End-users and OEMs can avoid vertical startup performance dips through strategic collaboration, including clear role definition, success metrics, and comprehensive equipment documentation. PMMI's 2025 report identifies 12 proven strategies from industry leaders.
- 12 core strategies for end-users include defining roles (68%), setting FAT/SAT/OEE metrics (42%), and ensuring parts availability (28%)
- OEM priorities focus on intuitive HMIs for troubleshooting (66%), comprehensive equipment documentation (41%), and operator training assessment methods
- Insights gathered from 2025 Top to Top Summit with 61% food industry participation and input from pharmaceuticals and other sectors
- Success requires front-end preparation and collaborative planning between OEMs and end-users before startup begins
- Clear scope definition and agreement on what constitutes successful vertical startup prevents costly performance dips post-launch
Collaboration between end-users and OEMs is key to driving successful vertical startups. Moreover, the two groups must work together to combat performance dips that occur post-startup, and they came together to outline feasible, front-end ways to be prepared for slumps.
That’s according to PMMI Business Intelligence’s “Performance Optimization: Insights for Packaging Line Readiness,” a report that brings together key issues, industry insights, and recommendations from roundtable discussions and panels featured at the 2025 Top to Top Summit from February 23–25. The summit serves as a platform for OEMs and CPGs to exchange perspectives, address shared challenges, and collaborate on practical solutions.
Most participants were from the food industry (61%), with other sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, representing 7% of participation.
When asked about how end users can best ready themselves to avoid dips, respondents agreed on 12 strategies.
Early preparation seemed to be the most key strategy in being prepared for performance dips. PMMI Business Intelligence: 2025 Performance Optimization: Insights for Packaging Line Readiness
The results showed end users need to lay the groundwork for a successful startup by clearly defining roles and responsibilities and fostering engagement (68%), setting success metrics for FATs, SATs, and OEEs from the outset of the project (42%), defining what a successful vertical startup looks like and agreeing on the scope (29%), and ensuring parts are available on-site (28%).
Discussion participants provided thematically similar insight for OEM performance dip preparation.
Optimizing human machine interfaces was among the top strategies for OEMs to contribute to the avoidance of performance dips. PMMI Business Intelligence: 2025 Performance Optimization: Insights for Packaging Line Readiness
Respondents saw the usability of machinery as the most effective way for OEMs to help end users avoid the dip, with 66% of participants advocating for more instructive, intuitive HMIs to aid troubleshooting. The second-highest rated suggestion (41%) calls for comprehensive equipment documentation and training, while methods to assess operators’ understanding and training effectiveness ranked third.
SOURCE: PMMI Business Intelligence: 2025 Performance Optimization: Insights for Packaging Line Readiness
For more insights from PMMI’s Business Intelligence team, find reports, including “2025 Beverage Industry Packaging Trends” and “2025 Aftermarket Parts & Services” at pmmi.org/business-intelligence.
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