Thank you to everyone that participated in this year’s conference, which was our largest one ever! We look forward to seeing you all at December’s Folding Carton Boot Camp and April’s Spring Outlook & Strategies Conference.
Our 2023 Fall Meeting & Leadership Conference began with honoring the best of the best at the 80th Annual Paperboard Packaging Competition and Student Design Challenge Awards. The evening was a celebration of creativity, innovation, and the artistry of paperboard packaging. The atmosphere was electric with excitement as we gathered to recognize the outstanding achievements of the packaging community.
The top winners of this year’s awards feature a diverse array of categories, from food and beverage packaging to health and beauty products. The designs are a testament to the incredible talent and expertise within our industry, with entries that were not only visually stunning but also highly functional and sustainable. Click here to learn more about the winning designs and our talented members that made them.
- Package of the Year – WestRock Company for their WhistlePig Whiskey Piggybank
- Richard DePaul Award for Structural Design & Converting – Colbert Packaging for their single-dose syringe folding carton with product sleeve and inserts
- Sustainability of the Year – Graphic Packaging International, LLC for their Unilever Skip Laundry Detergent Capsules
- Folding Carton of the Year – Mill Rock Packaging Partners for their Wander + Ivy Single Varietal Sets
- Judge’s Award – Pacific Southwest Container, LLC for their Soap Cauldron Tome Gift Set
- Rigid Box of the Year – TPC Printing and Packaging for their Hardins Creek Clermont Tube
- Innovation of the Year – WestRock Company for their Costco Wholesale Kirkland EnduraGrip™
- Student Design Challenge – The University of Wisconsin Stout and California Polytechnic State University
The Fall Meeting & Leadership Conference began in full on Thursday morning at the beautiful Rancho Bernardo Inn in sunny San Diego, CA. Our 200+ attendees spent great couple of days of programming with many paperboard packaging industry leaders taking the stage. Thank you to our name badge sponsor Graphic Packaging International, LLC and our Care Package sponsors Wilmington Paper – The Program™ for helping to create a memorable first experience for all attendees.
Following breakfast hosted by Dixie Pulp & Paper, Inc., attendees were greeted by PPC Vice President & Executive Director Emily Leonczyk, MBA who welcomed attendees and expressed her thanks to our engaged member base and sponsors who made this year’s Fall Conference possible. Thank you to Diamond Sponsor Koenig & Bauer, Platinum Sponsors Kallima Paper – Papier Kallima and Metsä Group, and our meeting sponsors ACTEGA, Heidelberg North America, BOBST, Komori, Clearwater Paper Corporation, and Manroland Sheetfed for your dedication to PPC and advancing our industry overall.
The future of PPC is bright as we transition to our new, comprehensive Member Portal and app. Now more than ever, members have the power to make their PPC membership what they want it to be – with seamless opportunities to connect and engage with fellow members around the clock, it’s never been more valuable to be part of our growing community. Thank you to our technology sponsors at W. H. Leary Co., Inc., BOBST, and Billerud for helping to elevate the event experience for all attendees! Click here to log in and access exclusive PPC member resources.
Our first keynote of the day was presented by Clearwater Paper Corporation President and CEO Arsen Kitch who spoke to our engaged audience about the pivotal role of innovation within our business and how the sustainability of fiber-based products is driving growth within the industry. Arsen also provided insights into the hiring challenges many members are facing and offered tactics to retain talent in our ever-evolving field.
Royal Paper Box Co. President Darryl Carlson took the stage next to provide crisis management takeaways from his unprecedented experience of dealing with the aftermath of a tornado touching down on his LA-based plant. Darryl provided tactics to retain customer trust in times of crisis while showcasing the importance of strengthening business resilience.
