Business Management - Productivity/Process Improvement

Glenroy Inc., a converter and printer of flexible packaging film and stand-up pouches, is commemorating the company's 50-year anniversary this month.

The impact of shorter production runs, combined with the established practices at lean, productive companies to minimize inventories at all stages of production, has resulted in many supply chain changes, including those at converters that supply materials to package printers.

Flexible packaging will remain a dynamic segment in the package-printing arena for some time to come. Materials developments and innovative product developments by consumer products companies will ensure that more and more flexible packaging formats take their place on the store shelves.

TLMI members who attended the 2012 Converter Meeting in Phoenix were rewarded with a long list of items they could implement to improve their businesses.

So, what will 2012 bring? I'm expecting American businesses to continue improving productivity so they can compete favorably on the world stage. At the same time, I'm hoping that there is, in fact, a trend of increasing employment that will continue through the year and beyond. Then we won't have to talk about a jobless recovery anymore.

Two of the topics covered in this issue of packagePRINTING made me think back to "the good old days" when I worked in manufacturing.

Among the factors driving its acceptance are the significantly shortened product life cycle of consumer goods, coupled with a greatly accelerated rate of product development and market launch.

Burlington, N.C.-based Labels Tags & Inserts Inc. (LTI) produces a wide range of products that one would expect to find coming out of shops several times its size.

MADISON, N..J—During tough economic times it is tempting to reduce quality control to cut costs. However Dolph Beyer, an engineer with Mohawk Fine Papers, asserts doing this is actually counterproductive.

It's easy to tell when someone truly enjoys what he or she does. There's the way a person answers questions—with energy and exuberance. There's the pride that comes through when a person talks about his business and the affection with which he speaks of his employees.