We had something cool happen this month: Services Plus turned 40! Forty years is a long time for a company to be in business. I’ve read that half of all companies fail in their first five years and about two-thirds fail within their first ten years. For us to be around this long, we’ve got to be doing something different. Well, we are! Services Plus, Inc. was founded in 1984 by Marvin Schumacher, who was a local entrepreneur who had recently retired but was bored with retirement. Marvin acted quickly and wasn’t afraid of failure. Marvin led this way until the company grew and it no longer could “go off the paper” and he, again, was ready to move on.  His sons, Mike and Tom, were involved in several of Marvin’s businesses growing up. Marvin taught them to be entrepreneurs just like he had been. Mike and Tom purchased Marvin’s shares of Services Plus in the early 1990’s and continued to grow the company rapidly. Services Plus’s main customers throughout the history of the company have been some of the largest Consumer Packaged Goods companies (CPGs) in the world.  The company started out as a contract packager for these companies, repackaging well-known branded consumer tissue products into retail-ready sizes that we all purchase from retail store shelves. As Mike and Tom delivered for their customers, they grew the business, adding services such as distribution and fulfillment when their customers had needs and trusted Services Plus to solve their problems. Eventually, Mike and Tom were asked to consider serving as Contract Manufacturers for their customers, so they added two machines to produce facial tissue products from rolls supplied by local paper mills. Services Plus’s quick entry into and learning of this market provided more growth and tighter customer relationships. After owning and running the company for nearly 25 years, Mike and Tom were looking for a way to retire and sell their share of Services Plus. They hired me, Tad Campana, in 2011, for leadership succession and ultimately sold me their shares of Services Plus, Inc. between 2018 and 2020. We’ve continued to evolve Services Plus to better respond to our customers’ needs. Fast forward to today, when we are largely a contract manufacturer who also provides contract packaging services. Our customers have continued to ask us to produce their facial tissue brands and we’ve added manufacturing capabilities in the medical papers markets. We currently have eight paper converting lines that run daily. The business is more stable from a demand standpoint since we’ve moved more to contract manufacturing – it was just too hard to manage labor in a total job shop contract packaging environment. This move benefits our employees as well as our customers. In the process of shifting the company towards contract manufacturing over the past ten years, we still differentiate ourselves with Marvin’s entrepreneurial spirit – we’re not afraid to try new things or make mistakes and learn from them, plus we act quickly. I’m so happy to have been able to be a part of Services Plus’s first 40 years, even though I’ve only been here for about one-third of the company’s existence. We’ve got great customers, talented employees, and a Mission that calls us to a higher purpose: “Grow People, Please Customers.” There are easier ways to make a living, but I consider myself lucky to be doing what I was put on earth to do: lead Services Plus to growth and success. Sincerely, Tad Campana President & Owner of Services Plus, Inc.

How does contract manufacturing work? Contract manufacturing and contract or specialty packaging are processes in which one company hires another to manufacture products on their behalf. As a paper converting company, Services Plus handles the contract manufacturing of facial tissue,medical products, and other industrial productsWe specialize in helping our customers manufacture hard-to-produce and smaller volume products. While we can’t tell you who our clients are, for confidentiality reasons, or what brands we manufacture under contract, we can tell you how the contract manufacturing process works at Services Plus, Inc. First, we work with our customers to come up with an agreement that includes all the pertinent information needed to manufacture their paper product, such as product specifications, quantity, and timeframe. We take the time to ensure our customers feel good about how we’ll take care of their products. We strive to maintain the highest quality and inventory control standards, and use good communication to ensure our customers can trust us to bring their product to market. Because Services Plus, Inc. has no products or brands of our own, we value our customers’ trust in us above all. We only win if our customers win – their success is our success.  We’re happy to produce for great brands you know and love. Once agreements are in place and both parties are ready to move forward, our experienced purchasing team works to source appropriate raw material which, in the case of Services Plus, is often paper, boxes, and film. Our facility is located in a prime area for paper production: Green Bay, Wisconsin; a city long known for its paper mills and industry. We have the advantage of proximity to many suppliers of raw paper products. Our customer’s product is then manufactured and packaged in our facility, under tight Quality Assurance standards. We’re able to produce quickly and able to help our customers tackle even the most challenging situations, including customized packaging, multi-packs, and displays for retail. We do all we can to help our customers capitalize on the additional revenue that they stand to gain by using our facility and processes to get their products to market quickly. Once we’ve completed the customer’s contract manufacturing order, we ship the finished product out to distribution centers or straight to store shelves. Though we can’t name the brands we work with, we’re sure you’ve had a product made at Services Plus, Inc. in your house, office, hotel room, or doctor’s office. If you have questions regarding our Contract Manufacturing or Specialty Packaging services, please contact us at info@servicesplusinc.com

