Greg Hrinya, Editor06.04.20
Inland Packaging
2009 West Ave S, La Crosse WI, USA 54601
www.inlandpackaging.com
Inland Packaging, a family-owned label converter, has reached multiple peaks during its three generations of ownership – and not just because its iconic label has allowed Coors Light to show consumers its products are “as cold as the Rockies.” Mark Glendenning, president and CEO of Inland, has navigated this award-winning company beyond its 75th anniversary. From high-quality labels to an exceptional workplace environment, Inland continues to garner attention.
Although Inland recently celebrated 75 years in business, its history dates back some time further. The Inland Printing Company was established in 1907, when it primarily produced printed garage forms for the local Ford automotive dealers. Around 1938, the business expanded to be a more inclusive, small-run print shop.
The company’s current legacy originated in 1944, when John Glendenning, Mark’s grandfather, moved his family from Detroit, MI, to Wisconsin. There, he partnered with two gentlemen to purchase what was then known as the Inland Group.
“To say we’ve evolved since 1944 is an understatement, as the past 75 years have come with significant change and growth,” explains Mark. “John became the sole owner and president of Inland Printing Company in 1952. Inland’s business began to flourish, as we gained more local customers by printing forms, posters and other items on a Davidson 10×14 offset press.”
During that time, John’s son, Jack, joined the workforce and was tasked with many miscellaneous jobs at the plant. Throughout the 1960s, the company utilized three different offset presses that were added to the La Crosse facility, as well as a multi-binder to support its commercial business. As more equipment was purchased and business continued to grow, John quickly realized that Inland was growing out of the downtown La Crosse space.
In 1971, Inland Printing Company relocated to its current West Avenue location, which today serves as the company’s headquarters. “The new West Avenue location was better suited for manufacturing, as well as the growth Inland was striving for,” says Mark. “Shortly after the move Inland partnered with a local company, G. Heileman Brewing Company, which marked the start of Inland’s presence in the beer label market.”
Upon John’s retirement in 1973, Jack assumed the role of CEO. John established the foundation and work ethic that still resonates today. “John had established a mission built upon customer delight, and Jack saw the potential for growth in Inland’s future. He had a vision – growth for our employees, growth for our customers, and growth for our communities. Customer satisfaction was – and still is – a key to Inland’s success, and Jack wanted to grow this company beyond a local commercial print shop.”
In order to foster growth, Inland invested heavily in itself. The 1990s saw added equipment, new facilities and expansion. That time period also saw Mark, Jack’s son, enter the fold. Mark arrived as a sales representative in 1988 based in Chicago, IL. At that time, Inland was thriving and growing in the beer industry, while expanding into the food, water, and beverage markets.
Mark was not a sales representative for long, though. He quickly soared through the ranks, moving from his initial position to VP of Process Improvement and COO in 1994. And just five years later, Mark became the president of Inland. He would add the title of CEO in 2001.
Mark received an early indoctrination into the family business, too. “As a little boy, I remember coming into the plant on weekends with my dad,” Mark remembers. “On many Saturdays, Grandpa John would also be in the office finishing up billing, doing estimates or making out job tickets. I got to run around the plant – OSHA rules were different back then. For a young boy, it was pretty cool to see all the equipment and the things we printed.”
Mark was left with everlasting images of the printing facility, which had been built as a bank and had a vault in the basement.
“When I was a bit older, I began to do hand work and odd jobs at Inland,” he adds. “We had moved to a newer plant and had continued to grow so the equipment was even more interesting – especially the fork lifts.”
Throughout high school and his college summers, Mark began to help out in maintenance, on presses and in shipping. After college, Mark worked for a large corporation as a sales engineer in Chicago when the opportunity to join the Inland team as a sales representative presented itself.
“The funny thing was, unlike my grandpa asking my dad to come back to Inland right out of college, my dad wanted his kids to work for someone else,” explains Mark. “He wanted us to understand work from a different perspective. He also didn’t want us to feel that Inland was our pre-ordained career – or life sentence. I really appreciate his foresight now.
“The pride I felt as a kid running around that old bank never left me,” he adds. “I always appreciated the fact that we took raw materials like paper and ink and manufactured products on really cool machines. The smell of ink, the sound of a printing press, those were just icing on the cake. I love the fact that we are a manufacturer of labels and packaging. I take great pride in the skill and dedication of our workforce.”
Inland today
Inland’s ability to adapt to a changing industry has created sustained success. With Mark at the helm, the company expanded its product offerings beyond the cut and stack world. “We knew our customers needed more than just labels,” states Mark.
