This summer finds us at a time when our industry has never been busier, and we are facing several unforeseen, substantial challenges. PMMI’s 2022 Executive Leadership Conference (ELC) shined a light on these challenges and fostered discussion around solutions. Year in and year out, attendees find the greatest value of the ELC to be networking and connecting with fellow members. The world-class speakers and customer panels offer insight into improving operations from varied perspectives: peers, experts, and customers. These sessions spark ideas for members to bring back to their facilities, and the time before, after and in-between prompts conversations about what everyone just heard and how to apply it to real-world operations.
This year, the most prominent issue discussed was the global supply chain crisis affecting every aspect of packaging, processing, and, frankly, manufacturing as a whole. One member told me that in 40 years in manufacturing, he has never seen it so challenging. Another said that quotes for shipping containers had increased by almost eight times the pre-pandemic cost. OEM Editor Stephanie Neil moderated a great customer panel with PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive, and ACH Food Companies discussing how they are dealing with their supply chain problems (pg. 48). And every conversation I had with a member about what keeps them up at night found supply chain issues at the top of the list, followed by workforce issues, and getting a handle on sustainability.
To allow for a deep dive into these pain points, the ELC had three roundtable breakout groups addressing these issues. One solution to the supply chain crisis that OEMs and supplier members discussed was utilizing used or replacement component parts to get machines delivered. When the actual parts become available, the OEM can replace the part with the original specified part.
