Proposals are due Aug. 6. The Endowment plans to support either one project of up to $500,000 or 2 projects of approximately $250,000 each.
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At the International Association of Roll Converters Annual Conference in Cleveland, Heat Technologies Inc. was officially named Technology of the Year Finalist in the field of drying and curing for the converting industry.
This award certificate recognizes HTI’s recent breakthrough advancements in the drying and curing of diverse coatings, alongside our proven track record of driving significant operational improvements for converting equipment
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Process Control Info
Wisconsin Paper Council and UW-Stevens Point are hosting a webinar to introduce and outline UW-Stevens Point’s Process Control Graduate Certificate Program. The free webinar will be from 12-1 p.m. Tuesday, July 28.
Designed to upskill today’s manufacturing workforce, this program will focus on real-world application and will prepare students for the Process Control PE Exam.
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Bag Toss Fundraiser
VARC Inc. will host its Tossing for Inclusion bag toss tournament and fundraiser Wednesday, Aug. 19, at GameDay Sports Bar in Appleton. GBIG is a co-sponsor of the event.
Proceeds from Tossing for Inclusion directly support VARC Inc. community programs, empowering over 2,000 individuals with disabilities and disadvantages throughout the Fox Cities and surrounding areas.
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Pay Equity Webcast
Amundsen Davis will hold a complimentary webcast as part of its Breakfast Briefing Series: “Pay Transparency 2.0: Navigating Pay Equity, AI Disclosure & the Next Wave of Compliance.”
Labor & Employment Senior Counsel Milt Castro will present the webcast at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 15.This session will examine how emerging laws are reshaping employer obligations, the growing focus on algorithmic bias and AI disclosure requirements.
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Make48 Regional Playoff
Make48 is coming to UW-Stout from July 31-Aug. 2 for the final Regional Playoff event of Season 10. Make48 is a fast-paced invention competition where teams have just 48 hours to come up with an idea, build a working prototype, and pitch it to judges. A social will be held from 3-5 pm on Saturday, Aug. 1. Registration is required. RSVP to Courtney@make48.com.
| | PACKAGING STORIES AND UPDATES | | PLASTIC STORIES AND UPDATES | | PRINTING STORIES AND UPDATES | | WATER STORIES AND UPDATES | | MEMBER STORIES AND UPDATES | |
Packers Mentor-Protégé Graduates Recognized
The Packers Mentor-Protege Program recognized graduates of this year’s program on June 15. The mentor-protege program celebrated its 15th session of growth, partnership, and impact. The program matches established mentors with growing small businesses. It prioritizes businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, service-disabled veterans, or individuals with disabilities.
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Weight Measurement
Manufacturers rely on accurate weight measurement to maintain product quality, reduce waste, and improve process control. For years, many facilities used nuclear or radiometric gauging systems to monitor material weight. Today, ultrasonic weight measurement offers a modern alternative.
To learn more, contact Adam Kahler of Quad Plus.
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In-House Ink Kitchen
Sun Chemical explores the question: Should a plant mix its own inks with an in-house ink kitchen or continue purchasing finished, pre-mixed inks from ink suppliers?
The right answer isn’t just about cost. It impacts labor, workspace, supplier relationships, and the plant’s future growth.
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UNICEF Donation
Ahlstrom, a global leader in fiber-based specialty materials, reinforces their support of expanding access to education and advancing children’s rights.
This year, Ahlström Collective Impact is increasing its support for UNICEF Finland by contributing more than EUR 850,000 to UNICEF’s Global Education Fund
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Converting Solutions
Voorwood is an employee-owned American manufacturer serving the packaging and converting industries since 1961. From its manufacturing facility in Anderson, California, Voorwood designs, builds, and supports precision converting equipment.
Jeff Novak has served as a Territory Sales Manager with Voorwood since 2015, helping manufacturers identify the right converting machinery solutions.
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PFAS Presentation
Rebecca Higgins, a PFAS Remediation Leader with AECOM’s Minnesota office, recently spoke at the Wisconsin Paper Council Annual Meeting about PFAS.
PFAS concerns include financial, legal, and societal risks. Clear stakeholder communication and lifecycle planning are essential to balance expectations and build sustainable strategies..
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Automated Systems
IMS Technologies is a leading provider of high-technology solutions and automated systems for the converting industry.
The company designs and manufactures slitter-rewinder and doctoring machines for plastic films, paper, cardboard, aluminum, tobacco, flexible packaging and aseptic materials.
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Employee Benefits
M3 Insurance has released the 2026 edition of Momentum: An M3 Employee Benefits Trend Report, offering employers a data-driven look healthcare spend and the strategies gaining traction for 2027 and beyond.
Employers are spending an average of $17,042 per employee annually on healthcare, with year-over-year increases averaging 7.46%.
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Grant Writing Tips
What is the secret to writing grant proposals that donors want to fund? Assembling a strong team with a clear direction is the first step. Researching funding sources is the second. Then comes the grant writing phase.
Learn from an experienced grant writer who knows how to wrote grant-funding applications that get noticed.
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Groundbreaking
Bayland Buildings held a groundbreaking ceremony to start of construction for Kingsbury, Inc.'s new 120,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oshkosh.
The new facility will consolidate two existing locations into one state-of-the-art plant.
Construction is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2027.
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The mission statement of the Green Bay Innovation Group is to bring together and create opportunities for networking between Wisconsin companies involved in the Paper, Printing, Pulp, Plastics, Packaging, Converting and Supplier Industries. GBIG creates an open dialog between companies. GBIG webinars, meetings, etc. talk about current and new products, technology, innovation, sales, marketing, social media/web design, new equipment, etc.
GBIG is looking to create new products, new markets and expand the presence of our industries in Wisconsin. We are here to help you push the norm and challenge one another to help make our companies and our communities better.
Finally, we are bringing financial support to our communities, especially to those most in need through the donations from our Sponsors.
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