Ken Kidd Honored As TLMI Converter of the Year

Ken Kidd, recently retired CEO of WS Packaging Inc., has been selected as the 2011 TLMI Converter of the Year. This honor caps off a career of more than 45 years in the tag and label industry. The award was presented at the TLMI Annual Meeting held in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Kidd first got into the label printing industry working for a small label company in the Cincinnati area. Here he got a well-rounded education in the label printing business—starting out in shipping and packaging, learning to run a printing press, and working in the office ordering materials and planning jobs.

In 1970, he and three partners—Tom Braig and Earl and Jim Gettelfinger—started a label printing company, Superior Tape & Label, in the Cincinnati area. They purchased a new 3-color, 6-inch CI press, installed it in a rented 1,200 sq. ft. garage.

With its low overhead, and “good, hard working, dedicated people,” the company’s business started to ramp up. After two years, the company moved into a 5,000 sq. ft. facility and after an additional four years, it expanded to 11,000 sq. ft. By this time, the company had four presses—three CI presses and a new, inline 6-color Webtron 650. The company’s primary business included dairy, juice, and food labeling supporting the tri-state region of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

It was also during the mid-1970s that the company achieved two significant milestones that made big impact on the company’s success. It expanded to provide label application equipment and become more of a one-stop shop for its customers. This also was the impetus for a name change for the company, to Superior Label Systems. The company also developed an in-line film lamination process, called Supergard, that allowed it to provide an economical solution for its customers, who themselves were starting to ride the wave of the plastics revolution.

The business grew steadily during the 1980s and 1990s, starting in 1980 with a move to a new 25,000 sq. ft. facility in Mason, Ohio. In 1987, it started up a greenfield site in Dallas, followed by an additional location in Phoenix, Ariz. in 1995. By the end of the 1990s, Superior Label Systems had sales of about $50 million, more than 350 employees at four plants, an outside board of directors, and a private-equity partner.

In 2000, with his partners about ready to retire and with the backing of the private-equity partners, Kidd merged his company with Wisconsin Label Corp. to form WS Packaging Group, Inc. With about $150 million in sales and nine plants, WS Packaging became one of the largest privately-owned tag and label manufacturers in North America.

Although WS Packaging started big, it got bigger with a relatively quick succession of acquisitions. Between 2001 and the end of 2007, nine companies were brought into the fold, and Kidd played a major role in the integration work. “Ken was instrumental regarding the growth and success of WS Packaging,” says Frank Gerace, retired CEO of Multi-Color Corp. and the 2008 TLMI Converter of the Year. “He is a leader in industry consolidation and innovation, and built one of the premier label companies in the U.S.”

Kidd joined TLMI in 1989 and credits the association with providing much of the learning that he applied for his company’s success. “I learned about Lean and Six Sigma, and saw that we had to change what we were doing to drive cost reductions. I got a great education about business and this industry through networking and ‘rubbing elbows’ with industry leaders—suppliers and converters alike. Joining TLMI was the smartest thing I ever did and I’ve made many wonderful friends,” he adds.

During his years with TLMI, Kidd played an active role. He served on several committees, including environmental and membership, and served a term on the Board of Directors from 1999 to 2002.

His impact on TLMI will be lasting, says Gerace. “My joining and participation in the TLMI over 10 years ago is a direct result of Ken’s persistence in contacting and encouraging me to join. I know Ken is responsible for the membership of many others as a result of his work with TLMI membership growth and his belief in the value TLMI provides to converters and suppliers.”

For more on Ken Kidd, see the October issue of packagePRINTING or visit www.packageprinting.com.