Built for Scale, Led by People: Inside Mill Rock Packaging
A look inside the Renton facility and the leadership mindset driving Mill Rock’s continued growth.
By Emily Leonczyk, PPC President
Some operations impress you with their size. Others stay with you because of the people leading them. At Mill Rock Packaging’s Renton, Washington, facility, it is both.
From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed by Lynnette Crowder, President of Mill Rock Packaging, whose leadership reflects a balance that defines the organization itself: strategic
growth paired with a deep respect for the people behind it. With decades in the industry, Lynnette brings a perspective shaped by experience, but grounded in something even more important: an appreciation for the individuals who make the work possible every day.
That perspective did not come from a traditional path. Lynnette began her career at just 18 years old, stepping into a paper mill for the first time as an engineering student. The scale and complexity left an immediate impression. What followed was a career that moved across industries, but consistently returned to packaging.
“Every time I’ve left, it just pulls me back,” she shared. What has kept her here is not just the product, but the people. “This industry has such good, genuine, salt-of-the-earth people. That’s what makes it special.”
A Company That Knows What It’s Building
Mill Rock Packaging is a folding carton and SFL manufacturing company serving a wide range of markets, including food and beverage, wine, beer, spirits, beauty, healthcare, cannabis, and child-resistant packaging. With seven locations nationwide, the company was built as a growth platform to invest in high-capability organizations and scale them intentionally.
The Renton facility is a clear expression of that vision.
Joined by Tristan Butcher, General Manager of the West Region, we walked through the expansive facility, moving through each department and seeing firsthand how investment, systems, and people come together on the floor. There is an entrepreneurial energy here, paired with discipline. Teams understand expectations, take ownership, and operate with a shared sense of purpose.
Where Investment Becomes Impact
What stood out was not just the level of investment, but how thoughtfully it has been integrated.
A defining example is the addition of the Koenig & Bauer Rapida 164 eight-color UV press. The Renton site has operated Koenig & Bauer equipment since 1990, including a long-running press affectionately labeled “Ol Faithful.” Today, that legacy stands side by side with the future.
This investment is about more than equipment. It is about scale, capability, and long-term positioning.
With a 25 percent larger sheet size and faster run speeds, the new press is expected to increase capacity by as much as 30 percent, strengthening its ability to meet high-volume demand while maintaining precision and quality.
People First, In Practice
Yet throughout the visit, Lynnette and the leadership team returned to a consistent point: technology only performs when people do.
“Putting people first doesn’t mean everything is perfect,” she explained. “It means we treat people as human beings, not as a cog in the wheel, and we think about how our decisions affect their lives.”
That philosophy isn’t theoretical. It shows up in how the business operates every day.
Across the facility, new systems are improving workflow, strengthening quality, and increasing efficiency. But what makes those systems effective is the engagement of the team using them. There is accountability in how work is executed, pride in the output, and alignment around expectations.
Build Strength Where It Matters 
Lynnette’s approach to leadership challenges conventional thinking around performance.
Rather than focusing primarily on correcting weaknesses, she emphasizes building on strengths. “If someone is a five in one area and a ten in another, you’ll get far more impact by developing the ten,” she explained.
The goal is not to ignore weaknesses, but to ensure they do not derail performance while focusing energy on what drives the greatest impact.
Curiosity Is the Starting Point
That same mindset carries into how Mill Rock is approaching workforce development.
As the industry faces talent challenges, the Mill Rock leadership team is focused less on finding perfect experience and more on identifying potential. “We look for curiosity, for people who want to learn and grow,” she said.
Programs designed to bring new talent into the industry and develop them from the ground up are a key part of that approach. New employees are often paired with experienced operators, creating an environment where knowledge flows both ways.
“We teach each other,” she noted.
That philosophy extends to how the company is preparing for the future. Lynnette sees technology, including AI, as a tool that will reshape how work gets done, but only when paired with the right people and mindset.
“The sky is the limit,” she said, pointing to the importance of combining technical knowledge with new capabilities to drive efficiency, decision-making, and customer experience.
You Can See Yourself Here
One moment on the floor brought that broader vision into focus.
Shelly Thurman, a material handler in the Finishing Department, moved confidently across the floor on a forklift, her presence both strong and expressive. It was a moment that captured something larger: the importance of creating space for people to see themselves in this industry.
For Lynnette, that visibility matters, especially for the next generation.
“I remember being the only woman in many of my classes and meetings,” she reflected. Today, that is changing. “There are more women in leadership roles, and more people who can look around and see someone who understands their experience.”
Still, she is intentional about continuing that progress, ensuring that others have the support and visibility she did not always have early in her career.
That sense of connection extends beyond Mill Rock. Through PPC’s Women in Packaging community, Lynnette has found an additional layer of engagement and support.
“I don’t think I would have felt as connected to PPC without that group,” she said.
Why This Industry Keeps Pulling People Back
As Mill Rock continues to grow, maintaining that balance—between scale and culture, technology and people—remains a priority.
In Renton, that alignment is already taking shape. A powerhouse not just because of its size, but because of the clarity of its direction and the strength of the people driving it forward.
And for the Mill Rock team, that clarity is what keeps them here.
An industry defined not just by what it produces, but by the people behind it.
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