Personified Times
May & June 2026
If it happened at PPI, chances are you'll find it in here. The last two months brought new milestones, familiar faces, exciting projects, and plenty of reasons to celebrate. Whether it's a work anniversary, a new piece of equipment, a team event, or a customer success story, every update is a reminder that our greatest strength has always been our people.
Thanks for being part of another great couple of months. We hope you enjoy this edition of Personified Times.
Quality Champions
Leadership isn't always about having the loudest voice in the room.
Sometimes it's about consistency. Attention to detail. A positive attitude. And setting the example day after day.
That's exactly why we're proud to recognize Kimberly as a PPI Quality Champion.
Kimberly's commitment to quality shows up in everything she does. She approaches her work with awareness, takes pride in the details, and brings an attitude that the team naturally rallies behind.
Her impact has not gone unnoticed. Kimberly was recently promoted to Converting Lead, a reflection of the leadership, dedication, and ownership she demonstrates every day.
Quality at PPI is built by people who care deeply about the work, support those around them, and continually raise the standard.
Kimberly, congratulations on your promotion and thank you for the example you set for the entire team.
March Madness
The dust has settled, the brackets have been argued over, and the winners have officially been located. 🏀
Shoutout to our March Madness crew for proving they apparently know a thing or two. The victory tour can officially begin. 👑
Employee Highlights
Celebrating 15 years with PPI for Russ!
Over the years, Russ has made a lasting impact in Sparta and played a major role in building the finishing department into what it is today. His leadership, experience, and steady presence have helped shape a strong second shift team and a group of highly skilled operators.
As Rick, Sparta Plant Manager, put it:
“Congratulations on 15 yrs of outstanding work, countless contributions and endless wisdom. Russ has helped build the foundation we stand on today and made a significant impact in the department’s success.”
Thank you, Russ, for 15 years of hard work, leadership, and dedication. Congratulations!
Congratulations to James on his recent promotion to Shift Lead! 🎉
James has been a valued part of PPI for 13 years, consistently demonstrating a strong work ethic, leadership, and a willingness to support both the department and his fellow team members whenever needed.
“James is a dependable resource for training and developing new employees, taking pride in helping others grow and succeed within the department. In his new leadership role, he is currently focused on mentoring and developing two team members to help advance their skills and overall performance. He maintains a strong focus on quality, safety, and operational efficiency while ensuring his line runs smoothly and productively.”
-Extrusion Manager
Congratulations, James, and thank you for everything you bring to the team! 👏
The PPI Blues Brothers showed up matching today and honestly, nobody questioned it for a second. Same family, same building, same commitment to accidentally coordinating outfits like it’s part of the production schedule. 😎💙
A few of these photos are pretty funny. The training itself? Very important.
A big thank you to Save a Life-A-Life for spending the day with our team and helping us refresh our First Aid and CPR skills. We hope we never need to use them, but we're grateful to have them.
And to the first responders who rely on these skills every day, thank you for the work you do and the lives you impact.
The extrusion bubble might be the first thing you notice in this photo.
The people behind it are what we notice. Andy is one of the many people who keep PPI moving forward every day.
At the end of the day, the equipment matters. The process matters. The technology matters. But it's our people who bring the "Personified" to Packaging Personified.
Updates Around the Plant
Another Century-Tech machine rolling in!
We’re excited to continue growing our partnership with Century-Tech. We’ve been nothing short of thrilled with these machines, and it’s always a good day when another one shows up at the plant.
Looking forward to getting this one set up and running.
Carol Stream got a little upgrade. ✨
Our new sign is officially up, lit, and looking sharp. If you’re passing by, give us a wave!
Manager Exchange
Growth doesn't always happen behind a desk. Sometimes it happens on the production floor.
Noel and Roger, our Extrusion Production Managers, recently spent some time together as part of our manager exchange program. Sharing ideas, learning from each other's experiences, and bringing fresh perspectives back to their teams is a valuable part of how we continue to improve.
It's one more way we're building stronger teams across both facilities.
When people ask what vertical integration looks like, this is part of the answer.
Before the printing. Before the converting. Before it's even a package on a shelf.
Extrusion is the starting line of our vertically integrated process, giving us control, consistency, and quality from the very beginning.
⏳TV Show Styles!
Turns out self-control is in short supply around here. 😄 Nearly half of Team PPI admitted they're "just one more episode" binge-watchers, while another 43% said it all depends on the show. Only 9% have mastered the art of stopping after a single episode. We're impressed... and just a little skeptical.