Insight on Manufacturing

May 2013

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bac k o ffic e Reaching their potential Profitable Sustainability Initiative helps manufacturers meet their goals When it comes to manufacturing, sustainability can mean several things. It's not only about being "greener" by cutting energy use, it's also about making the business stronger so it can weather economic storms and continue to grow. It's that second definition of sustainability that drew Ken Wills, president of Quality Packaging Inc. of Fond du Lac, to participate in the Profitable Sustainability Initiative (PSI), managed by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) and the Northwest Wisconsin Manufacturing Outreach Center. By participating in the initiative, Quality Packaging Inc. was able to research and expand its product offerings, which helped the company grow from $6 million in sales to $25 million. "Sustainability isn't always about utilities," Wills says. "It's about taking action to make your company as successful as it can be." With help from WMEP, the company researched what it would take to design, manufacture and make its RePaq product. Previously, the company sold the packaging, which is made from sustainable products, to retailers and then had to hire out the designing and manufacturing of the prototypes. By working with WMEP's team of experts, the company was able to research and run financial projections on what it would cost to bring the designing and prototype manufacturing in-house. After gathering all the data, the company courtesy of WMEP By MaryBeth Matzek A worker at Quality Packaging Inc. in Fond du Lac stacks some of the company's recyclable/recycled plastic packaging. The company participates in WMEP's Profitable Sustainability Initiative, which has helped the company reduce waste and increase sales. "Sustainability isn't always about utilities. It's about taking action to make your company as successful as it can be." – Ken Wills, president of Quality Packaging Inc. of Fond du Lac moved ahead, creating an in-house design center and purchasing CNC equipment to make the prototypes. While Wills had the idea for a while, going through PSI brought it to fruition. "From when we first started working with WMEP to implementation, it was eight months," he says. Quality Packaging Inc. is just one of many Wisconsin manufacturers to benefit from the Profitable Sustainability Initiative, which started in 2010 and is funded by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Earlier this year, Gov. Scott Walker released funding to allow 32 more companies to join the program, which is designed to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers develop sustainability practices that save money and improve competitiveness. continued > w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m May 2013 • / insight on manufacturing | 19

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