Soldiering on decade after decade takes real commitment.
The ever-constant goal is to take printing to new heights. It requires being innovative, imaginative, instrumental, pioneering and influential. Translation, “Thinking inside and outside the box” is a necessity.
Characteristically speaking, perseverance, persistence, resourcefulness and of course, reliability, all pay off. Passion is a given, tirelessness too. Demonstrating true dedication to pushing capabilities and stretching both barriers and boundaries, while at times proves adventurous and highly satisfying; may also border on pragmatic and routine.
The 2024 inductee into Flexographic Technical Association’s Hall of Fame stands as testament that both are essential when satisfying all the requirements for success. Completing each step in an orderly fashion takes discipline. Interpretation, “Ticking all boxes,” requires far more than itemized list making.
No nonsense leaders intrinsically know this. Hands-on engagement comes naturally to them. Coaching, team building, mentoring and cultivating a culture of congeniality are attributes of trailblazers who work behind the scenes, often crediting others with driving both progress and accomplishment.
Staring down difficulties is familiar territory to such individuals, including the 2024 inductee. Forging a strong work ethic and then getting others to mirror it, falls within his repertoire. Part maestro—he is an accomplished pianist—part engineer, the sheer genius of this converting mastermind is reflected by his instruments of choice—flutes. Yes, the now 65th Hall of Fame member is a box enthusiast extraordinaire!
Answer Man
This pillar of the package printing and converting community, some fondly identify as the corrugated converter’s very own, “Jack in the Box,” a term of endearment that speaks to his innate ability to rise to the challenge, withstand pressure, and support, protect and insulate others from harsh critiques—all while offering both sage and sound advice. When questioning next steps or identifying solutions to a long-standing challenge, box maker after box maker has turned to “The answer man.”
Jack Fulton has been thinking inside and outside the box and simultaneously ticking off all the boxes for more than 45 years. His name, according to Steve Barry, Printron president and Dan Hart, graphic systems manager, is synonymous with jump starting the graphics business in corrugated printing. He is an expert in the high-end color arena and played pivotal roles in the development and evolution of plate and mounting systems in the corrugated industry.
He has been a constant presence in box plants—both on a national and international front—since joining Printron in 1977. Direct print corrugated, gaining prominence in the modern era, has Jack’s fingerprints all over it.