The environmental movement is here and, increasingly, processors are aware that their image is reflected in their packaging. Plus, packaging is the efficient in-store advertising tool. New products need to be seen to be taken off the supermarket shelf. Indeed, change has created opportunity for the equipment and engineering firms, too, as plant production personnel wrestle with the demand to produce new and varied products on equipment purchased years ago. If new plants aren't built, the job needs to be done in old ones.
Flexible manufacturing is the key to success.
With fewer plants supplying more products to more outlets, the demand for efficiency, productivity and profitability is paramount. Here are opportunities for suppliers in the warehousing and distribution business. Smaller physical inventories, higher inventory turns, reduced forward buying and diverting will help cut the days from development to store shelf and free up needed dollars languishing throughout the distribution chain. Technology is needed to design and manage systems from flexible manufacturing to efficient distribution. As a supplier to the food and beverage industry, embrace the opportunities these changes bring.