Paperboard Industry Veteran Launches Market Research and Supply Facilitation Agency

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Rob Runyan, a 30+ year paper and paperboard industry veteran, announced the formation of Centrics LLC, a joint venture with Priority Metrics Group (PMG), one of the nation’s leading market research firms, and the launch of OneSource Paperboard LLC, a marketing and supply facilitation services agency targeted specifically toward the fiber-based packaging industry. Together, the two companies will work to identify marketing and sourcing opportunities through dedicated research and develop effective programs to grow clients’ businesses. Runyan serves as principal of both Centrics and OneSource.

“My years in this industry proved to me, beyond any doubt, that most companies are reactive rather than proactive,” said Runyan. “We’re learning more abut this new market every day, and most companies know far too little about what their customers are really up against.”

“In today’s highly competitive economic climate, the survivors will operate from an updated full base of knowledge about their customers as well as the variety of “best-in-class” vendors and support services available,” said Runyan. “They’ll be successfully proactive in executing programs that capitalize on that information.”

Centrics will conduct both primary and secondary research for clients that will benchmark findings against PMG’s database, which is derived from more than 500 studies conducted in more than 20 countries. These projects allow our clients to define and update their selected market value proposition by scientifically measuring their market’s perception of their total business and alternative suppliers. Deliverables include the discovery of their businesses’ market drivers, key improvement needs, relative performance of competitors and competitive products, and especially defining those changing trends that keep their clients up at night.