What we refer to as “specialty packaging” is also known as “contract packaging” and refers to the practice of a manufacturer hiring another party to package or assemble their finished products. This term is used in many industries and not only in consumer tissue, but that’s where Services Plus, Inc.’s focus lies. Our customers rely on us, as a contract manufacturing and specialty packaging partner, to help bring their products to market faster, run their overflow volume, and scale their business. Our customers make great products in 24 count cases.  Consumers don’t often buy in this quantity, so we repackage the products in sizes consumers prefer, enabling our customers to get their product to market.  We assist our customers with specialty packaging of their consumer tissue products, such as facial tissue and bath tissue, and we help tissue paper manufacturers prepare their products for redistribution from our facility to retail store shelves. We often help our customers repack or assemble their consumer tissue products into multi-packs or even create retail displays that are then shipped. A few aspects of specialty packaging that Services Plus, Inc. can assist with are: Multi-Packs & Single-Use Items Services Plus, Inc. can assemble – or break down – multi-packs of consumer packaged goods (CPGs). While most of our customers use this service for consumer tissue products, we also handle items bound for the medical industry and as well as consumer packaged goods, such as single-use cups and other items, for hospitality and retail sectors. Specialty Packaging Methods We’re able to employ a variety of packaging and wrapping method, including: - Shrink Wrapping   We apply a thin polymer film over the product selected and heat it to form a tight seal. - Poly Bagging   We can package your product in a variety of polyethylene bag sizes and styles. - Flow Wrapping  We also provide flow wrapping, aka pillow pouch wrapping, wrapping products in a fin- seal package. Our customers require us to be able to provide a variety of specialty packaging services and solutions, so if you don’t see what you’re looking for, please let us know at info@servicesplus.com. These are our most popular packaging services but we’re capable of much more!

What does the term “Consumer Tissue” refer to? People outside of the paper mill, paper converting, and CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) industries don’t typically go around referring to “consumer tissue” when they’re walking the aisles at the grocery store, club store, or pharmacy, but consumer tissue is an important part of your life that you probably only think about when it’s not there. Consumer tissue products include items that are often single-use or disposable, such as facial tissue, bath tissue (aka toilet paper), and paper towels. Services Plus, Inc., doesn’t have our own brand of any of the products we produce and package for our clients, but we make all kind of useful items that you can be sure you’ve had in your home or made contact with at a doctor’s or dentist’s office, including: Facial Tissue Look around the room you’re in right now and you might see a box or package of facial tissue that came from our facility. You’ll never know, because we don’t share our customers’ names, but it’s very likely that you’ve regularly encountered facial tissue produced at our facility, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. We produce and pack a variety of facial tissues in a variety of packaging, from pocket packs to cubes to traditional rectangular boxes, we process more facial tissue than any other consumer tissue product. Medical Exam Table Paper You know the paper that the doctor’s office uses to cover the exam table, so you can have a fresh, sanitary spot to sit or lay during your visit? Well, Services Plus, Inc. produces quite a bit of exam table paper, in fact, last year we produced nearly enough exam table paper to circle the world EIGHT TIMES. That covers a LOT of office visits! Dental Bibs Yep, we make the bibs they clip around your neck at the dentist’s office. You might not love visiting the dentist, but at least they keep your clothing splash-free with these handy, often water-resistant bibs. Bath Tissue Probably the most common consumer tissue used in the United States, we know this one is near and dear to your, ahem, heart: bath tissue, also known as toilet paper, is a critical household staple in the United States and in many other countries. Services Plus, Inc., produces specialty single-roll bath tissue products. Think about how all these products keep you clean, sanitary, and comfortable. Without the disposable consumer tissue paper products that paper converters produce, made from one of the world’s most renewable resources (thanks, trees!), your life might just be a little more challenging – and a lot less sanitary.

