WestRock's Steve Voorhees Speaks at Sandy Springs Luncheon

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Steve Voorhees, CEO of Sandy Springs’ newest Fortune 500 Company and Chamber member, WestRock, was warmly welcomed at the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber’s monthly luncheon Feb. 27. WestRock was created when RockTenn, a leading paper and packaging manufacturer headquartered in Norcross, merged with MeadWestvaco, a packaging company based in Richmond, Virginia, in 2015, to create WestRock. Voorhees gave Chamber members and guests an overview of the $16 billion company, and spoke about recently relocating its home office to Sandy Springs.

While paper and packaging are items many of us take for granted, Voorhees explained that packaging actually influences purchasing decisions. “Studies have shown that over 35 percent of consumers have changed brands because of packaging, and 66 percent of consumers have tried something new thanks to its packaging,” he said. “Successful packaging enhances the quality of a product, which is why we employ hundreds of graphic and structural designers to create the ideal package for every product we serve.”

Voorhees gave as an example a new home delivery box WestRock created for Pizza Hut. Thanks to its innovative design, the box keeps the pizzas hot from store to door. He passed around a variety of packaging samples ranging from a six-pack of beer to a food take-out box. “In addition to function,” he explained, “the right packaging helps customers differentiate their products in the market and positively impacts customer satisfaction”.

The company’s vision is to be the premier partner and unrivaled provider of winning solutions for its customers. WestRock creates value by helping its customers grow sales, lower costs, improve sustainability and minimize risk.

Voorhees spoke about working within the “circular economy” of products that can be created, used, recycled and re-created. Sustainability is a hallmark of WestRock’s corporate culture, and the company operates its own recycling plant in Cobb County. Sustainability also played a key role in selecting Sandy Springs as for its home office, said Voorhees, noting the company’s location is adjacent to a MARTA station, offering an easy and affordable transportation alternative for employees.

One of the challenges for the company today is balancing its history of entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation with the demands of a worldwide operation. Voorhees said one way he works to bridge this seeming divide is by reinforcing the corporate culture that focuses on empowering employees..

“We maximize the advantages of being large to benefit our employees. Take training, for instance. We have the resources and the staff to offer numerous training programs in many locations, so that our employees can learn new skills and succeed in new ways within WestRock.”

Voorhees noted that the best measure of his company’s success comes from the many awards given to WestRock by its customers. Recent accolades include being named “Package Supplier of the Year” by Pizza Hut, “2017 Gold Supplier” by Tree House and “Supplier of the Year” by the Coca-Cola Bottlers.

About WestRock

WestRock (NYSE:WRK) partners with its customers to provide differentiated paper and packaging solutions that help them win in the marketplace. WestRock’s 45,000 team members support customers around the world from more than 300 manufacturing facilities, design centers, research labs and sales offices spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. www.westrock.com

About the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber

The Chamber was formed in 2008 to serve businesses in the City of Sandy Springs and the north Perimeter area. With leadership from an elected Board of Directors, and working in partnership with city government, the Chamber’s mission is to maximize the business success of its members, strengthen the competitiveness of the Sandy Springs business community and enhance economic prosperity of the area. Ongoing initiatives include workforce and economic development, business education, community service and networking opportunities for members. Tom Mahaffey is president of the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber. www.SSPChamber.org

Photo by Valencia Productions