Gary Brewer (CONT’D FROM PAGE 20)
all the entrepreneurial resources they need? At the same time, we must remain relevant for industry veterans be- cause the industry is constantly evolving.” Brewer draws on his aviation background to illustrate AICC’s integral value for the industry. “You wouldn’t just climb into the pilot’s seat of a plane without knowing how to fly, having a flight plan, being prepared for whatever pops up in your flight path,” he points out. “AICC offers the key building blocks to a successful flight: educational coursework, CEO groups, production leadership groups, and the Emerging Leaders group. And the recently formed Foundation for Packaging Education is soon to be the cat- alyst for next-level educational and leadership offerings.” All of these resources work in combination to help AICC members become stronger contributors to the industry, people who are “always leading, whether they’re in direct conversation with someone or just walking the floor.” For Brewer, AICC will always be part of that leader- ship message. “I knew about AICC when I started Pack-
need to address the impact of ongoing consolidation in our market. Larger companies are buying up smaller inde- pendents, while people are aging out of the workforce or selling their companies for various reasons. We’re in this natural cycle of the big people getting bigger, while the smaller people are disappearing. “That’s going to come full circle; it always does,” he says. “So, the industry consolidates, prices rise, and ser- vice may suffer. And that leads to startups sprouting up that promise to deliver what the bigger companies can’t.” Brewer’s insight into that cycle is born of experience. “When I started Package Crafters, industry lead times were, on average, a week out,” he says. “So, to break through, I entered the market with a three-day delivery model. The competitors in my market were not providing that, and it caught a lot of people’s attention. That’s what put me on the map.” Similarly, the next generation of startups will be search- ing for their own competitive advantages, along with the kind of resources, information, and opportunities only AICC can provide. “As leaders within AICC, we need to explore all of the ways we can support these startups with the technical knowledge and resources they’re going to need,” he says. “How do we ensure a good source of cap- ital for those wanting to start up? How do we help them acquire the equipment they need? How do we give them
age Crafters, but I felt like I was too small to join,” he recalls. “I look back on that now and realize it was a total mistake. It’s the organization that the independents in our industry abso- lutely need.” Robert Bittner is a Michigan-based freelance journalist and a frequent contributor to AICC's BoxScore.
Robert Bittner
Serving the North American Corrugated and Folding Carton Industries Since 1985
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