Media & Press Releases

L to R: Standing in front of the Weldotron shrink wrapping machine are St. Croix Industry employees Travis Finder of Glenwood City, John Brinkman of Baldwin, Marilee Goelz of New Richmond, David Gotzman of Baldwin, K-Sun shipping manager Debbie Kellogg of Stillwater, Minn., employee David Hollingsworth of New Richmond, and SCI contract specialist Jim Roerdink of New Richmond.

AUG. 25, 2011 | SOMERSET, WI | When Debbie Kellogg of K-Sun Corporation in Somerset was reading the St. Croix Industries newsletter, she noticed an article that said the organization was going to purchase a shrink wrapping machine with proceeds from its annual fundraiser, set for Sept. 18 at Ready Randy's Sports Bar and Grill in New Richmond from 4 to 8 p.m.
            Like other companies in the area, K-Sun often contracts with St. Croix Industries to do light assembly and packaging work.
            "In the newsletter article, we listed what we would like to do with any proceeds from event," said Jim Roerdink, a contract specialist with SCI, which is a St. Croix County rehabilitation program that has been supporting persons with disabilities through employment and services since 1974.
            "Our plans this year included remodeling the break room and purchasing some new equipment," said Roerdink. "Last year we had a client that had a small book that we shrink-wrapped, and we ended up borrowing their machine to complete the job. We thought it would be a good investment as we can do more business with them and with other customers who have requested it."
            Kellogg remembered that a large shrink wrapping machine came with inventory when K-Sun Corp. purchased Doll Industries of Tennessee a number of years ago.  "It wasn't something we used and it had been sitting in the warehouse," said Kellogg. "I thought this might be perfect for them."
            Kellogg obtained company approval to donate the 1981 Weldotron shrink wrapping machine, valued at about $9,500, to St. Croix Industries and called Roerdink to arrange for him to see the machine.
            "I asked the owner of a local equipment company to look it over and he was pretty impressed," said Roerdink. "It was very clean and in good operating condition plus it had an L-Bar sealer modification added on to it. And he could service it if we ever needed it."
            St. Croix Industries employees 130 individuals with disabilities and is operated by 35 full- and part-time county employees who serve as managers, placement specialists, job coaches and trainers. Services include employment at SCI or supported employment within area businesses, plus job coaching, transportation, job placement, customized community employment, life skills training, day services and community activities for clients.
            At its location at 1525 N. 4th St. in New Richmond, SCI offers bulk mailing service, light bench assembly, grommeting, collating, trimming, salvage, sorting and inspection as well as shrink wrapping, bagging and heat sealing. It accepts ongoing or one-time contract work and has 7,500 square feet of warehouse and storage space. Clients range from national companies to local small businesses.
            Roerdink plans to have the machine up and running this fall for a large job shrink wrapping educational kits that include books and CDs. He says he welcomes calls from area companies offering unused equipment, but he must carefully assess SCI needs with potential donations. "Every so often there's a very nice donation like this that we can put to good use." For more information about St. Croix Industries Sept. 18 event or equipment donation, contact Roerdink at 715-246-8299.
           

Contact K-Sun for more information, 800.622.6312, ext. 214, visit www.ksun.com or email info@ksun.com.

For More Information Contact:

Mike Kasun, president, K-Sun Corporation, 1.800.622.6312, ext. 202.
Brenda Bredahl, bbredahl@ksun.com 1.800.622.6312, ext. 213, T/Th.