In 2015, the company rebranded, and Inland’s new tagline “We Power Great Packaging” alluded to its current portfolio in food, beverage and consumer product packaging, while also promising further innovation.
“We were known as the ‘Label Experts’ but we needed to align our brand with our growth strategy. We have developed into a robust resource for our customers and have always been a strategic partner rather than a simple supplier,” says Mark. “Our new identity recognizes that.”
Today, Inland boasts more than 400 employees across its four facilities. Two of the facilities are situated in La Crosse WI, with one facility in Neenah, WI. In June 2019, Inland also celebrated the grand opening of the relocation of its Pennsylvania facility to Downingtown. The company’s Downingtown facility measures upward of 60,000 square feet and houses approximately 50 employees.
Under Mark’s leadership, the company has grown from a local printer to a global supplier. “We found the perfect opportunities to acquire locations that supported our product offerings in shrink, pressure sensitive and flexible packaging,” he notes. “Our company doubled in size quickly, and in late 2015 we acquired our Pennsylvania plant, which would be our primary pressure sensitive facility. Six short months later we acquired our Neenah facility, which would support our shrink and flexible packaging offerings.”
Mark has not been shy about giving back, either. Mark formed the Glendenning Family Foundation in 2000 as a way to share the success of this family business and give back to the La Crosse, Neenah, and Downingtown communities. The Foundation has allocated funds to help improve the lives of area youth.
Much of the Glendenning Family Foundation’s support has been focused on United Way, where contributions help families and at-risk youth. Inland has also been an active supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region, Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse, Children’s Miracle Network, La Crosse Area Family YMCA, La Crosse Family & Children’s Center, The Salvation Army, among others. The company has also assisted the University of Wisconsin, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College.
There’s a solution for that
Inland, long known as “The Label Experts,” gained notoriety for its innovative beer labels. Inland was the label converter behind the color changing mountains on Coors Light beer labels. Inland and Miller Coors formed a product development team that incorporated key substrate, ink and coating suppliers.
Implementing thermochromic inks on the Coors Light label allowed the mountains on the label to turn different shades of blue based on the temperature of the bottle.
“This was truly something that stood out in the marketplace and is now an iconic feature of the Coors Light brand,” notes Mark.
Inland has made its mark in beer labeling, and the company has evolved into other segments. Food, beverage – including ready to drink, beer and water – and consumer products comprise Inland’s book of business.
“Starting out as a cut and stack supplier for these markets, our eyes were opened that there were many other products that we could also bring to the table for our customers,” says Mark. “So, when we acquired our Neenah and Downingtown facilities, it allowed us to be a turnkey supplier to our customers and provide multiple label solutions.”
Inland has relied on a host of suppliers to emerge as an award-winning label converter, and automation is a key differentiator for the business. Heidelberg equipment has played a pivotal role in the company’s cut and stack growth. Inland’s cut and stack fleet is comprised of all Heidelberg presses, which are leveraged to provide versatility to a range of customers. The company has also invested in auto cut lines. This finishing equipment removes the possibility for human error throughout the finishing process, and it has become crucial in Inland’s expansion in the food and beverage markets.
“Investment has been key as we’ve continued to bring in the newest and best equipment,” explains Mark. “We haven’t shied away from implementing automation into our processes where it makes sense, and we are always looking for what else is out there in the industry that can support our growth and get the highest quality labels into the hands of our customers faster.”
Inland’s investments have gone beyond cut and stack, too. In the last five years, Inland has acquired multiple new flexo presses to support that part of the business, as well as a new digital press.
“The key additions for us have been the Mark Andy press that we have running in our Neenah facility, and we have invested in the HP 20000 digital press,” says Mark. “The move to digital was very much driven from what we were seeing in the market at the time, as personalization and short runs were what our customers – and consumers – were looking for.”
While the HP press has helped with short-run projects and customization, Inland has benefited with mid-size runs, as well. The company also purchased two Nilpeter presses shortly after the acquisition of its Downingtown facility, which, according to Mark, have quality checkpoints and the latest technology to provide high quality labels.
And the award goes to…
Inland has emerged as one of the most decorated label converters in North America. The company is routinely recognized for its shrink sleeves, pressure sensitive labels, flexible packaging, in-mold and cut and stack labels.
In 2018 alone, Inland received 19 awards. The distinctions have come from multiple sources, ranging from the Great Lakes Graphics Association to the Gravure Association of the Americas. Most recently, Inland notched a Golden Cylinder Award for its Coors Light cut and stack label, as well as three pewter Gold Ink Awards. The company received the Gold Ink Awards for Karben4 Belly Bongos Vine Pale Ale, Vega One Botanical Blends – Tumeric Coconut, and Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit Saison Ale. Inland also garnered four American Package Design Awards in 2019.
