The Ellis Group is innovating its package printing using six Komori printing presses throughout its three locations. It is the first company in North America to purchase the technologically advanced Komori GLX press (seen in the Spotlight article), which puts them at a competitive advantage with its speed, waste reduction and defect-free printing, all of which is attractive to the end user CPGs they serve. 

The company is the largest privately owned producer of folding cartons in the Canadian marketplace, serving segments including health and beauty, food and beverage and pharmaceuticals. The Toronto-based Ellis Group has won numerous awards for its CPG packaging innovations, including Paperboard Package of the Year and an Achievement in Innovation Award. Also, in November 2019, President Cathie Ellis won Printing Leader of the Year.

I chatted with Ellis to find out about a new project the team has been working on for Canadians Care, providing lunchboxes for lunches to COVID-19 healthcare workers in Canada.

How did Ellis Group get involved in this project?

I got involved through a colleague who, along with a few other women, came up with the idea to support local restaurants through community donations that would in turn feed our frontline medical workers. This organization is 100% not for profit.

How did you choose Canadians Care? 

I was approached by one of the founding members for help, and once I heard about the program and benefits to both the local restaurants and healthcare workers, I was immediately invested to provide the boxes under a very tight deadline. We went from conception to supplying boxes in a few days.

Where have the lunchboxes gone?

They have delivered lunches to both hospitals and retirement homes. Each day they are picking up meals from different local restaurants and delivering to staff at different facilities. In their words, this program is giving the frontline workers a big hug from their communities.

Why and when did the project start?

This program kicked off in the middle of April 2020. The Ellis Group felt grateful that we could be a part of this effort! The restaurants are really struggling and we felt that this was a great way to give back to both them and our valuable at-risk frontline workers. I feel that giving back where we can is one of the fundamental responsibilities of leadership.

How many were printed and with what?

We’ve made and supplied 10,000 lunch boxes so far. We are hoping that this program will continue to raise funds so we can keep it going. We donated 100% of the boxes that we printed on recycled boxboard — CRB. They were printed on our Komori 8-color Lithrone GX40 (GLX840).

Do you plan to do it again? 

Absolutely! It’s an honor to be given the opportunity to reach out and do something for those in need and give back. It has been an ongoing process to provide a safe and stress-free environment to our employees during these times. We have been progressing and learning as we go.

Find out more about Canadians Care and this project at https://canadians-care.causevox.com.