More Than 1000 Words Can Say

We have all heard the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." During the pandemic, we all had to rely on pictures in a new virtual world reality comprised of pixels, screen resolution, and imperfect sound. Even today, our days are filled with meetings that include digital images provided by platforms like Zoom, Microsoft TEAMS, and others. It was all we had to get a glimpse of our customers and the product or packaging they wanted us to create. On these platforms, stilted video with computer-generated sound lacks the intimacy of a one-on-one in-person gathering. The subtlety of body language and interpersonal cues are sometimes overlooked in a virtual setting, and the probability of misinterpreted packaging and project development nuances increased slightly. Communicating in this new digital age created unanticipated learning and communication hurdles, which made doing business a little more challenging. For the most part, we all "bucked UP," adapting to this new screen-to-screen reality and continued to do business the very best we could.

It was a much more dismal situation for those in the educational profession as teachers and students learned to cope with e-learning day in and day out. Understanding and embracing new concepts in any setting, with no tactile experience, is a challenge. At Tek Pak, young and old employees struggled and squinted into their monitors, trying to grasp any kernels of knowledge while attending webinars and online conventions. The learning process often stagnated or stopped as attention spans maxed out due to virtual information overload. Many educational opportunities, especially in the plastics and thermoforming industry, simply ground to a halt.

Thankfully, our world and those that inhabit it are more assessable again with vaccines and common sense health practices leading the way. Going back to business in person is making a huge comeback, making a significant difference in all our lives. Educational endeavors and opportunities are once again filling the innovative halls at Tek Pak. New and exciting employee training is taking the forefront in our machine operating apprenticeship program, which launched this past summer. Helping young people learn the thermoforming business to grow the manufacturing workforce in the United States, specifically in the Fox Valley, is one of our top priorities. We currently have nine employees participating in our curriculum, and we are always looking for new employees who want to learn the trade and make an excellent income.

In manufacturing, advanced education can come in many forms. Here at Tek Pak, we pride ourselves on the longevity of our workforce. We are proud of our highly trained veteran employees, who are experts in designing and creating intricate and unique packaging options for our customers. Now that we are back out there traveling, we are challenging many of our senior staff to expand their horizons by enhancing their training. In the past and coming months, many of our staff will be traveling nationally and abroad to attend training in places as far as the Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, and more. 

Whether bringing in the next generation of thermoforming specialists here at Tek Pak or teaching our old dogs new tricks, we are determined to bring our customers the latest and best technology in packaging possible. Manufacturing is thriving here. Tek Pak is the premier employer of the Fox Valley, and we challenge, value, and reward each of our employees as the premier workforce in the Fox Valley region.