Stacker

ND Paper is a leading manufacturer of high-quality pulp, paper, and packaging products in the United States, generating over half a billion dollars in annual sales. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited—the largest containerboard producer in the world—ND Paper is part of a global network committed to excellence and innovation. With two integrated pulp and paper mills in Rumford, Maine and Biron, Wisconsin, a packaging plant in Sturtevant, Wisconsin, and two sheeting facilities in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and Fairmont, West Virginia, the ND Paper family produces nearly one million tons of products annually. Our 1,100 dedicated employees are the heart of our operations, and we are committed to fostering positive work environments where individuals can advance and thrive.

About the role

The Stacker / Dry End Operator works at the discharge end of the corrugator, receiving finished corrugated sheets from the cutoff knife and managing the stacking, counting, labeling, and staging of completed board orders. This position is the last quality checkpoint on the corrugator line before board enters the converting or warehouse queue. The Stacker Operator is responsible for catching and escalating quality defects, ensuring accurate order counts and labeling, and maintaining the flow of material off the line so the corrugator can run continuously without backup or stoppage. While the role does not require operating the corrugator console, it demands continuous attention, physical stamina, and the ability to communicate quality and flow issues upstream to the CR Operator in real time. The Stacker Operator is often the first person to observe quality defects that originate at the wet end—making accurate, timely communication a core competency of this position.

Responsibilities

• Safety: Demonstrate safety as a core value and establish a safe work environment by actively leading the safe execution of work.
• Stacking & Order Completion:
  • Monitor the stacker and/or layboy unit to receive sheets off the corrugator cutoff at line speed.
  • Ensure stacks are formed evenly, squared, and at the correct count per the run card specification.
  • Remove completed stacks from the stacker discharge promptly to prevent line backup and forced slowdown.
  • Stage completed stacks in designated floor locations or transfer to pallet or transfer car as directed.
  • Manually assist stacking during stacker malfunctions, low-speed runs, or transition periods.
• Order Labeling & Count Verification:
  • Apply accurate order labels to each completed stack including order number, customer, sheet size, grade, and count.
  • Verify actual sheet count against the run card count at order completion; flag and resolve discrepancies before the order leaves the corrugator area.
  • Separate and stage short orders, samples, and waste cuts clearly to prevent mix-ups in the converting queue.
  • Communicate order completion and any count variances to the CR Operator for production log accuracy.
• Dry End Quality Inspection:
  • Inspect board continuously at the stacker for flatness, warp, caliper variation, edge crush damage, delamination, and print register (if applicable).
  • Call quality holds to the CR Operator immediately when defective board is observed—do not allow non-conforming board to accumulate in the stack.
  • Pull and retain board samples at order changes or upon CR Operator request for quality documentation.
  • Identify recurring defect patterns (warp direction, moisture banding, skip score) and communicate to the CR Operator with specific observations.
  • Understand the difference between cosmetic variation and structural defects; escalate structural defects with urgency.
• Waste Management:
  • Remove waste cuts, start-up board, and order transition waste from the stacker area promptly.
  • Transport waste to designated waste bins or baler feed area per plant procedure.
  • Keep waste separate from good board at all times—no commingling of waste and production board.
  • Track and report approximate waste volumes per order or shift when directed by the CR Operator.
• Paper Roll Assistance & Material Handling:
  • Assist the Single Facer and Double Backer Operators with staging paper rolls to the corrugator roll stands as needed.
  • Operate powered industrial trucks (forklift, reach truck, or transfer car) to move finished board and paper rolls as directed and when licensed.
  • Stage incoming paper rolls in the correct sequence for the production run; flag rolls with visible damage to the CR Operator before use.
  • Keep the dry end floor clear of debris, waste board, and slip/trip hazards at all times.
• Stacker Equipment Operation & Monitoring:
  • Monitor stacker mechanical components: fan fold arms, joggers, counter, kicker, and transfer table for proper operation.
  • Report stacker malfunctions, misfeeds, jams, or mechanical abnormalities to the CR Operator immediately.
  • Perform basic stacker clearing and restart procedures under direction of the CR Operator following proper LOTO protocol.
  • Report recurring stacker issues that are slowing line speed or causing damage to the board surface.
• Safety & Housekeeping:
  • Follow all LOTO procedures before clearing jams or reaching into any moving portion of the stacker or transfer equipment.
  • Never reach into the stacker nip, jogger, or kicker area while equipment is in motion.
  • Maintain a clear and organized dry end work area: stacks staged safely, aisles clear, no loose board on the floor.
  • Report all safety hazards, near-misses, and incidents to the CR Operator and Shift Supervisor immediately.
  • Wear required PPE at all times: safety glasses, steel-toed footwear, back support belt if lifting, hearing protection.
  • Participate in pre-shift safety briefings and raise any safety concerns from the prior shift.
• Shift Handoff & Communication:
  • Brief the incoming Stacker Operator on dry end status at shift change: orders in progress, stacker condition, quality issues observed, and any open items.
  • Communicate end-of-shift stacker condition and any recurring quality observations to the CR Operator for the shift log.
  • Maintain awareness of the production schedule and upcoming order changes so stacking and staging can be prepared in advance.