Respecting clients' intellectual property is critical in the contract manufacturing world for many reasons, beyond just legal compliance. Manufacturers play a key role in upholding these principles, as contract manufacturers frequently bring client concepts to fruition as a finished product and are often working with sensitive information referred to as “intellectual property”. Intellectual property can refer to copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and patents. Here are the three primary reasons that Services Plus, Inc. holds our customers' intellectual property in the highest regard: Encouraging Innovation Intellectual property protection encourages innovation by providing Services Plus, Inc. customers with the assurance that their ideas will be safeguarded and their information handled ethically. We foster a climate where clients feel comfortable investing time and resources in research and development, which we often handle for them. Whether our customers are asking us to work on their manufacturing and packaging processes or on their product development, we provide outsourced innovation and strive to help our clients bring their consumer tissue and medical paper products to market quickly and with discretion. Without a safe avenue to market, new products wouldn’t get created! Building Trust in Business Relationships Clients often share sensitive information with us. By respecting their intellectual property, we ensure that our customers feel secure in their business relationship with Services Plus, Inc. and are more likely to return for future collaborations and continued business, as proven by our excellent track record of maintaining long-term relationships with our customers. Taking intellectual property rights seriously helps build trust. A manufacturer who takes the time and effort to show that they will protect their customers’ intellectual property, above all, makes a trustworthy, reliable partner. You can trust us with your most sensitive information. Building Brand Equity Our customers’ value is not their market capitalization, but their brand equity.  We’re able to confidentially grow and extend their brands quickly, increasing their overall value.   _ Services Plus respects our customers' intellectual property rights because it contributes to the long-term success of our industry and positive relationships between our business and our clients. Our goal is to be known in the paper converting industry for complete respect of our customers’ products, processes, and innovations.

You might have a paper converter in your area or have friends that work at a paper converting facility, but do you know what “paper converting” actually is? Most of us – in the U.S. Midwest, at least – have heard the term before, though many people don’t understand what a paper converting facility does. While each paper converting facility is different, they all convert raw paper products into the everyday paper products used by consumers, like newsprint, paper plates, books, envelopes, and every other finished paper good you can think of. Services Plus, Inc.’s focus is on the conversion of tissue paper into useful products for household use and for the medical industry. Paper Rolls: The Starting Point It all begins with massive rolls of tissue paper. These rolls are typically made from a mixture of virgin or recycled paper pulp. When these rolls arrive at our Green Bay facility from our clients’ paper mills, they are enormous, weighing thousands of pounds and measuring several feet in width. The rolls are often taller than a person and wider than the average arm span. These huge rolls of tissue paper are the foundation of the tissue products you use in your everyday life, like facial tissue, toilet paper, and paper goods used in medical settings, such as dental bibs and exam table covers. Unwinding & Slitting The next step in tissue paper conversion is unwinding the massive paper rolls. This process carefully unfurls the delicate paper, allowing it to be easily transported to the next phase. It's important to handle the tissue paper gently to avoid any damage or cause imperfections. After unwinding, the paper is precisely slit into narrower pieces or rolls, each of which will become the basis for the tissue paper product they are destined to become. This step requires pinpoint accuracy to ensure the right width for each product type. Embossing and Perforation Embossing is an essential process that adds texture and thickness to the tissue paper. It's what gives tissue paper a unique softness and the embossing pattern used can also be part of the clients’ branding. The paper is passed through embossing rollers, which create the familiar patterns and textures you feel when you touch a familiar tissue paper product. Perforation is the art of creating those neat tear-off sections that make it easy to separate individual sheets of tissue paper. This process is particularly important for products like paper towels and toilet paper. Everyone loves the convenience of perforated paper products, even though we take this feature for granted. Re-rolling and Packaging Once the paper has been unwound, slit, and perforated, it's time to re-pack it into smaller, more manageable pack sizes for consumer use. These smaller pieces of the once-giant tissue paper rolls end up in the boxes and packages of facial tissue or toilet paper (bathroom tissue) you use in your home or workplace. The final step in tissue paper converting is packaging. The rolls, boxes, or packs of tissues are packaged in various quantities, from single packs to multi-packs, before they're ready to be shipped to stores, offices, and warehouses. Interfolding For products that utilize our paper converting process of interfolding, like pop-up facial tissue, the process differs slightly. First, the giant paper rolls are unwound, and fed into a specialized machine that cuts the tissue to the correct length, and simultaneously interfolds sheets into an interlocking structure.  That product is then fed into a large saw that cuts the tissue to the appropriate length. These clips of tissue are then fed into cartons, and the finished product is produced per customer requirement. Quality Control Throughout the entire tissue paper converting process, quality control is of paramount importance. Our skilled technicians and state-of-the-art machinery ensure that each roll of tissue paper meets the highest standards for softness, strength, and hygiene. Services Plus, Inc., also follows ISO 9001 international quality standards. Tissue paper converting is a precise, delicate process that brings products you use every day into existence. At Services Plus, Inc., we take pride in our role in this industry, providing top-quality tissue paper products to meet your everyday needs. The next time you use a sheet of tissue paper, consider the precision that went into making it, from the massive paper rolls to the final product that you use in your daily life. We're proud to be a part of this journey, and we hope you now have a better understanding of the world of tissue paper converting.

