Holland, MI — West Michigan-based Coastal Container announced the hiring of Scott Larsen as general manager of the Coastal Sheets business unit.
Larsen, a Michigan State School of Packaging graduate, brings over 30 years of experience in the corrugated industry to the position. Prior to joining the Coastal team, Larsen spent seven years at Union Camp/International Paper before moving to Akers Packaging in Illinois. He has worked in sales, sales management and general management, roles which prepared him well for his new role.
Larsen will oversee the new Fosber Corrugator, which launched production on Monday, October 9th, 2023, and represents the same family of machines he managed while at Akers. His focus will be leading his team to optimize its capabilities and provide corrugated sheet products, as well as finished boxes and honeycomb, to the company’s partners . Coastal’s recent $25MM expansion added 65,000 square feet of capacity to accommodate the corrugator and 60+ new jobs by bringing the corrugating capabilities in-house. The new Sheets division will capitalize on the corrugator’s capacity to run over two billion square feet of material per year. Coastal Sheets bolsters the Coastal Group’s ability to withstand supply-chain disruptions and positions the company as the region’s only locally owned and operated provider of onsite sheets production.
“I am most looking forward to being a part of an innovative, entrepreneurial team that has built a reputation for excellence,” said Larsen. “My experience at Union Camp/International Paper and Akers taught me about the corrugated sheets business, from design, production, customer service and especially how to sell value and I’m excited to bring that knowledge and expertise to a team that has great people and a great culture.”
“With his directly relatable experience and his previous track record of success, Scott is an outstanding addition to our team, particularly as it relates to his experience with Fosber corrugators and their implementation. He’s a great fit!” stated Brent Patterson, Coastal Container’s CEO.
Larsen joins a growing team of industry experts including Nathan Hoekstra, Coastal’s general manager; Tom Staal, management systems director; Troy Howard, plant manager; and William Cessna, director of operations. Together, they represent a combined 100+ years of experience in the packaging industry.
When Larsen isn’t working, he enjoys attending concerts and music festivals with his wife and best friend, Kelli, as well as spending time outdoors with his two sons.
