Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 7, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 13 M A N U F A C T U R I N G F O C U S Seaman Paper is bringing global industries into a more sustainable future BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor F lexibility is a key to success in business. Perhaps one of the best examples of this in action in the Central Massachusetts business scene is Seaman Paper Co., a family-owned company that has evolved since its founding in 1946 into a major global player in the paper and packaging industries. Employing more than 500 workers in Central Massachusetts and more than 900 in its now global operations, Seaman Paper plays a critical role in creating packaging solutions from industries ranging from footwear to floral. One of the world's leading suppliers in light- weight decorative tissue paper produc- tion, holidays and birthdays wouldn't quite be the same if it wasn't for this Gardner-based firm. Originally focused mostly on carbonized paper and other business form products, the company pivoted to publication papers in the 1990s before converting to the wide variety of prod- ucts and applications it produces today. Now, it operates six different facilities in Massachusetts and has expanded globally, with operations ranging from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to the mid- sized industrial town of Capri, Italy. e Gardner firm expanded again in Decem- ber with its acquisition of German paper firm Julius Glatz GmbH. Stateside, its community-focused efforts range from a back-to-school backpack drive to helping the Town of Orange deal with a shortfall in its effort to build a water tank for its industrial park. Seaman Paper's success boils down to its desire to help brands grow, its com- munity-focused mindset, and a desire to make industries more sustainable, said Dave Deger, chief strategy & commercial officer for the firm. "Foundationally, the company has always been very focused on the com- munities we're operating, always very focused on the people that work with us, and focused more and more over time on sustainable products," he said. A highly-valuable but easy-to-over- look aspect of Seaman Paper's success is its ability to meet the compliance and accountability needs of its variety of global clients, Deger said. "We're dealing with global brands doing global programs, and they require a lot of confidence in their partners," he said. "We really need to be buttoned up on making sure that we can verify claims that we're supporting the messaging we're putting out there." Despite media attention on pushback against the reduced usage of plastic straws and other single-use plastic prod- ucts, the environmental impact of plastic remains a concern for an overwhelming majority of Americans; 86% of voters are concerned about single-use plastic products, according to a 2022 poll from nonprofit advocacy group Oceana. Seaman Paper has positioned itself well to be on the cutting edge of this societal transformation. One exciting product development is the firm's inven- tion of a paper-based stretch wrap called SeaStretch. Used around the globe to help secure pallets during shipping, the plastic stretch wrap market is worth $4.4 billion annually, according to Fortune Business Insights, producing thousands upon thousands of pounds of single-use material that usually isn't recycled, said Deger. SeaStretch is an antidote to this issue, as it provides the same benefits of existing solutions while being fully-re- cyclable. When it comes to sustainability, Sea- man Paper is just getting started. "We've got a handful of other fiber- or paper-based products in the product development queue," he said. "Continu- ing to invest in sustainable products is critical." GENERAL MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE Seaman Paper Co. Location: Gardner Industry subsector: Paper and packaging Founded: 1946 Employees: Approximately 900 Top executive: Ken Winterhalter, CEO Primary product: Lightweight, innovative, and sustainable paper and packaging products designed to replace single-use plastics W PHOTOS | COURTESY OF SEAMAN PAPER Seaman Paper's 500+ local employees find ways to give back to the community, including a back-to-school backpack drive and holiday gift donations.

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