For a copy of the research report discussed in today's presentation, click here.
Food manufacturers hold a unique position within the current economy. Not only do they face the same challenging conditions as other businesses, but they also must endure a litany of additional pressures. Quality and product tracking is of the utmost importance in an industry that is sensitive to potential food safety concerns and recalls — not to mention the inflationary pressures dogging consumer products have a particularly intense impact on food companies, where margins are often tight. Many food producers, meanwhile, faced worker shortages even before the pandemic, compounding the impact of today’s tight labor market.
While challenges abound on the surface, Food Manufacturing has attempted to find which key stressors are the most critical for food and beverage manufacturers, and how they are addressing these concerns. In partnership with Augury, a provider of AI-driven machine and process health solutions, we also set out to study the importance of certain technologies –including artificial intelligence – in the operational strategy of these businesses both now and in the future.
In a recent survey, we asked our audience about the role of AI in their businesses going forward, and the results point to a wide range of operational journeys but with AI emerging as a potentially viable business solution – that is, if food companies can get around shorter term barriers first.
Today we’re joined by a panel of experts to discuss what this report has revealed and what kind of actionable insights we can take away.
Eduardo Ballina, Operational Excellence Consulting, President and Founder
Ed Ballina was formerly the VP of Manufacturing and Warehousing at PepsiCo, with 36 years of experience in manufacturing and reliability across 3 CPG Fortune 50 companies in the beverage and paper industries. He previously led a team focused on improving equipment RE/TE performance and reducing maintenance costs while improving field capability. Recently, Ed started his own supply chain consulting practice focusing on operational excellence.
Dave Penrith, Former Global Chief Engineer with FMCG
Dave Penrith had a 35-year career at the global company FMCG, where he retired as Global Chief Engineer. Dave oversaw 300 factory units and was involved in building many of them at various levels. He is an expert in end-to-end supply chain digital transformation and is a sought after presenter.