At Services Plus, Inc., we take pride in being a trusted partner in paper conversion solutions. For nearly 40 years, our commitment to quality, precision, and customer satisfaction has been the cornerstone of our success. In fact, we base our Quality System compliance on the ISO 9001 standard, proving we’re able to meet and keep international-level standards. ISO 9001 is a globally recognized standard for quality management systems, and being ISO-compliant is a testament to our dedication to providing the highest level of service to our valued customers. What does ISO 9001 certification mean for Services Plus, Inc. customers? Here are some of the benefits of following the ISO 9001 standard: 1. Enhanced Quality Assurance ISO 9001 standardizations place a strong emphasis on quality management. For our customers, this means every product we deliver undergoes a rigorous quality control process. From the raw materials we source to the final product you receive, our commitment to excellence ensures consistent quality every time. You can trust that our paper converting solutions are of the highest standards. 2. Improved Efficiency Efficiency is key in the fast-paced world of paper conversion. The ISO 9001 standard requires businesses to streamline their processes, as well as reducing waste and errors – like we do, here, at Services Plus, Inc. Our customers benefit from quick turnaround times, reduced production costs, and enhanced reliability in meeting deadlines. 3. Increased Customer Satisfaction Our customers' satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do. ISO 9001 is designed to continually improve customer satisfaction by monitoring and enhancing our processes. We take our customers’ feedback seriously and we use that feedback to refine our services, ensuring that we meet customer expectations. 4. Clear Communication Communication is vital in any successful partnership. Following the ISO 9001 standard promotes clear and effective communication within our organization, which translates to better communication with our customers. We're committed to understanding each clients’ unique paper converting needs, responding promptly to any inquiries, and keeping stakeholders informed every step of the way. 5. Commitment to Continuous Improvement Maintaining compliance with the ISO 9001 standard isn't a one-time achievement, it's a commitment to ongoing improvement. You can expect Services Plus, Inc., to continually evaluate and enhance our processes and procedures. We're dedicated to staying at the forefront of industry advancements to better serve our customers. 6. Competitive Advantage Choosing Services Plus, Inc. as your paper conversion partner means choosing a company committed to excellence. Our continued commitment to following the ISO 9001 standard is an assurance that customers are partnering with a company that prioritizes quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Services Plus, Inc. reaffirms our unwavering commitment to our valued customers. We're proud of the benefits that following the ISO 9001 standard brings to all our partnerships, from enhanced quality and efficiency to improved communication and customer satisfaction. With Services Plus, Inc., you're not just getting a paper converting company; you're getting a trusted partner dedicated to elevating excellence in every aspect of our service. Sincerely, Services Plus, Inc. Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA

Cost leadership. Most industries have, and are suited for, low-cost providers of goods or services. Low cost labor, scale, and low overhead costs help many packaging companies maintain low-cost models. Obviously the picture isn't perfect; choosing vendors based on one approach or a blend almost always will involve benefit trade-offs. Bundled services. Offering upstream and downstream services like printing and fulfillment creates one-stop shop value. Services range from design and printing to warehousing and fulfillment, and offer a real benefit of in-house coordination and speed. One-stop shopping transfers communication, the integration of ideas, and complexity to a single provider and can be a great solution--especially when project management or soft costs are difficult to manage. Thought leadership. Competition and necessity are the mother of invention. Contract packagers can be a great source for packaging innovation, or technical expertise in process automation to drive down costs. Challenging vendors to solve problems can provide new ideas with a different perspective, and broadens the intellectual range of any business. Robust systems. Contract packagers, like vendors servicing any industry, develop robust systems to meet the requirements of sophisticated buyers with complex needs for information. Good systems create visibility, facilitate real time management, and provide forward looking information to help make decisions. The day-to-day challenge for packagers is to maintain both great systems and the flexibility and speed valued in the industry.

Optimize parent-plant efficiencies. Contract packaging allows for the management and control of short-run jobs created by new or niche products, or seasonal demand outside of primary manufacturing economies. It also creates “end-of-line” flexibility because it's possible to utilize a range of capabilities of multiple vendors.  This allows for almost unlimited package and volume options to meet the changing and unpredictable nature of consumers. Mitigate financial risk. In many cases, little or no capital investment is needed. This is particularly attractive for new product launches when future demand is uncertain and for non-standard product promotions.  In addition, manufacturers are typically attracted to lower staffing and operating costs when utilizing contract packaging.  A make v. buy analysis will usually reveal that maintaining and managing the flexible workforce productively is cost prohibitive. Contract packaging companies fall into four main categories: cost leadership, bundled services, thought leadership, and robust systems.