How to Protect and Preserve and Inspire with packaging?
Are mono materials the answer to sustainability?
How do we educate consumers about recycling?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jquinnpackaged/
https://www.pregis.com/about-us/
Check out our sponsor Orora Packaging Solutions
https://ororapackagingsolutions.com/
Check out our sponsor this month:
https://smartsolve.com/
https://specright.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1329820053/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=corygat
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/
I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.
This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.
How to Protect and Preserve and Inspire with packaging?
Are mono materials the answer to sustainability?
How do we educate consumers about recycling?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jquinnpackaged/
https://www.pregis.com/about-us/
Check out our sponsor Orora Packaging Solutions
https://ororapackagingsolutions.com/
Check out our sponsor this month:
https://smartsolve.com/
https://specright.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1329820053/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=corygat
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/
I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.
This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.
Welcome to the sustainable packaging with Cory Connors . I'm very excited about my guest today is my very good friend and, and co speaker. Mr. Jonathan Quinn, who's the director of market development and sustainability at Pregis . Welcome, sir. How are you?
Jonathan Quinn:Awesome. Thank you so much for having me, Cory. I'm very, very excited to be here. We, we, we finally got a chance to see each other in person, and now we're, we're back to seeing each other in fall box, but I wish
Cory Connors:we could have done this in person. That would have been great. No,
Jonathan Quinn:I appreciate your time.
Cory Connors:Thank you. So tell us about yourself. How did you, how did you get into packaging?
Jonathan Quinn:Yeah. So I, I, I made the joke or what it actually, it's not a joke. It's true story. But but I have pictures of me in a box of resin when I was two. I was doing testing when I was five. So I grew up around the flexible packaging industry. My dad was a president and CEO of a number of different packaging companies. And that's how I got exposed to it. And growing up, my dream in life was to one day work in the corner office next to my dad. And that's why I went to Clemson and studied packaging and double majored in packaging and business. But yeah, it was, it's a, it's like a family affair now. I mean, my dad's no longer in the industry, but I have a younger brother who also. We'll say he followed in my footsteps and he went to he went to Clemson and study packaging, and now he lives in, in the Reno, Nevada area. He's working for a packaging company. So incredibly proud of all that my brother's been able to do. And it's just exciting to be a part of the industry. together
Cory Connors:that must be some interesting Thanksgiving discussions.
Jonathan Quinn:Yeah, it is. And I think the funny thing is how our families have subsequently Become part of the industry as well. And it was funny. My mom was, my mom is a dental hygienist and she was cleaning somebody's teeth. And somehow they got to talking about packaging and just they'll happen that the woman who my mom was who's, my mom was cleaning her teeth. Her niece actually works with me at Pregis . Somehow, somehow, while cleaning teeth, they got. A discussion about sustainable packaging. I don't know how they got there, but but then they talk about prejudice and that's also such cool thing for me is that my mom's out there talking about how proud she is that I work for a company like Regis, who is so focused on sustainability. And then. Somebody who works with me. Their aunt is talking about the same company and, and it all revolves around sustainable packaging. So it's, it's it's, it's pretty cool. It
Cory Connors:feels like we're actually making a difference when stuff like that happens, like regular, non packaging. Industry people are, are excited and interested in being sustainable with their
Jonathan Quinn:packaging. Yeah, it's it's I think you heard me, we talk about this when we, when we spoke at, in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. And what I, what I said was, is I grew up admiring my dad, looking up to my dad. But his generation did a horrible job when it came to sustainable packaging and advancing that conversation. And for me right now, I'm incredibly proud of, of what we're doing and the the goals of all that we have and making sure that. Really delivering and making the, having a more positive impact on the environment, but also a positive impact on the consumer as well.
Cory Connors:It's I couldn't agree with you more. We're we're changing the narrative. We're, we're making a difference and we can look at our kids and say, We're doing everything we can for you.
