is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC
This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.
President North America
Pete Augustine oversees the entire operation for Körber Business Area Tissue in North America, including strategic planning, sales, and production. Augustine holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from Purdue. He also served as a Captain in the United States Army. Augustine was named a 2017 TAPPI Fellow and served on the TAPPI Board of Directors from 2014-2021.
Please see session details below.
Tissue manufacturers are under unprecedented pressure. Pulp price volatility and the skilled labor shortage remain primary concerns. However, the increased emphasis on sustainability, product differentiation, and global competition cannot be ignored. The industry has inherent sustainability challenges. To address them, tissue manufacturers are proactively identifying ways to eliminate unnecessary waste and energy, lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions, incorporate alternative fiber sources, and reduce the use of plastics for packaging. Finding the right balance to prioritize sustainability, operational goals and product differentiation poses a challenge. New technological advancements are helping tissue manufacturers and converters to no longer be put in a position of choosing between what’s better for the environment and what’s better for business. This presentation will discuss new technologies aimed to align sustainability, efficiency, and profitability goals in tissue converting:
• Virtual line supervisors that can autoregulate and guarantee consistent quality, performance and reduction of waste
• Hot embossing technology aimed to increase firmness and volume, while using less energy and space
• Sustainable packaging solution that supports fast growing e-commerce channel
• Software as a Service (SaaS) solution designed to boost production efficiency with artificial intelligence
Speaker list correct at time of publication. Check back soon as more expert tissue industry speakers will be added shortly!
Mr. Bianco has served as Chief Executive Officer of Kruger Products since March 2018. Prior to that, he had an accomplished and highly successful career with Kraft Foods with broad and senior experience in finance, sale, marketing, and senior management.
As President of Kraft Canada, Mr. Bianco successfully led a business with several billion dollars in sales, 23 brands, 11 facilities and with more than 5000 employees. Mr. Bianco has developed a strong relationship with Canadian retailers over his career and in 2013 was the recipient of the Food Industry Association of Canada’s “Golden Pencil” award recognizing his lifetime contribution to the grocery sector. Furthermore, he has extensive US and foodservice experience having served as President’s of Kraft multi-billion US Beverage division based in Chicago prior to joining Kruger Products. During his tenure, he was responsible for driving significant growth, profits and innovation.
Mr. Bianco holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. He currently sits on the Board of Welbilt Foodservice (WBT.NYSE).
Sector Director - Pulp, Paper, Hygiene Products and Packaging
FPInnovations
Tissue World is a global portfolio of events designed by and for the international tissue manufacturing industry.
It unites manufacturers, distributors and buyers from around the world to learn about the latest technological advances, discuss new business strategies, source products and make business connections.