Where the Rubber Hits the Road

In emphasizing manufacturability without sacrificing aesthetic considerations, Midlands’ team process approaches the ideal. “We work to get the package manufactured. It’s a practical goal, not an aesthetic one. We all understand this,” Lindquist says, dismissing potential conflicts based on differences in designer training and methodology. That said, he adds, “What the customer wants, the customer gets,” and there can lie the rub. “For example,” says Lindquist, “a lot of the time we’ll give the customer what it wants, only to find out later that marketing wants more than purchasing can pay for. Modifications ensue.”