Jonathan Quinn:Yeah. I mean, these, these two over my, over my shoulder. They're, they're why I do it. I want them number one, to be proud that their dad is in the flexible packaging industry. Number two, I want them to be proud of what. Overall packaging is doing to provide a more sustainable and better future. And number three is that my hope is, and this is probably number one in my book, but it's my hope that they want to be in the industry as well. Both my son and daughter, and they feel welcomed and they feel included.
Cory Connors:That's awesome. Yeah. It's you, you hope they'll follow in your footsteps, right?
Jonathan Quinn:That's cool. Yeah. I mean, I'm the third generation and I hope that
Cory Connors:there's, the fourth be so cool. It'll it'll be Quinn packaging. Yeah. Yeah. Well that leads really well into my question. I've been asking every guest and can packaging be
Jonathan Quinn:sustainable 110%. And I think that the critical thing of what we have to look at and what we have to think about is making sure that we're taking the consumer along for the ride with us. This can't be just a packaging solution because ultimately the consumer has to help us too. Recycle to reuse to reduce as well. And the consumer can't, we can't just expect that. If it's not the most convenient way that it's going to be successful. Those are some of the things that we really have to be looking out for at Pregis . We're really looking at and, and diving into what we can do when it comes to flexible plastic packaging and delivering sustainable solutions. But we don't. We don't have Pregis . We don't just have necessarily just plastic packaging where we're material neutral. We have many different product offerings, all driven though at, at delivering the most sustainable solution for the consumer. Those are some of the, the important things, but to your back to your, your main question that you asked it's yes, we, we can 100%. Be sustainable. And when I say we, we being the packaging.
Cory Connors:Yeah. And I agree with what you said. All of us have to pitch in even consumers. And we need, we, as in packaging, professionals need to help consumers understand how to be sustainable, how to recycle, how to reuse, how to limit, how to refuse whatever the R is for today.
Jonathan Quinn:100%.
Cory Connors:Well, and you're your owed . Congratulations on your new, on your new job. Can you tell us about prejudice and your
Jonathan Quinn:new role there? Yeah, so I, I guess I am officially. Almost almost a week six. So, which is crazy to think that we were together in Vegas during my was my third day. But but yeah, so so I joined Pregis about about six weeks ago. To take on the role of director of market development and sustainability, I'm really focused on the flexible packaging area and all that, that prejudice is doing. But because of my kind of background and expertise, when it comes to mainly that to e-commerce and protective packaging I'm going to be facilitating or being a part of some of those other, other conversations. Really focused on delivering sustainability and, and, and market development associated with, with flexible packaging. So it's a Pregis has bean on a, on a rocket ship when it comes to growth over the past few years. And for me, it's, it's extra special to be a part of Pregis because I was an intern I interned for prejudice. While I was at Clemson as a student and. I interned in Europe. So it's a little bit different being that I'm in. I now am an employee of prejudice in the U S or also can say from a global perspective, but it's people have made the comments like you're coming home and, and it is it's incredibly exciting to be a part of the leadership team associated with the flexible packaging or. Call it flexible film crew. And there's some, some really incredible people that I get to call my teammates. And one of the big reasons that I came here is the opportunity to work for somebody who I've admired for years. And, and those are all. Those are all things that, that make this industry exciting, but make my role exciting because really being able to push and progress that conversation around sustainability.
Cory Connors:Yeah. And I know Landsberg, ORORA , my company has worked with Pregis for many years and you guys are great manufacturer, supplier or partner. So I can attest to that from. Experience so, , can you tell us about some of the things that Pregis is doing to be more sustainable?
