Advanced Corrugated Program

Wednesday, May 7 – Thursday, May 8
8:00 am – 4:30 pm each day
$695 per person

For the first time, in addition to Odyssey’s typical broad-based programming, we are offering an advanced program for corrugated converting. Specific registration is required, which includes program lunches and 3-day access to exhibit hall.

The diecutting process for corrugated converters is often challenging and unpredictable due to any slight change in the combined board, tooling or machine condition influencing throughput, waste and profit. “One size does NOT fit all” when it comes to diecutting. Attending Odyssey Expo 2025 and this two-day corrugated program will allow you to recognize the pitfalls and set the path for more predictable results in your finishing operations.

Who Should Attend

• Machine Operators: to increase troubleshooting skills
• Production Superintendents: to increase throughput and uptime
• Structural Designers: to design to the application and not a rigid specification
• Plant/Sales/General Managers and Business Owners: to increase profitability

Highly Interactive

This session is intended to be interactive, not a lecture. It will be classroom environment, with some Q&A on exhibit hall floor.

We strongly suggest you interact with the instructors by bringing samples, problems, or designs that present the most difficult challenges that influence your production. These straightforward exchanges will help you identify the true root cause, eliminate the persistent practice of fingerpointing, and walk away with troubleshooting techniques for your specific challenges.

Program topics to include:

• Typical box plant operations and converting practices
  • Containerboard – how it’s made, liner, medium, mill issues, testing methods
  • Combined board – how it’s made, corrugator running parameters
  • Forecasting runnability
  • Reverse engineering and achieving repeatability
  • Machine differences and tooling for each -RDC vs in-liner FFG
• Creating accurate machine specifications
• Recognizing differences in flatbed diecutting machinery
• Key maintenance practices to improve quality and increase uptime
• Eliminating pitfalls in structural design
• Top sheet vs litho lam
• How medium influences nicking and creasing
• Peripheral equipment – prefeeders, bundle breakers, stackers
• Anvil trimmers – effect on quality and dimensional control
• Basics of tooling – physical differences and why “view” matters
• Real Jobs, Real Problems Q&A – solutions to your problems
• Dimensional variation with diecutting combined board
• Tool readiness to maximize uptime
• Identifying causes of waste in units
• Cutting dies – simple adjustments on press for success

Schedule

Wednesday, May 7

• 8:00 am – 11:00 pm – Program
• 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Provided lunch in exhibit hall
• 12:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Program
• 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Q&A in exhibit hall
• 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm – Walk exhibit hall on own (optional)

Thursday, May 8

• 8:00 am – 11:00 am – Program
• 11:00 am- 12:30 pm – Provided lunch in exhibit hall
• 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Program
• 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Q&A in exhibit hall
• 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm – Walk exhibit hall on own (optional)

Friday, May 9 (on own)

• 8:00 am – 10:00 am – Attend general sessions (optional)
• 10:00am – 2:30 pm – Walk exhibit hall (optional)

Instructors

Rick Putch, National Steel Rule Co.

Rick Putch has over 45 years of experience in diemaking and in the packaging industry. Rick’s expertise spans all aspects of paper conversion: diemaking, diecutting, packaging design, and materials testing. He has worked as a pressman, business owner, and as executive management, along with authoring many technical papers for various trade publications. Rick’s passion for education has been valued and recognized with IADD, TAPPI, AICC, and ACCCSA.

Having done best practices training on efficient package design and finishing in 40 countries, Rick is regarded as a world-class expert on evaluating manufacturing processes for new product concepts, as well as resolving production issues on manufactured products produced with steel rule cutting dies.

Steve Rote, Metsä Board Americas

A 51-year veteran of the printing, packaging, and paper industry, Steve Rote has held a variety of positions in production, sales, marketing, and technical support. Steve is currently Technical Development Director for the packaging division of Metsä Board Americas, covering North, Central and South America.  His main focus is on educating those in corrugated box and folding carton plants to identify running parameters to achieve success.