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Conceptual Packaging - A Creative Type Company

Countdown to PACK EXPO
Designers Are Seen As Notable Influencers Of Buying Strategies At PACK EXPO International 2004

Package designers have a key role to play as decision-influencing members of “Total Quality Buying” (TQB) teams at trade shows, says the association sponsoring PACK EXPO International 2004.

“From designers and engineers to the front office, teams can thoroughly evaluate machinery, materials, components and technology,” says Charles D. Yuska, president of the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI). The group, representing manufacturers of packaging and packaging-related converting equipment, will host PACK EXPO from Nov. 7-11, 2004 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

At PACK EXPO, says Yuska, “Team buyers meet with packaging and processing suppliers to gather the information needed for purchasing decisions that enhance shelf appeal, increase brand loyalty and profits and positively impact productivity.” PMMI believes that the TQB team approach can speed project completion and maximize the return on investment from equipment purchases.

The biennial PACK EXPO International features more than 1,600 exhibitors in 1.2 million net square feet of exhibit space at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

According to PMMI, buying teams—multi-disciplined groups of professionals from marketing, package design, plant management, engineering, R&D, production and purchasing, as well as from corporate operations—can be organized into two categories: horizontal and vertical.

A-to-Z Evaluation
Horizontal teams represent disciplines such as design, marketing, manufacturing, finance and management representatives. Teams of this nature can efficiently evaluate all aspects of a potential purchase, including material and design analysis, marketing and promotional requirements, productivity goals, and workflow and ergonomics issues. This synthesis of expertise, says PMMI, can result in a successful, profit-based purchase.

Alternatively, vertical buying teams consist of members with a common focus of interest. Vertical teams may include marketing and design, with all members sharing similar goals or issues. According to PMMI, teams of this nature tend to focus on a single aspect of a potential purchase, such as shelf appeal or product compatibility, comparing numerous offerings from several different manufacturers.

PMMI says that regardless of the mix, end-users acknowledge the most significant benefit of an on-site team strategy is the ability of a multi-disciplined group to accelerate buying decisions. The association claims that findings from a recent study called “Packaging Buying Process: It’s a New World” support this trend.

The study, a joint effort of PMMI and Westat, a research firm, surveyed 194 machinery purchasers representing four major packaging industry customer segments and companies of various sizes.

Of the purchasers surveyed, 74 percent of respondents said they worked with a buying team when machinery purchases were made by their employers. While the exact composition of the teams varied by industry segment and company size, it was found that all teams typically consisted of four to five people.

Only If They Agree
Package designers, marketers, and brand managers have a strong impact on the purchasing decisions of TQB teams, says PMMI. Pairing these professionals with packaging engineers at live equipment demonstrations helps companies to decide if a new system is appropriate to an intended application, meets desired specifications, and can adapt to their plant’s current packaging line. By viewing systems in operation, adds PMMI, buying teams can also identify value-added options that may have gone undiscovered in research.
Each year, says PMMI, PACK EXPO has seen an increase in the number of TQB teams in attendance, especially global Fortune 500 teams. The co-location of the Food Processing Machinery Expo with PACK EXPO is said to allow the exhibition to offer an even more comprehensive forum for end-user buying teams.

Biennial Blockbuster
According to PMMI, PACK EXPO International is held every two years and features, more than 1,600 exhibitors in 1.2 million net square feet of exhibit space at McCormick Place. For more information about PACK EXPO International 2004, visit www.packexpo.com or contact PMMI at 4350 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 600, Arlington, Va. 22203; telephone (703) 243-8555; fax (703) 243-8556; e-mail expo@pmmi.org.

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