Jonathan Quinn:Yeah. I mean, it's Pregis and sustainability. I mean, sustainability is foundational to everything that we do. And we have our three main pillars which are protect, preserve, and inspire. And, and within those, those three pillars, I mean, when, when you talk about protection it's about, I mean, not just give some, some numbers, eh, we're able to reduce just over the course of eight months. Close to 150,000 unnecessary shipments. And that's a big, big deal. When you look at all the materials that would have gone into those shipments, the energy, the emissions, that's a big thing. And that was just in, that was in less than six months, actually. And that's tied to our two K 30 goals that cover all of these that cover that protect and preserve and inspire. And then the, the, the preserved spot. I mean, it's, there's a number of things that fall in under that. And it's by 2030 being able to have all a hundred percent of our packaging. Recyclable reusable. Th those are the things that we're we're driving towards and inspire is, is really about impacting people. It's having a positive impact on people. And that's something that is really cool for me, because I would tell you, I I've been asked for years, what's my mission in life and my mission. And the thing that, that, that gets me excited is I want to positively impact people's lives. Which that was me aside, but then I come to prejudice and it's about the inspire. And it's about positively impacting twenty-five million people's lives by 2030, which is so cool for me to be a part of. But, but we have our inspire brand, which is, is a product that is driven at impacting people's lives. So whether it's Through an organization called Zima, which delivers water filtration to people all over the world, whether it's, I mean, that's one of the things that people take for granted is, is our access to clean drinking water and it's. And the thing is that it's not just necessarily all the time, but it's also when there's a natural disaster, Zima brings this water filtration to enable people to have clean drinking water and, and. There's there's a number of other things. Feeding America is also something that, that the inspire brand is supportive of. So those three sort of pillars are. What has me excited. And when it, when we talk about how sustainability is is foundational, but what I can tell you, I mean, you may have seen a recent announcement about the plant that we're building in South Carolina, and it's. Thank you. Yeah, it's, it's something that I, I could not be more excited about. And as we go through and as we're building this facility, sustainability is foundational. Sustainability is at the forefront of the conversation, whether it's. I mean, I make the joke, but it's not a joke. It's it's reality, but it's from the toilets to the, to the roof. Everything, every material that we put out sustainability is at the forefront of the conversation and that is positioning us a little bit differently than our competitors, because we're able to build something and build a business. That nothing is overlooked when it, when it comes to sustainability. So those, those things are, are happening and, and could not be more excited about.
Cory Connors:Well, it's exciting times in packaging. If, if you care about sustainability, like we do, people are doing things. They are making big steps. They're setting big goals. I love that you mentioned 2030. That that seems to be. A big year for every big company, they, they want to accomplish something by them. And so I think it'll be very interesting and exciting to watch as people hopefully succeed in, in reaching those.
Jonathan Quinn:Yeah. Yeah. The, that we've got to be aspirational. We've got to put that, draw the line in the sand and we've got to push not only us in our individual organizations, but our collective industry. If we're not pushing each other I mean, we're, we're all not doing our job. And when it, when it comes to sustainability, I w I would say this. If there's anybody that walks into a business today and they say, we have the silver bullet for you. I'm telling you, they're not telling you the truth because there is no silver bullet, the way that we are going to solve the sustainability issues of today and make a better tomorrow is through collaboration and partnership. That is how it's going to happen. It's not a one size fits all. It's not a one solution fits all. This is going to take partnership. And I think that has been one of the key things that, that may have been lacking in the yes. Now I think we all have to get on board with that partnership and collaboration is, is the way to fix things. And I mean, I've said this to you in the past is that there's times where I could be viewed as the plastics. I mean, I tell the story. I was in a box of resin when I was two. So I would take that, that, that, that, that name, but what I will say is I went to school for packaging. I understand all the different materials and there's a science and fact based reason behind it. And there's a reason why. A plastic material or a paper material has applications way where they are best suited. And we as an industry have to really get comfortable with that. And that I truly, and genuinely believe that plastic is not evil. There's some that argue plastic is, but plastic really does make life possible. And, but we have to go about it in the most sustainable and the most circular way. And that's really exciting for me as I get to be a part of that in my role as prejudice.
