AICC Xperience Panelists (CONT’D FROM PAGE 26)
People | Knowledge | Software | Services
Meeting with our customers changed dramatically. We used to meet face-to face but then had adjust to Zoom meetings or Microsoft Teams to make sure that we were giving our customers a good platform — including a good internet connection. — to make sure we were all seeing and talking about the same thing. It’s a skill we all continue to develop. Stoler : In the POP space, our processes are simply not conducive to remote work. There are very complex structural designs with the overlay of very complex graph- ic designs and all of it must be managed very precisely. We really had to work hard to get it done but the best we could do over the past few years was to be 80 percent efficient remotely. It was a challenge to be rotating people in and out of the office but we quickly found ways to get people back in and keep our processes going because we couldn’t afford to have execution or quality issues. We also used Zoom meetings but we worked with out- side people so our team members could be more profes- sional and effective on camera in an electronic meeting environment. This was really important, especially for our sales staff. McNay : We had just moved into a new open-concept building but due to pandemic protocols, we then had to scatter people back into isolation. We were able to sepa- rate our people as necessary, but the business that we are in relies on collaboration and coordination, which means that people have to be close together. Part of that is be- ing respectful and wearing masks where appropriate and doing the right thing to take care of each other. We’ve all become more adept at virtual meetings, which I believe will always be around, and ultimately will allow us all to be more efficient. D’Angelo : Have you added capacity, technology and/ or automation to your production capabilities? Has this changed the markets that you serve or will they? Nusslein : We’ve definitely added capacity with new equipment but that was not easy. At first, machinery from overseas was delayed and then the technical experts to help install the machinery were delayed. After a 3-month delay, we were finally able to have our new machinery in- stalled. With the added capacity, we’re seeing the growth now and expect to see it in the future. For all box maker members, there’s so much business to be had but we have to be careful not to take on too much of the wrong kind of business McNay : We’ve added capacity and capability at all SMC locations. We’d been constrained due to the size of our building so we decided to move to a bigger facility and added two new pieces of equipment, including a machine that does inside out printing. Then with the pandemic came this new surge of business and fortunately, we were prepared for it.
driving Industry 4.0 initiatives
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March 14, 2022
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