NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT, December 7, 2022 – The Independent Carton Group (ICG), an association of 21 independently owned and operated folding carton manufacturers, celebrated the 20-year partnership with Clearwater Paper (www.clearwaterpaper.com) during their November quarterly meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas. Close to sixty ICG members and designated supplier partners were treated to a plant tour of Clearwater Paper’s plant in Cypress Bend, Arkansas as part of the three-day meeting.
“We thought it very fitting to have this meeting correspond with the twenty-year anniversary of when the Clearwater Paper (then Potlatch) first partnered with the ICG to be our predominate supplier of SBS board to our members,” said Jay Willie, ICG Director.
While Clearwater Paper provides ICG members with quality SBS board they also assist member companies to enhance manufacturing practice and operations through the deployment of their Converting Solutions Team. The “CST” group are seasoned experts from within the industry. They have over one hundred fifty years of manufacturing experience, from printing, die-cutting, folding and gluing. All members have extensive backgrounds with strengths in Facility Assessments, SMEDS, and Kaizen Studies.
“Clearwater Paper has been an outstanding partner over the years,” continues Willie. “Through their Converting Solutions Team they have helped our members save money and time in their manufacturing practices, helping our members grow sales in these challenging times. Clearwater Paper brings a lot of value to our members.”
“Clearwater Paper is immensely proud of our long partnership with ICG. Welcoming members to our Cypress Bend, Arkansas mill, twenty years after the start of the relationship, seems fitting to honor the partnership. We look forward to the next twenty years of this relationships,” said Clive Gillanders, director of sales for Clearwater Paper’s pulp and paperboard division.
The ICG was established forty years ago as a group of independently owned folding carton firms to provide the original five member companies assurance of uninterrupted production support in the advent of a catastrophic event. Since that time, it has grown to twenty-one companies and in scope to offer training and education programs as well being the largest and most well-known buying group in the industry.
“While the original reason for the group’s forming was for operational security, the board of directors is very proud of the leadership and operational training programs that have been developed. Our members are more productive and profitable due to the breadth of services they get from being members of the ICG. This meeting at Clearwater Paper and their involvement with the group is a classic example of that value,” says Willie.
About the Independent Carton Group
The Independent Carton Group (ICG) is a growing association of 21 independently owned and operated folding carton companies from 15 states and Canada. The ICG works tirelessly to make sure that its members have access to competitive pricing on raw materials, equipment, and consumables as well as offering learning and networking opportunities that help them to be successful. ICG members collectively produce almost $1 billion in cartons and related packaging materials yearly. For more information on the ICG or to inquire about membership contact the ICG office at 203-270-7578.
About the Clearwater Paper
Clearwater Paper (www.clearwaterpaper.com) and its subsidiary, Manchester Industries, are recognized for outstanding products, collaborative service, and strategic insight. Clearwater Paper is North America’s largest independent producer of premium solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard for quality-conscious printers and packaging converters. In addition, Manchester Industries is one of the leading paperboard converting facilities in the country with five shipping locations in North America, offering services that include custom sheeting, slitting, and cutting. The company is also a premier supplier of private brand tissue to major retailers, including grocery, club, mass merchants and discount stores.
