ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — Ryan Freckmann sums up 2020 ​in one word.

“Crazy.”

He’s the production manager at Körber Tissue North America near Green Bay. The Ashwaubenon-based company makes paper converting machines that transform huge rolls of tissue to the sizes most of us are more familiar with — like toilet paper and paper towels.

Global tissue demand is nothing anyone forecast at the start of the year. Freckmann and others weren’t sure what the pandemic was going to mean for their business and industry back in mid-March.

“This industry has just boomed,” he said. “When it first kicked off you couldn’t find towel paper or paper towels at stores. All of our customers are looking for any kind of early release lines, short lead-times so they can get lines into their facilities and start making product.”

As it turns out, the pandemic has driven a massive surge in tissue production — which also means demand for converting machines, parts and service.

“Our customers, the ones producing the products in their factories, they are at un-forecasted level of demand,” said Pete Augustine, the company’s North American president. “For us, that means we have to step up our game and be able to support our customers so the machinery we produce is at the highest level of efficiency and everyone at home can have the paper products they need.”

Körber is also pursing machine modifications to its equipment to facilitate the production of anti-bacterial wipes and it’s developed a low cost a low-cost mask.

“It’s made out of either a tissue or a non-woven product that comes off of a roll, much like you’d see for a bath tissue roll,” Augustine said. “You’re able to dispense 500 masks at a time off of a roll used for disposable applications.” 

An innovative product dreamed up during a crazy year.