Inland is a fixture for the Best Workplace in the Americas Award, as the Printing Industries of America has honored the label converter for six straight years. A panel of HR professionals evaluated Inland on communication and culture, employee resources and benefits, and safety and work environment.
“The awards for which Inland has been nominated and have won over the years are a testament to what we are capable of as a partner to our customers,” states Mark. “Being recognized for the quality products that we produce demonstrates that it isn’t only about putting ink on paper, it’s a team effort. From start to finish there are many steps that go into producing the labels and packaging that we do, and each aspect of Inland plays a part in our successes as a company. We celebrate this together as a company, as well as with our customers.”
Collaboration has been instrumental to Inland’s recognitions. By forming successful partnerships with its customers, Inland has been able to produce award-winning labels.
“These recognitions are about our customers as much as they are about what we accomplish as a label manufacturer,” he adds. “Ultimately, if it weren’t for the amazing products and label and packaging designs that our customers create to stand out on the shelf, there wouldn’t be awards to win.”
Inland’s success has also been built upon a dedicated workforce, which filters throughout the organization. The company prides itself on promoting from within. In fact, many of the company’s key stakeholders start out as youngsters on the production floor, where they acquire knowledge about the entire process. This experience helps drive growth throughout the entire organization.
Customer service is also critical for Inland. There can be no collaboration and partnerships without employees willing to establish those connections. The team is committed to its customers and the fostering of successful partnerships.
“We look for customers who are willing to be true partners and are willing to focus on each other’s growth,” emphasizes Mark. “Our willingness to invest in and set our company up for growth throughout the organization allows us to go aggressively after the right business, allowing us to meet or exceed our customers’ expectations through best-in-class operations, customer service and quality. Our pride in the partnerships that we have built over our 75-plus years in operation include the relationships we have built with our supply base to ensure they can support both Inland’s and our customers’ growth.”
This philosophy has been no more apparent than during the current coronavirus pandemic, where Inland’s employees have extended themselves to meet extraordinary demands.
“If COVID-19 has had any type of silver lining, it is that as an essential business helping to keep store shelves stocked, our people have shown themselves to be genuine heroes,” concludes Mark. “Boy, I’m proud of them, and Grandpa would not believe what Inland has become.”
2009 West Ave S, La Crosse WI, USA 54601
www.inlandpackaging.com
Inland Packaging, a family-owned label converter, has reached multiple peaks during its three generations of ownership – and not just because its iconic label has allowed Coors Light to show consumers its products are “as cold as the Rockies.” Mark Glendenning, president and CEO of Inland, has navigated this award-winning company beyond its 75th anniversary. From high-quality labels to an exceptional workplace environment, Inland continues to garner attention.
Although Inland recently celebrated 75 years in business, its history dates back some time further. The Inland Printing Company was established in 1907, when it primarily produced printed garage forms for the local Ford automotive dealers. Around 1938, the business expanded to be a more inclusive, small-run print shop.
The company’s current legacy originated in 1944, when John Glendenning, Mark’s grandfather, moved his family from Detroit, MI, to Wisconsin. There, he partnered with two gentlemen to purchase what was then known as the Inland Group.
“To say we’ve evolved since 1944 is an understatement, as the past 75 years have come with significant change and growth,” explains Mark. “John became the sole owner and president of Inland Printing Company in 1952. Inland’s business began to flourish, as we gained more local customers by printing forms, posters and other items on a Davidson 10×14 offset press.”
During that time, John’s son, Jack, joined the workforce and was tasked with many miscellaneous jobs at the plant. Throughout the 1960s, the company utilized three different offset presses that were added to the La Crosse facility, as well as a multi-binder to support its commercial business. As more equipment was purchased and business continued to grow, John quickly realized that Inland was growing out of the downtown La Crosse space.
In 1971, Inland Printing Company relocated to its current West Avenue location, which today serves as the company’s headquarters. “The new West Avenue location was better suited for manufacturing, as well as the growth Inland was striving for,” says Mark. “Shortly after the move Inland partnered with a local company, G. Heileman Brewing Company, which marked the start of Inland’s presence in the beer label market.”
Upon John’s retirement in 1973, Jack assumed the role of CEO. John established the foundation and work ethic that still resonates today. “John had established a mission built upon customer delight, and Jack saw the potential for growth in Inland’s future. He had a vision – growth for our employees, growth for our customers, and growth for our communities. Customer satisfaction was – and still is – a key to Inland’s success, and Jack wanted to grow this company beyond a local commercial print shop.”