Cory Connors:Yeah. And we've talked about this many times that plastic. Can be the best alternative due to a lifecycle analysis. If the packaging itself weighs one 10th of what the paper would weigh, then that is a significant freight savings which, which reduces diesel fuel, which, and, you know, or if the packaging can be flatter and take up less space in a warehouse, or, you know, there's so many things to consider. It's not just plastic versus. We've got to get away from that mindset. It's, it's, what's the best solution. What's the most sustainable option for the whole thing.
Jonathan Quinn:Right. Right. And, and it's, I mean, I think I saw one of your, your, your, your famous TikToks where you were testing. And, and it's, it's simple, it's things as simple as that, I mean, making sure that the paper can withstand the drop test or making sure that the air pillows can withstand the drop tests and making sure that we're eliminating damage and return shipments and all those things. And I mean, you could say, well, we want to, we want to eliminate. We want to eliminate 10 million pounds of plastic. If you eliminate 10 million pounds of plastic packaging. It's going to take 40 million pounds of an alternative material. That to me is very clear, very transparent. And that is not just me saying that plastic is the only solution because I will say it again. I think I already said it, but I'll say it again. Plastic is not the only solution. Right. But there's scientific and there's fact-based reasoning as to why. Plastic is the best solution for specific applications. Right.
Cory Connors:And it's exciting to see companies like Pregis going to mono materials and, and making their packages recycling. Yeah. This has been a constant issue when we discussed in clubhouse rooms and on, you know, chat rooms to whatever or like in our waste expo talk that we gave, you know, that was some of the questions, like, what are we doing? What's going on next? How do we make this recyclable? And I loved your answer, mono materials, you know, make it out of one layer so it can be easily recycled. And then step two, which is even more important. Tell the consumer how to recycle it. Yeah. Make it, make it so that they can recycle it.
Jonathan Quinn:Yeah. I, I, I can't emphasize how important the consumer aspect of the conversation. Yeah. Because we can develop, we can develop the coolest package, but if the consumer won't buy it, it's not going to go anywhere and develop the most sustainable package. But if the consumer won't recycle it, Where are we? That's why one of the most critical things in the overall conversation when it comes to sustainability is consumer education educating the consumer on the value associated with recycling and the, what it's going to enable in the future. Because I think the biggest thing is that we talked about. Mano material. So, I mean, it's still can be multiple layers, but eliminating the conversation around nylon and foils and that sort of mix material to, to just really polyethylene based materials. I think we have to make sure that the consumer is, is going to recycle those materials because at the end of the day, We need to be able to incorporate more post-consumer resin and we need to incorporate more post-industrial resin, but how do you get there? Well, you've got to have material recycled in order to incorporate it. And the way that I, one of the examples, and I think you've probably heard me use this example, but what we have to do is we have to stop sending. High value, flexible packaging to the landfill. Yes. Kind of layman's term. And in a way that I explain it is it's like saying you're gonna take a Ferrari and turn it in, or you're gonna take a minivan and turn it into a Ferrari. It doesn't work that way. Right. Take used minivan parts and make a Ferrari. You've got to send that high value packaging. To the, to be recycled so that we have high value plastic materials. To bring back. And did you continue that circular economy conversation
Cory Connors:absolutely has to be a loop, has to be a circular situation. Stop making new materials when we can make them out of old stuff. Right. It's such a simple concept, but it's such a difficult process to efficiently create.
