Haglund Enters Hall of Fame

Jim Haglund, president of Central Container Corp., Minneapolis, was inducted into the Paperboard Packaging and the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) Hall of Fame last week, during the association’s fall meeting in Boston. The award recognized Haglund for his contribution to the success of fellow independents, not just for his own success. That contribution comes in a package with other deliverables, including industry involvement, impeccable personal integrity, and distinguished public service.

In commenting on the recognition of his friend and constituent, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said:

“Jim is a business leader who not only provides jobs and capital investment in the state, but a whole new spirit to the community when he does things like bring international conferences to his state and contributes to worthy causes. That has tremendous value.”
Indeed, it was through Haglund’s lobbying efforts that the AICC decided to hold its 2007 fall meeting in Minneapolis.

Haglund’s dedication to making sure future generations get an early understanding of corrugated’s importance to industry was also recognized by his colleagues. Joe Palmeri, vice president and coo of Jamestown Container Co., was the 2004 Hall of Fame inductee. He recalls Jim’s pioneering work in reaching out to other professional associations to keep the profession viable, not only for future practitioners, but to consumers, as well.
“Jim was instrumental in ‘Profile of the Independent,’” Palmeri notes, “which comes out every year and addresses the health of the independent — the square footage they ship and the market share they have. The purpose of the ad campaign was to educate consumers that corrugated is friendlier than plastic.”

Other Haglund colleagues commented on what a smart businessman he is.
“For the last 30 years, he has invested during the downturns, whether in infrastructure, equipment, buildings, or whatever,” says Haglund’s attorney, Dayton Soby. “He took the biggest risk of all when he bought half of Central Container.”

Haglund continued to invest in businesses beyond Central Container. These investments not only diversified his holdings, but gave other young entrepreneurs their start in business.

“When Jim started at Central Container I was fabricating foam for protective packaging,” explains Scott Nelson, president of Foam Industries. “Jim always wanted to be involved with fabricating of foam products for protective packaging because it complements the corrugated industry. He wanted me to get the organization up and running, and give it some time. A year and a half later he bought into the organization. He owns 49 percent of the business. It was like turning on a light switch. We were profitable that first month.”

AICC President Steve Young admires Haglund for diversifying his businesses and points to him as a role model for other independent corrugated companies.

“Corrugated boxes are a wonderful base business, but it’s going to be very difficult to maintain that business exclusively,” Young says. “The manufacturing base has shrunk and it’s not coming back. There have to be other related packaging lines and businesses to get into in order to be profitable. That’s the vision Jim has always had. He’s a great model for a successful entrepreneurial businessman.”OBM