In order to foster growth, Inland invested heavily in itself. The 1990s saw added equipment, new facilities and expansion. That time period also saw Mark, Jack’s son, enter the fold. Mark arrived as a sales representative in 1988 based in Chicago, IL. At that time, Inland was thriving and growing in the beer industry, while expanding into the food, water, and beverage markets.
Mark was not a sales representative for long, though. He quickly soared through the ranks, moving from his initial position to VP of Process Improvement and COO in 1994. And just five years later, Mark became the president of Inland. He would add the title of CEO in 2001.
Mark received an early indoctrination into the family business, too. “As a little boy, I remember coming into the plant on weekends with my dad,” Mark remembers. “On many Saturdays, Grandpa John would also be in the office finishing up billing, doing estimates or making out job tickets. I got to run around the plant – OSHA rules were different back then. For a young boy, it was pretty cool to see all the equipment and the things we printed.”
Mark was left with everlasting images of the printing facility, which had been built as a bank and had a vault in the basement.
“When I was a bit older, I began to do hand work and odd jobs at Inland,” he adds. “We had moved to a newer plant and had continued to grow so the equipment was even more interesting – especially the fork lifts.”
Throughout high school and his college summers, Mark began to help out in maintenance, on presses and in shipping. After college, Mark worked for a large corporation as a sales engineer in Chicago when the opportunity to join the Inland team as a sales representative presented itself.
“The funny thing was, unlike my grandpa asking my dad to come back to Inland right out of college, my dad wanted his kids to work for someone else,” explains Mark. “He wanted us to understand work from a different perspective. He also didn’t want us to feel that Inland was our pre-ordained career – or life sentence. I really appreciate his foresight now.
“The pride I felt as a kid running around that old bank never left me,” he adds. “I always appreciated the fact that we took raw materials like paper and ink and manufactured products on really cool machines. The smell of ink, the sound of a printing press, those were just icing on the cake. I love the fact that we are a manufacturer of labels and packaging. I take great pride in the skill and dedication of our workforce.”
Inland today
Inland’s ability to adapt to a changing industry has created sustained success. With Mark at the helm, the company expanded its product offerings beyond the cut and stack world. “We knew our customers needed more than just labels,” states Mark.
In 2015, the company rebranded, and Inland’s new tagline “We Power Great Packaging” alluded to its current portfolio in food, beverage and consumer product packaging, while also promising further innovation.
“We were known as the ‘Label Experts’ but we needed to align our brand with our growth strategy. We have developed into a robust resource for our customers and have always been a strategic partner rather than a simple supplier,” says Mark. “Our new identity recognizes that.”
Today, Inland boasts more than 400 employees across its four facilities. Two of the facilities are situated in La Crosse WI, with one facility in Neenah, WI. In June 2019, Inland also celebrated the grand opening of the relocation of its Pennsylvania facility to Downingtown. The company’s Downingtown facility measures upward of 60,000 square feet and houses approximately 50 employees.
Under Mark’s leadership, the company has grown from a local printer to a global supplier. “We found the perfect opportunities to acquire locations that supported our product offerings in shrink, pressure sensitive and flexible packaging,” he notes. “Our company doubled in size quickly, and in late 2015 we acquired our Pennsylvania plant, which would be our primary pressure sensitive facility. Six short months later we acquired our Neenah facility, which would support our shrink and flexible packaging offerings.”
Mark has not been shy about giving back, either. Mark formed the Glendenning Family Foundation in 2000 as a way to share the success of this family business and give back to the La Crosse, Neenah, and Downingtown communities. The Foundation has allocated funds to help improve the lives of area youth.
Much of the Glendenning Family Foundation’s support has been focused on United Way, where contributions help families and at-risk youth. Inland has also been an active supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region, Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse, Children’s Miracle Network, La Crosse Area Family YMCA, La Crosse Family & Children’s Center, The Salvation Army, among others. The company has also assisted the University of Wisconsin, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College.
There’s a solution for that
Inland, long known as “The Label Experts,” gained notoriety for its innovative beer labels. Inland was the label converter behind the color changing mountains on Coors Light beer labels. Inland and Miller Coors formed a product development team that incorporated key substrate, ink and coating suppliers.
Implementing thermochromic inks on the Coors Light label allowed the mountains on the label to turn different shades of blue based on the temperature of the bottle.
“This was truly something that stood out in the marketplace and is now an iconic feature of the Coors Light brand,” notes Mark.
Inland has made its mark in beer labeling, and the company has evolved into other segments. Food, beverage – including ready to drink, beer and water – and consumer products comprise Inland’s book of business.
