Discover Atlantic Packaging Products’ drive to deliver on customer expectations
Atlantic Packaging Products (Atlantic) is an Ontario-based company that originally started making paper bags back in 1945,” begins Robert Suga, Vice President, Materials, Planning, Logistics & Support Service. “Still a privately owned company, the owner, Irving Granovsky, is the son of the founder, and he still comes to work every day. He asks questions and makes sure we’re continuing to run a fiscally responsible and good company. It’s an exciting place to work. Decision making doesn’t always come from the top; Irving wants everyone to think and act like an owner, which is one of our six core values.
“We’ve since expanded the business, not only in Ontario where we are one of the top three suppliers of corrugated board, but also in Quebec, where we hold the same status. The Quebec operation started as a partnership and continues to operate under its original name, Mitchel Lincoln Packaging Ltd. We’ve also partnered with several companies in the US and we’re starting to gain some market share there, particularly in the Northeast. Those partners include York Container Company, StandFast Packaging, BlackHawk Corrugated, Champion Container Corp, and Skybox Packaging. 
“All those entities share the same DNA and an overarching drive to best serve the customer. This was the founding principle and is still what sets the company apart today. It’s always been about the customer; what does the customer need and how do we deliver on it. The company’s core purpose is to provide exceptional customer service and that’s what every area of the business strives to deliver. Our on-time, in-full delivery performance is industry leading. We’re around the 95 percent range and deliver excellent quality with exceptional lead times. We have a large sales force and customer service group, with the resources to really service our customers. We try to develop partners and the feedback we often get from our customers is that they feel like we’re trying to build those partnerships.”
Atlantic provides a plethora of paper bags and cardboard boxes to leading businesses around Canada and the US. The company’s vertical integration model allows it to oversee every aspect of product development, from sourcing quality recycling material and manufacturing to supply and inventory management and logistics. Atlantic’s bespoke solutions deliver high-quality products that are durable, customizable, and sustainable.
By partnering with Atlantic, customers not only get end-to-end packaging solutions, but also sustainable products that help to reduce their carbon footprint. “Atlantic’s portfolio has evolved over the years. Today, we offer a full array of paper bag and cardboard box products, including digitally printed and preprinted detailed graphics, small runs to high volumes, as well as corrugated boxes in a limitless range of sizes. We also offer vendor managed inventory (VMI) and are in the ancillary packaging business, providing products like stretch wrap. We ship those ancillary products on the same trailer and it’s all part of our VMI offering. If our customers ask for an additional product or service, then it becomes part of our standard offering and is available to everybody.”
Sustainable solutions
Alongside customer service, environmental stewardship is another of Atlantic’s strategic pillars. “Our products are obviously made from recycled materials and are recyclable, but as well as that, we continually assess our operations from an ESG standpoint. Over the years, as technology has become available, we have implemented systems such as recycling our wastewater streams and developing energy cogeneration, so that any wasted heat and steam can be fed back into the energy production loop. Likewise, pretty much all roof areas have solar panels installed,” Robert elaborates.
As well as technology to drive sustainability, Robert explains how Atlantic integrates innovation into its operational processes. “We do incorporate automation into our processes, but it doesn’t always work perfectly, so we automate in ways that are efficient for our systems. As such, some of our press loading processes are automated. From order entry scheduling to production and inventory control, all those processes are electronic, and we use industry customized software. For example, we identified inefficiencies in our shipping and delivery process, which was predominantly manual but is now automated by means of a driver or trailer fleet management logistics software. This technology enhances planning, maximizes loads, improves telematics, and streamlines deliveries. In the year since we implemented the software, we’ve seen our load densities increase by five percent already, with the aim of reaching ten percent in the immediate future. We’ve also experienced significant driver utilization efficiencies. More efficient transportation is not only beneficial for the environment but also the customer. We’re in the process of automating data collection to pull our different systems together to provide more integrated information. This approach reduces data silos and makes decision making much easier and quicker. Our customers are also benefiting from improved information by means of real time delivery notifications.”
Atlantic’s next steps
With a new paper mill launched recently, Atlantic is also updating aging infrastructure, as well as increasing production and delivering a superior product for customers. “This is all tied up in investing for the future,” Robert continues. “With high-speed technology, we’re driving some costs out of the system, increasing production, and delivering quicker turnaround times for customers. These are ambitious steps in terms of reinvesting in the company. We’re not a low-cost solution because we’re not a cost-driven company, we’re customer driven. As such, we always need to be innovative while operating as efficiently as possible.
“The company has grown to the extent that we need to integrate a companywide ERP system. So, we are embarking on implementing and installing corporate ERP that will unite the different companies and entities. Looking to the future, we’re hoping for more of the same in terms of continuing to reinvest in technology, cementing our customer first approach, and customer experience delivery. We want to maintain our market share and we’ll only achieve that by being a leader in the field,” he concludes. “The competition is getting a little more aware and involved, so we need to up our game as well. We’ll strive to stay ahead by continuing to be a customer experience leader, uniting our brand to bring greater strength to our offering and driving greater market share in the US.”