Key Performance Indicators

• Stacker throughput — ability to maintain continuous board flow off the line without backup-driven slowdown.
• Labeling accuracy — order label errors or mislabeled stacks reaching converting (target: zero).
• Count accuracy — stack count variances identified and corrected before orders leave the corrugator area.
• Quality escalation timeliness — defects caught and communicated before accumulation in the stack.
• Waste handling compliance — waste board properly segregated and removed per shift.
• Safety — zero recordable incidents; housekeeping standards maintained on dry end.
• Attendance and shift reliability — corrugator dry end cannot run understaffed.

Corrugator Crew Interface

• CR Operator: Primary direction-giver on shift; receives all quality observations, count variances, stacker faults, and order completion status.
• Double Backer Operator: Upstream quality issues (warp, delamination, moisture banding) often first visible at the stacker—feedback flows back through CR Operator.
• Single Facer Operator: Coordinates paper roll staging assistance when workload allows.
• Corrugator Superintendent: Reports to superintendent on equipment and quality concerns when CR Operator escalates or superintendent is on floor.
• Converting / Scheduling: Completed stacks staged and labeled for converting pickup; any order discrepancies must be resolved before handoff.
• Forklift / Material Handler: Coordinates board removal from staging area; communicates when stacks are ready for transport.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Ability to perform sustained physical work in a hot, loud, fast-paced production environment.
• Strong attention to detail; ability to inspect board quality at production line speed.
• Ability to read work orders, run cards, and order labels accurately.
• Reliable team communication; comfortable escalating quality and equipment issues in real time.
• Ability to operate safely around moving equipment and high-speed machinery.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in a corrugated, paper, or converting manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with corrugated board grades, flute types, and basic quality characteristics.
• Powered industrial truck (forklift) certification or willingness to obtain upon hire.
• Experience operating or monitoring automated stacking or layboy equipment.
• Bilingual in Mandarin/English a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Standing and walking on concrete for full shift: Continuously
• Lifting and repositioning board stacks (up to 50 lbs): Frequently
• Bending, reaching, and stooping at stacker discharge: Frequently
• Pushing / pulling loaded transfer cars or pallet jacks: Frequently
• Working in high-heat, high-noise corrugator environment: Continuously
• Operating forklift or reach truck (if licensed): Occasionally
• Rapid response to stacker jams or line speed changes: Frequently

Success Profile / Career Development

The Stacker / Dry End Operator role is the entry point into the corrugator crew and the starting position for operators building toward full corrugator qualification. The development path from this role is:

• Double Backer Operator — first step into wet end operation; learn board bonding, temperature management, and glue systems.
• Single Facer Operator — wet end advancement; master flute formation, flying splices, and corrugating roll management.
• CR Operator — senior operator role with full line control, crew leadership, and quality ownership.
• Corrugator Superintendent — plant leadership role overseeing the