Insight on Manufacturing

November 2013

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INSIGHT FROM ... Susan Stansbury, Right Angle Concepts Convert success into recognition Why the converting industry's influence in the New North works While the rest of the country recognizes our region for the Green Bay Packers, cheese and cows, it might not realize this area is also recognized as the Converting Corridor, Tissue Valley and the Nonwovens Region. The related manufacturing enterprises that include production of converted products, such as coated paper and wipes, help keep Northeast Wisconsin on the manufacturing map. In fact, you can likely add the strengths of plastics and films, printing and packaging and a number of other related businesses to the portrait of a manufacturing stronghold. This sector, which includes a multitude of converted product companies of all sizes, is a key contributor to Wisconsin's frequent status as the nation's No. 1 manufacturing state. It's a hidden powerhouse, not typically noticed by even New North area residents. These companies and their connection to a local supply chain have helped the sector become the strongest in the country. The converting industry recognizes that its investments in efficiency, maintenance of its strong supply chain and partnerships will assure its standing. It also is increasingly realizing that boosting its public profile benefits its reputation and supports its capability claims. Making the transition from purely "hard-working" factories to news promotion, websites and social media profiles takes more resources, but new levels of commitment, too. What they do Converter-manufacturing processes add value to the mill rolls of paper (including lightweight tissue and heavy paperboard), film and nonwoven products. Converting can include initial operations, such as making jumbo rolls into smaller rolls for further processing, or all the steps leading to finished products, including slitting-winding, coating, laminating and combining, printing, die-cutting, sheeting, folding and packaging. Dozens of companies in the region convert materials, both competing and working together. Contract customers may be looking for single-step conversions or complex products such as napkins, wet wipes, tape, labels, wallpaper 22 | / insight on manufacturing • November 2013 and myriad others you see at the grocery store, pharmacy or other retailer. Their origins are here. The tissue market is fueled by huge local mills as well as small, entrepreneurial companies that make converted tissue products, such as the facial tissue packs made by Precision Paper Converters in Kaukauna. Nonwovens products and wipes, both wet and dry, are manufactured in at least a dozen regional companies, benefitting from roll goods by companies like Georgia Pacific and Suominen in Green Bay. Airlaid nonwovens are processed into baby wipes in "tubs," restaurant high-end textured napkins and basket liners. Spunlaced nonwovens, with their typical stretchy, soft feel, become canister wipes and flat travel packs. Companies such as American FlexPack, Bay Converting, Little Rapids, Midwest Specialty Products, Rockline Industries, Top Brass Inc., Sierra Coating, Swanson Wiper and Tufco Technologies all play a role in making a variety of nonwovens products. Ironically, buyers and product developers across the nation – and often around the world – know that Wisconsin is the place to visit when looking for converting transactions. Many of these companies handle several types of materials, coating and laminating combinations such as paper/poly or nonwovens/poly to make absorbent products backed by a barrier, as in dental bibs. Dentists and hygienists might not know those bibs are manufactured locally at Little Rapids and Tidi Products because they are sent from the factory to distributors and then sold under other names. American Custom Converting, Contract Converting, Coating Excellence, U.S. Paper Converters and Nichols Paper w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g .c o m

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