Jonathan Quinn:Yeah. Yeah. Well, and, and that's the thing like when it comes to all other materials, whether it's, I mean, glass is one of those that's really no longer being recycled. And there's, there's many different reasons that I'm not going to go into the reasons why. But w but if you look at metal and if you look at, at, at paper and corrugated and things like that, the recycle stream is very easy, but when it comes to flexible and flexible plastic materials, It's a challenge in the U S and that's one of those things that we have to find ways around. And I mean, I know Landsberg and, and you I've done a tremendous amount of work when it comes to e-commerce as has Pregis . And at the end of the day, what has created. E-commerce and created the growth that we've seen in e-commerce it's it's convenience, but when it comes to recycling, it's kind of counter sort of counterintuitive because of the fact that you have bought a product. Avoided going to the store avoided going to the grocery store and then it arrives at your house. And the only way that you can successfully recycle that is to take you to the grocery store that you've avoided. Very good point. That's one of those things that we have as an industry. But from a recycling perspective, we've got to tackle. And, and if you look at per household today, Well even previous, so look pre COVID. It was 155 parcel shipments that arrive at a house on average in the U S wow. Now it's probably closer to 200 per year. That's 200 opportunities to collect those flexible materials that were shipped there and bring those back and further enable a circular economy because all of those delivery vehicles, how are they going back? They're going back empty. So there is a way, and, and, and in essence I'm really probably oversimplifying it, but there's things that we can do to enable this and make it happen.
Cory Connors:Yeah, I really liked that idea. And there's companies like Recyclops and Ridwell that are taking that concept and turning it into reality by hiring people in an Uber style system to pick up waste that would have gone into a landfill. And mostly, you know, even in Portland, Oregon, where I live, you can recycle almost everything, but we couldn't, it. Plastic over wrap film. So we, we now send that to Ridwell , they come pick it up every Friday and I'm excited to say that that's going to be hundreds and thousands of pounds of material, you know, over the next couple of years that won't go into the landfill. That's awesome.
Jonathan Quinn:That's awesome. Yeah. I mean the, the opportunity that exists out there and the call it, the recycling space is, is incredible. And these like Recyclops clubs and others that you mentioned, that's the type of innovation that we need. That's the type of innovation that has been lacking in the, in the recycling space. And I think it's a lot of energy and passion and excitement bringing but that's what we need. I
Cory Connors:totally agree. And thank you so much, Jonathan, for being on this podcast. I want to thank our sponsor Landsberg ORORA for, for their support. And and I, I would like to let you kind of speak to how people can get ahold of you. What's what's the best way to
Jonathan Quinn:contact you. Yeah. So I'm on all social media platform platforms under the handle. JQuinnpackaged packaged. I would more than welcome any questions more than welcome. Any, any conversation anybody wants to talk to sustainable packaging? I know that. You're probably have some, some, some students that are gonna pick up this. And if there's people that are considering a career, whether it's in packaging or, or, or flexible packaging I, I sit on the board for the FPA and I chair the emerging leadership council and. We're we're looking for people within the industry, but, but prejudice as well. We're, we're, we're growing and would love for people that are interested to reach out.
Cory Connors:That's a great program. And you've, you've mentioned before, but how many, how many interns have you placed into the packaging world through that?
Jonathan Quinn:So so this summer. We have close to 50 interns. This is our first year first year of doing this, this program. But yeah, we've 50 interns representing. 30 30 companies all within flexible packaging itself. And they've gone through this program. They've, they've met with CEOs of companies. We've had different speakers. We have a speaker, who's a professor at Northwestern who has a book coming out came and spoke for the group. They've even they've even let me speak. But no, I think that's the thing that I'm really excited about that I get most excited about is, is finding opportunities to help people. And that's why, I mean, I'm, I'm a part of the advisory board for the society of plastics, engineers for inclusion and diversity, because it's something that, that I'm incredibly passionate about it. And as I mentioned in the beginning, I want my daughter and my son to feel welcome and excited to be a part of the industry. So but it all comes back to people. And and that's something that I'm most proud of is the, the interns that I've had the opportunity to work with. And it's exciting now to see them go out and be successful. Well, you're doing
Cory Connors:amazing work and kudos to you. Keep
Jonathan Quinn:it up. No, I appreciate it. And, and I appreciate all that. You're doing all that you're doing in social media because your TikToks do exactly what I said, and it helps to educate the consumer on what they need to do and why sustainable packaging is so important and so critical.
Cory Connors:Thank you, sir.
Jonathan Quinn:All right. Thank you Cory . Thank you, Jonathan.