In the thought-provoking session on Packaging Megatrends for 2023 and Beyond, David Feber from McKinsey & Company shed light on the evolving landscape of the global packaging industry. His presentation outlined the key factors driving change in the $1 Trillion Global Packaging Industry, with a keen focus on paperboard packaging. David showcased how sustainability has taken center stage with consumer and regulatory pressures pushing new initiatives to the forefront, while regulations have accelerated with governments and international bodies resulting in stricter guidelines. The presentation also focused on how digital technologies are being integrated into various aspects of packaging, while economic factors such as inflation and the need for destocking are now causing new hurdles. David also highlighted the persisting issue of labor shortages as our industry continues to find innovative ways to optimize production processes.
Following a packed morning, attendees enjoyed catching-up and connecting over lunch, sponsored by Roosevelt Paper Company, before we kicked off Thursday afternoon’s programming at the Paperboard Packaging Council’s Fall Meeting & Leadership Conference with sessions that highlighted collaboration, member achievements, and economic foresight. With a strong lineup of speakers and presenters, attendees garnered insights on design, sustainability, and economic trends to consider for the year ahead.
Our afternoon session commenced with the gathering of our Women’s Leadership Council, led by Ann Bowers-Evangelista, who guided women leaders through revolving key issues like global communication changes within our industry and its impact on organizational and personal effectiveness, the various myths and realities of different communication styles, along with strategies to increase communication effectiveness and engagement. Thank you to our WLC sponsors at Tamarack and Joe Piper Inc. for the opportunity to bring our women leaders together to forge connections, create partnerships, and generate ideas.
Voted by our conference attendees, we’re proud to announce the Student Design Challenge People Choice Award winners! Congratulations to the student designers and team at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) for their innovative lip balm design. These students represent the future of our industry, and we can rest easy knowing we’re in good hands.
After we heard from these talented students, Jamie Shimizu west of WestRock Company for showcased the design of their Carton Competition Package of the Year! WestRock’s WhistlePig Piggybank folding carton, comprised of a removable lid and secure base, holds a unique pig-shaped glass bottle with foil stamping that enhances the packaging with an elevated sense of luxury. Jamie highlighted the converting process, as careful attention was paid to aligning die-cuts, graphics, and foil stamping.
Jim Frassetto, VP of Preferred Printing & Packaging, was next to take the stage to provide an engaging presentation on the evolution of Preferred Printing & Packaging, their full-service packaging expertise, and devotion to providing industry quality and affordable pricing.
Closing out our afternoon presentations, Jeff Rosensweig, Director of the John Robson Program for Business, Public Policy, and Government, at Emory University, took the stage to provide a comprehensive update on global and U.S. economic financial trends and forecasts that will impact our industry in the years to come.
Thank you to all our presenters for sharing their perspectives and expertise with us throughout a packed Thursday. Our evening concluded with a visit to the historic Bernardo Winery where conference attendees were able to raise a glass to a great day of education and connection. Thank you to Miraclon Corporation for providing the transportation to the off-site event and W. H. Leary Co., Inc. for graciously sponsoring the winery event filled with great wine, yard games, and live music.
The PPC Fall Meeting & Leadership Conference concluded Friday morning with an engaging lineup of designers from our North American Paperboard Packaging Competition who showcased their winning designs. Thank you to our partner Mark Ohleyer at Clearwater Paper Corporation for sponsoring our Carton Competition and allowing us the opportunity to showcase the talent of our designers today.
Neha Mardi, of Southern Champion Tray, moderated the panel of accomplished packaging designers from Pacific Southwest Container, LLC, Colbert Packaging, Graphic Packaging International, LLC, WestRock Company, TPC Printing and Packaging, and Mill Rock Packaging, providing insights into their creative processes, technical knowledge, and branding expertise.
And that’s a wrap! Thank you to all who attended PPC’s Fall Meeting & Leadership Conference. We hope you have safe travels home and we’re looking forward to seeing you in 2024 at our Spring Outlook & Strategies Conference from April 17-19 in Dallas, TX – stay tuned for a more formal announcement coming soon!