Mission Statement
Since our inception, the one thing that has remained constant is the dedication Papertec has to change and progress. Papertec is dedicated to turning innovative ideas into products and services that make a world of difference. In this ever-changing world, it is essential that we keep up with cutting edge technology and be able to provide this technology to our customers at an affordable price.Our bottom line is not about dollars and cents; it is about the people with whom we do business. The people at Papertec have a long and outstanding history with our customers and colleagues. We build relationships based upon trust, commitment, and dedication and provide only the best products and service to the people with whom we do business.
Experience
- With over 40 years of experience in the paper and packaging industry you can rely upon Papertec to get the job done right. We have not done and seen it all, but after 40 years in business you would be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable company to partner with.
Dedication
- You can trust the fact that you will have a dedicated team to help find solutions for all your paper needs. Our success comes from our customers’ success, and we are committed to finding solutions that put our customers in positions to flourish.
Urgency
- In the digital world we live in, immediate answers and quick turn arounds are more important than ever. Papertec understands the need to be able to respond expeditiously and get things done efficiently without sacrificing quality and accuracy.
Quality
- From top to bottom, every employee at Papertec is committed to producing the highest quality products and services in the paper industry. We truly believe that quality is not just related to tangible products but the entire customer service experience.
These four principles are what have grown Papertec into one of the leading converters in the industry. Our goal is to build lasting relationships and partnerships with customers and not just sell them products.
Deep Paper Roots
After dutifully serving his country in the United States Army during World War II, William (Bill) James Jennings returned to his home in New York City and took a sales position with the George W. Millar Paper Company. The George W. Millar Company was a merchant paper house located in Soho. While the focus of the company was in fine and office papers, Bill had the foresight to branch out into specialty markets and develop paper and board grades that would be used in various manufacturing processes. Diversifying his business portfolio and balancing specialty papers along with commodity paper grades proved to be a very successful strategy.
In 1978 Bill brought his new son in law, Ted Bielen, into the business. Ted Started out at a sales desk in a bustling NYC office and quickly learned the ropes of paper sales. As Bill was getting older he was grooming Ted on the specialty side of the business to one day take over his accounts. Sadly, in 1982 at age 65, Bill passed away suddenly. During this time, things at the George W. Millar company had become very tumultuous. New ownership forced many new changes and the company struggled. The handshake agreement that Ted would take over all of Bill’s accounts was not honored. Financially the company was sinking and ultimately filed for bankruptcy. Ted and several of his associates went off on their own and formed their own brokerage company called AV Graphics. Ted was able to retain a number of the specialty accounts that Bill had established.
As time went on, Ted bought out his partners in AV Graphics and also purchased EMI Specialty Papers from Bill Thompson. Bill was another former George W. Millar Paper Company salesman who had branched out on his own after the company’s demise. The addition of the EMI Specialty Papers business brought further diversity to the company as a whole and introduced release liner as an entirely new product line to the business. The 1990’s was a very successful time for the company as Ted was able to build upon its foundation and through long hours and hard work grow it to become one of the leading brokers of specialty papers in the United States.
In 2002. Ted’s eldest son, Todd joined the business. With the internet now becoming an important business tool, Todd immediately got to work establishing an online presence for the company and put a huge focus on marketing and sales growth. In 2003, Ted’s youngest son Kevin, also came on board. Kevin’s eye for operations helped to streamline the company and make it more efficient. It was at this time, that it was decided that EMI Specialty Papers and AV Graphics would merge as one company and be named Papertec.
In 2005, The Bielens had an opportunity to purchase a converting operation in Elizabeth, NJ named Web X (formerly Nelson Paper Converting). Nelson Paper/Web X was yet another spin off from the George W. Millar company that Ted had done business with them for years. The purchase of Web X allowed Papertec to vertically integrate its business model and cut a very important cost step out of its sales process.
In 2008, Papertec sold the building in Elizabeth and moved to a larger space in Garfield, NJ. This new space allowed for Papertec to create a much more efficient production layout and increased cubic volume to allow for growth and more warehousing needs. Over the next 10 years Papertec would flourish. Sales grew every year between eight and fifteen percent. More employees were added, new equipment was invested in and the business grew by leaps and bounds.
After thirty plus years in the business, Ted Bielen retired in 2015. Todd and Kevin continue to steer the ship and grow the company. In 2019, Papertec purchased a property in Boonton, NJ. The following year they put on a state-of-the-art addition, erected new offices, and purchased more new machinery. Despite recessions, Covid and many other obstacles, the Bielen family has proven track record of success. Papertec will continue to be a major player in the paper converting market for years to come.