Automation World regular contributor Keith Campbell said in a blog post recently, “Most Consumer Packaged Goods companies don’t think of themselves as manufacturers In the executive suite, they think of themselves as clever marketing companies with valuable brand equities.” But those CPG employees on the plant floor and in the engineering departments know that their companies are major manufacturers, part of the broader hybrid manufacturing segment (distinct from discrete/metalworking manufacturers and process/refining manufacturers) that accounts for one-third of the 5 trillion dollars of annual U.S. manufacturing output. They (you) also know that automation technology can significantly enhance both sides of your hybrid process—whether it’s operator interfaces on the batch processing side or energy-efficient motors on automated packaging machines.
Soon after reading Campbell’s comment, I got some information from Mark Lampert, business development manager for sensor manufacturer Banner Engineering. He talked to me about how trends in CPG product marketing and quality control are driving makers of packaging machines to incorporate improved sensing and communication technology. Those machine builders are meeting the needs of their CPG manufacturing customers for smarter, more flexible packaging machines.
