Company: Printpack Inc.

Products: Printpack is a family-owned packaging manufacturer focused on flexible packaging, specialty rigid containers, labels and medical packaging. A sampling of Printpack’s products include: bags & pouches, cereal liner, Freshgard® modified atmosphere packaging, stickpack and tamper evident bands. The Rhinelander, Wis., plant is responsible for packaging confectionary products for some of the largest candy manufacturers in the world.

“The biggest factor in deciding to reinvest in a new plant in Rhinelander was the experience we had with the associates in the existing Rhinelander plant. Printpack operates 28 plants, and what we’ve learned over the years is that the workforce is key to a successful operation. Our competitors can buy the same equipment, but what makes us different is our associates.”
– Terrence Harper, vice president of technology and support

Locations: Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Printpack has a total of 28 manufacturing facilities throughout the world, including a plant in Rhinelander, Wis. There are 22 plants in the U.S. and six additional plants in Mexico, the U.K., Poland and China. The current Rhinelander and Hendersonville, N.C., facilities will close after the company completes its new $72 million plant in Rhinelander.

Employees: Printpack has approximately 4,300 associates globally and 138 associates in Rhinelander. Once completed, the new facility has the potential to add 10–15 jobs.

Founded: J. Erskine Love, Jr. founded Printpack in 1956 in Atlanta, Ga. At the time, Love was the only employee and had one used cellophane bag machine. By 1964, Printpack had 66 associates serving 60 customers nationwide. During the next three decades, Printpack expanded its technologies and staff, and by 1993, the company gained an international presence with an acquisition in the U.K.

Leadership: Dennis M. Love, chief executive officer and president; Tripp Seiter, chief financial officer; Terrence Harper, vice president of technology and support; Pat Marquart, Rhinelander plant manager; John Stigler, general manager of the snacks division.

Operations/Market: Printpack’s operations span the globe, with 2011 sales topping $1.4 billion. The company’s customer base consists of leading global brands such as The Hershey Company, Del Monte Foods, Pepperidge Farms and Proctor & Gamble. Markets served by Printpack’s packaging solutions include food (baby food and condiments to fresh produce and ready meals), non-foods like toilet tissue and plant grower, and medical device packaging.

Business Successes: Printpack attributes much of its success and growth over the years to being a privately-owned, family business, which enables the leadership team to be very nimble and quick to react to the demands of the market. The substitution of flexible packaging in place of corrugated, metal and glass has been the biggest drivers of the growth for Printpack.

Wisconsin Business Environment Benefits: Printpack credits its associates in Rhinelander as being the biggest benefit of doing business in Wisconsin. The Rhinelander facility has been operated by Printpack since 1989, and the area and people have been a good fit. This positive experience was a large factor in deciding to reinvest in the Rhinelander plant. The company is eligible for a $1.7 million loan and $300,000 in tax credits for capital investment through WEDC.  Additionally, WEDC and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority are helping the company obtain up to $12 million in new market tax credits to support the expansion.

To learn more: Printpack.com