Shawano-based converter Wisconsin Film & Bag (WIFB) produces some 15,000 types of custom-made polyethylene bags and plastic sheeting annually in this small town of 8,200 people. Located about 50 miles from Green Bay, Shawano provides a loyal, strong and intelligent workforce. "We not only treat our people with dignity, but we provide them with the tools to grow in their job and in their personal life," says Jack Riopelle, WIFB president.

It's a formula for success that Riopelle learned while managing several paper-converting companies. When he left his last position in 1993, he purchased WIFB, along with several key managers and an equity partner. Founded in 1970, WIFB had all the right pieces in place but needed additional equipment. "The most significant asset we found was the people. This was the resource we counted on, and still do."

This resource has enabled WIFB to continually grow. Since 1993, six new extrusion lines have been added—the latest in March. WIFB also recently installed a new, larger repelletizer to reprocess scrap.

WIFB develops and manufactures made-to-order bags and film/sheeting to companies in its core markets of the 13 upper Midwest states. "Because we always customize our formulations to meet exact needs, it is critical that all our people understand the total process as well as being experts in their primary job," Riopelle explains.

WIFB's products are used for everything from window and mattress wrapping and various food packaging to corrugated-case liners and inner-leaf for separating wooden doors. Recently, the company started supplying products for medical applications and has achieved pharmaceutical certification.

"There are a lot of people who make poly bags. Our strength has always been outstanding service right from the start," says Greg Greene, WIFB vice president of sales. "It's the key to success for WIFB, not a mission statement on a plaque."

With machinery in place, a strong, loyal workforce and a plan to grow, WIFB has also added another significant component—Resin Technology (www.resinpros.com), a resin-purchasing consulting company. WIFB uses RTi's real-time benchmark database of pricing and supply within its industry segment. RTi provides pricing consultation to its clients that helps reduce cost of resin, color concentrates, additives and packaging purchases. And RTi does not charge a fee unless the client saves money.

One challenge that WIFB has in common with every other manufacturer is the need to control the cost of raw materials. "We'll always keep our customers one step ahead as long as we buy right," Riopelle states. "Resin Technology helps us identify the right raw materials, color concentrates, additives and scrap, and helps us purchase them at the proper price.

"They're also skilled at helping us to improve products, our film process, production and they've even helped connect us with the right equipment manufacturers. It was RTi's suggestion that we put in the brand of repelletizing equipment that we purchased. RTi helped us select the equipment, giving us a turnkey project." An additional service: RTi's Website provides WIFB with custom news, data, charts and industry analysis that enables the company to make better buying decisions.

"In short, we find RTi keeps focused on the resin portion of our business so we can concentrate on our customers," Riopelle says. "Some might wonder why we just didn't make that part of someone's job, or hire a resin purchasing manager. The answer is that we did hire a manager who has vast knowledge of the industry and has details of what's going on daily, and that's RTi."