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Careers at Graph-Pak

Make What Ends Up on the Shelf.

Graph-Pak prints, cuts, and glues custom folding cartons for food, beverage, and consumer brands. We’re a family-owned manufacturer, founded in 1976, with plants in Franklin Park and Island Lake, Illinois.

50+ Years · Founded 1976
Koenig & Bauer Rapida press line on the Graph-Pak production floor
1976Founded
2ndGeneration of family ownership
300,000+Square feet, two Illinois plants
200 MillionCartons in a typical year

Open Positions

Each opening lists the pay, shift, and plant. Benefits are described under Pay and Benefits. Don’t see a fit? Apply anyway and tell us the work you do.

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Pay and Benefits

Benefits start on the first of the month after 60 days of employment. Pay for each opening is listed with the opening.

Medical

Two medical plans with gap insurance, plus an FSA.

Dental & vision

Dental and vision coverage.

Retirement

401(k) with up to a 4% match, 100% vested.

Life & disability

Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability.

Vacation

One week to start (two for salaried), growing with service.

Sick time

Up to five paid sick days a year.

Paid holidays

Nine a year, including during your introductory period.

Tuition reimbursement

Up to 100% reimbursed for approved courses.

Bonus

Company-wide discretionary bonus.

Overtime & paid lunch

Paid lunch break. Weekend hours always paid as overtime.

Apply

A few details are enough to start. No résumé needed; attach one if you have it ready.

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John Hewitt, Sr. checking a press sheet on the Graph-Pak floor in the early 1980s
John Hewitt, Sr. on the Graph-Pak floor, early 1980s.
Since 1976

Fifty Years, Same Family.

John Hewitt, Sr. started Graph-Pak in 1976. His son, John Hewitt, Jr., runs the company today as President.

Where the Work Happens

A carton passes through several teams before it ships. Here’s what each one does.

Prepress & Structural Design

Designers build carton structures and dielines in ArtiosCAD. Prepress works in Prinergy to check customer artwork, lay out press sheets, proof, and make plates for the presses.

Sheeting

Sheeters cut paperboard from mill rolls into the sheet sizes the presses run, matched to the board each job calls for.

Koenig & Bauer sheetfed offset press in the Graph-Pak pressroom

Pressroom

Sheetfed offset printing on 41-inch and 57-inch Koenig & Bauer presses. Press crews handle make-ready, color, and running each job to the approved proof.

Bobst flatbed die cutter at Graph-Pak

Die Cutting

Bobst flatbed die cutters cut, strip, and blank printed sheets into individual carton blanks. The job is setup-heavy: tooling, registration, and clean separation.

Folder-gluer with an inline inspection camera at Graph-Pak

Folding & Gluing

Gluers fold and glue flat blanks into the cartons that run on customers’ packaging lines. Every gluer has inline inspection checking barcodes and glue seams.

Shipping & Warehouse

Receives paperboard, stages jobs between departments, and ships finished cartons, including stock held for customers’ scheduled releases.

Maintenance

Keeps the presses, die cutters, gluers, and buildings running. Mechanical, electrical, and troubleshooting skills all get used.

Office

Customer service, estimating, accounting, and sales: the people who move each order from quote to delivery.

Where We’re Located

Two plants in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. Each opening lists which one it’s at.

Island Lake

3001 N Darrell Rd
Island Lake, IL 60042

On-site parking

Get Directions

Questions About Working Here

How soon will I hear back after I apply?

Within one business day. A member of Graph-Pak’s HR team reads each application and replies personally.

Do I need a résumé to apply?

No. The form above takes your name, phone, and the position you want. You can add a résumé or a few lines about your experience if you have them.

Can I apply in Spanish?

Yes. You can fill out the form in Spanish, message HR on WhatsApp at (847) 630-2264, or call (847) 451-7400.

Which plant would I work at?

Each opening lists the plant where the job starts. Some jobs may include work at both of our plants.

What shifts does Graph-Pak run?

First shift runs 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and second shift runs 2 to 10 p.m. Each opening lists its shift.

Do I need packaging or printing experience?

Not for every job. Material handler, aerator, and feeder/catcher jobs are where most people start, and they train on the job. Operator jobs require experience running that machine, whether you learned it here or at another plant. The rule is there to keep the operator and everyone working nearby safe. Each posting lists what it requires.

Can I move up at Graph-Pak?

Yes. Most operators start in an entry role and move up with training on the job. The pressroom has the most defined path; die cutting and gluing follow a similar pattern:

  • Pressroom: material handler, then feeder, second pressman, and lead operator.
  • Die cutting: aerator or material handler, then operator.
  • Folding and gluing: material handler, then feeder/catcher, then operator.

Paths can also cross departments. People move from gluing to die cutting and the other way, and cross-training on other equipment is part of how they move up.

Equal opportunity employer. Graph-Pak Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. If you need an accommodation to apply or interview, contact HR at careers@graphpak.com or (847) 451-7400.