HomeIssuesBusiness intelligenceCobot Case ErectorOnexia shows its collaborative robot-based case erector system using a Universal Robots cobot.David GreenfieldDirector of Content, Automation WorldMar 30th, 2022Business intelligenceOver 50% of CPGs to Increase Cobot SpendingThe suspected surge in cobot spending comes at a time when companies are just starting to grasp how to take advantage of them.Package DesignLegal Column: GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) Designation Goes to CongressThe GRAS pathway to clearance of the use of substances in packaging and in food is crucially important, and this proposed law has the potential to make enormous changes in various legal obligations.Business intelligenceCPG Cobot Use Expected to At Least Double in Next Five YearsCPGs predict cobot usage in packaging will more than double in the next five years, with processing use expected to triple according to PMMI report.Take FiveJ&J Chief Medical Officer Talks Package Design ConsiderationsIn part 2 of this two-part series, we delve into design considerations, including caregiver burnout, as well as some of Dr. Kuffner’s tips for those within and outside the packaging community to prevent unsupervised medication ingestions in kids.Business intelligenceCybersecurity Roundup: Med Device, Packaging Ops, and Industrial ControlEssential businesses and connected devices are under increasing threats domestically and globally. Check out 9 recent articles.Business intelligenceEmerging Brands at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food ShowWe visited the Startup Pavilion and Incubator Village on our first day at SFA's Summer Fancy Food Show, to see emerging CPG brands' products.Business intelligenceCPGs Move More Manufacturing and Packaging Lines to Contract FacilitiesA PMMI industry report reveals what’s driving growth in machinery sales to the CoMan/CoPack market.Business intelligenceHow SaaS and MaaS Impact IndustryFrom lowering barriers to entry to changing capex and opex strategies, software and machines as-a-service are changing the business of technology and manufacturing.BeverageCraft Brew at a CrossroadsThe pint glass is either half full or half empty for craft brewers—which it is depends entirely on how individual operations plan to navigate a doubly disruptive suite of consumer changes.Operational excellenceLegals Side: Exploring Contracts etc.The bottom line is that it’s important to make sure whenever possible to enter a written contract that is clear and complete. But, you'll be surprised to hear, it's not always the end of the world when a contract isn't in place, in certain circumstances.Take FiveSecurity Alert for Industrial Control SystemsU.S. Government issues warning about new cyberthreats that impact control systems and SCADA devices across industries.SponsoredError Detection Automation Simplified: Introducing the In-Sight 2800See how easily the Cognex In-Sight 2800 can automate error detection. Powered by deep learning, it can solve a wide range of inspection applications quickly and easily — no programming experience required.Business intelligenceNew Survey Reveals 54.3% of U.S. Consumers Bought Groceries Online in Past YearThe Coresight Research survey dives into changes in online grocery shopping habits and demographic drivers.Business intelligenceGreat Resignation Driving Employee PoachingIt’s a buyer’s market for job seekers as 81,000 left manufacturing from Aug. 2020 through Aug. 2021. Manufacturers are climbing over each other to poach workers to meet increases in production.Business intelligenceThree Tips for Chief Procurement Officers Navigating Packaging ShortagesGartner, Inc. provides tactics for chief procurement officers attempting to deal with packaging material shortages amidst supply instability and rising costs.Take FiveCPGs to OEMs: HELP | Economist: Demand and Unfulfilled Machinery Orders to AbateAt PMMI’s Executive Leadership Conference in April, a panel of CPGs told OEMs about the challenges they face and how machine builders can help. Meanwhile, an economist says one challenge—long lead times—should work itself out.PMMI newsEconomist: Improving Supply Chain, Easing Demand, Let Packaging Machine OEMs Catch UpITR economists forecast a soft landing—not a recession—in coming months as consumers ease out of the pandemic and the revved-up stimulus-era economy fades. This will allow the supply chain to recalibrate and packaging machine OEMs to catch up on orders.Take FiveCraft Brew Conference Report: New Products for an Industry at a CrossroadsIn an industry that’s quickly maturing, craft breweries are forced to reinvent themselves to stay relevant. We’ll talk about the trends, equipment, & materials shown at the 2022 Craft Brew Conference designed to help brewers take on the next chapter.BeverageLive at the Craft Brew Conference: Is the Pint Glass Half Full or Half Empty?Pandemic-related channel shifts subsided in 2021, and on-premise sales bounced back, but there are both encouraging and concerning signs for the craft brew industry. Brewers Association's Bart Watson captures the landscape in his State of the Industry.Business intelligenceHow Will Inflation Affect Packaging Material Costs in 2022?In light of the Russia-Ukraine war, new report provides the 12-month inflation outlook in North America for packaging materials, including plastic, paper, glass, and aluminum.