WS Packaging grows its label and package printing busines through acquisition and lean manufacturing practices.

By Sue Busch

Prior to its ownership by J.W. Childs, WS Packaging had already amassed a solid roster of converter company acquisitions. Following the management shift, four more investments were completed since 2007, resulting in the additions of SenecaSalem (Franklin, Pa., and Salem, Ohio), Quality Label (Elk River, Minn.), Consolidated Products (Knoxville, Tenn.), Boelter Industries (Winona, Minn.), and Label World (Rochester, N.Y.). "Sometimes we buy companies for their technology," says Lane, adding that company acquisitions are a vital strategy for technology acquisition.