“Starting out as a cut and stack supplier for these markets, our eyes were opened that there were many other products that we could also bring to the table for our customers,” says Mark. “So, when we acquired our Neenah and Downingtown facilities, it allowed us to be a turnkey supplier to our customers and provide multiple label solutions.”
Inland has relied on a host of suppliers to emerge as an award-winning label converter, and automation is a key differentiator for the business. Heidelberg equipment has played a pivotal role in the company’s cut and stack growth. Inland’s cut and stack fleet is comprised of all Heidelberg presses, which are leveraged to provide versatility to a range of customers. The company has also invested in auto cut lines. This finishing equipment removes the possibility for human error throughout the finishing process, and it has become crucial in Inland’s expansion in the food and beverage markets.
“Investment has been key as we’ve continued to bring in the newest and best equipment,” explains Mark. “We haven’t shied away from implementing automation into our processes where it makes sense, and we are always looking for what else is out there in the industry that can support our growth and get the highest quality labels into the hands of our customers faster.”
Inland’s investments have gone beyond cut and stack, too. In the last five years, Inland has acquired multiple new flexo presses to support that part of the business, as well as a new digital press.
“The key additions for us have been the Mark Andy press that we have running in our Neenah facility, and we have invested in the HP 20000 digital press,” says Mark. “The move to digital was very much driven from what we were seeing in the market at the time, as personalization and short runs were what our customers – and consumers – were looking for.”
While the HP press has helped with short-run projects and customization, Inland has benefited with mid-size runs, as well. The company also purchased two Nilpeter presses shortly after the acquisition of its Downingtown facility, which, according to Mark, have quality checkpoints and the latest technology to provide high quality labels.
And the award goes to…
Inland has emerged as one of the most decorated label converters in North America. The company is routinely recognized for its shrink sleeves, pressure sensitive labels, flexible packaging, in-mold and cut and stack labels.
In 2018 alone, Inland received 19 awards. The distinctions have come from multiple sources, ranging from the Great Lakes Graphics Association to the Gravure Association of the Americas. Most recently, Inland notched a Golden Cylinder Award for its Coors Light cut and stack label, as well as three pewter Gold Ink Awards. The company received the Gold Ink Awards for Karben4 Belly Bongos Vine Pale Ale, Vega One Botanical Blends – Tumeric Coconut, and Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit Saison Ale. Inland also garnered four American Package Design Awards in 2019.
Inland is a fixture for the Best Workplace in the Americas Award, as the Printing Industries of America has honored the label converter for six straight years. A panel of HR professionals evaluated Inland on communication and culture, employee resources and benefits, and safety and work environment.
“The awards for which Inland has been nominated and have won over the years are a testament to what we are capable of as a partner to our customers,” states Mark. “Being recognized for the quality products that we produce demonstrates that it isn’t only about putting ink on paper, it’s a team effort. From start to finish there are many steps that go into producing the labels and packaging that we do, and each aspect of Inland plays a part in our successes as a company. We celebrate this together as a company, as well as with our customers.”
Collaboration has been instrumental to Inland’s recognitions. By forming successful partnerships with its customers, Inland has been able to produce award-winning labels.
“These recognitions are about our customers as much as they are about what we accomplish as a label manufacturer,” he adds. “Ultimately, if it weren’t for the amazing products and label and packaging designs that our customers create to stand out on the shelf, there wouldn’t be awards to win.”
Inland’s success has also been built upon a dedicated workforce, which filters throughout the organization. The company prides itself on promoting from within. In fact, many of the company’s key stakeholders start out as youngsters on the production floor, where they acquire knowledge about the entire process. This experience helps drive growth throughout the entire organization.
Customer service is also critical for Inland. There can be no collaboration and partnerships without employees willing to establish those connections. The team is committed to its customers and the fostering of successful partnerships.
“We look for customers who are willing to be true partners and are willing to focus on each other’s growth,” emphasizes Mark. “Our willingness to invest in and set our company up for growth throughout the organization allows us to go aggressively after the right business, allowing us to meet or exceed our customers’ expectations through best-in-class operations, customer service and quality. Our pride in the partnerships that we have built over our 75-plus years in operation include the relationships we have built with our supply base to ensure they can support both Inland’s and our customers’ growth.”
This philosophy has been no more apparent than during the current coronavirus pandemic, where Inland’s employees have extended themselves to meet extraordinary demands.
“If COVID-19 has had any type of silver lining, it is that as an essential business helping to keep store shelves stocked, our people have shown themselves to be genuine heroes,” concludes Mark. “Boy, I’m proud of them, and Grandpa would not believe what Inland has become.”