BLIZZARD WARNINGS, COYOTES BUILDING FIRES, AND NAVIGATING THE PHILADELPHIA 2015 PACK EXPO..

BLIZZARD WARNINGS, COYOTES BUILDING FIRES, AND NAVIGATING THE PHILADELPHIA 2015 PACK EXPO..

6am Sunday morning, there is not a single car or headlight to be seen, the same can be said for the roads, they aren’t visible.

This perhaps explains why no vehicles other than mine are out and about, and I swear I just saw 4 deer, 3 raccoon and some coyote trying to start a fire to get warm. This then begs the question that’s running through my mind...."what are you doing??" Oh that’s right, I’m headed to Philly for the first trade show we have done in a couple years. Once I cleared the tunnels in Pa. the roads cleared and the weather improved. I was looking forward to arriving and quickly checking in. The hotel was attached to the convention center, so I wouldn’t have to go out in the weather, and with numerous boxes and items needed in our show booth, I was glad we booked this hotel. Once I checked in, I quickly realized that the saying the hotel was attached to the convention center, was like saying California is attached to Ohio. It is, but just with a dozen states between us.....

On my third trip between the booth and the hotel, I was asked by a Sherpa guide if I needed help...maybe not, I was a little light headed by that point. Well four hours later, the booth was good to go, and I had covered enough ground to qualify for the 2018 Olympics.

The show was the first in Philly for Pack Expo, and the 5000 registered attendees was a record number. We were not disappointed; Dave Frass and I worked the show all three days, and returned with numerous leads and contacts to follow up with. Some are even local to Ohio, which was a pleasant surprise.

With another show in June, I am very pleased with what we learned in Philly, and am I looking forward to our next. Hopefully minus the snowstorms and Sherpa guides!!

-Michael Treb

What is A Packaging Specialist?

Edmund Leonard said...a spec is not an epitaph written at the end of development, but a working communication for the use of the thing developed.. This is good food for thought for those of us in the packaging business and a good step in demonstrating the clear communication required between the packaging specialist and the manufacturer.


What is a packaging specialist? A technologist. Since nearly everything grown or made must be packaged for identity, product protection, distribution and marketing, there is a need for good people who use a common language.


From the process of idea generation to designs, models, samples and functional testing to a tentative spec, this working communication allows manufacturing and quality control people to do their jobs, by including quality criteria and levels required in the delivered materials.


This is simple sounding but difficult to communicate true understanding among dozens of people involved at the decision-making level in purchasing, selling, manufacturing, delivering, examining, and using a specified packaging material.


Call us today and we will help make your design into a spec!

Interview with Jan Bauman

Management 101: An Interview with Emerald Valley Parkway site manager, Jan Bauman

Ever wondered what it was really like to work in management? Do you ever wish someone would sit you down and tell you the truth – the whole truth and nothing but the truth – about a profession you may one day want to enter? Today we sit down with one of our site managers, Jan Bauman, and do exactly that. She’s a wealth of knowledge on the topic, talking about everything from overcoming challenges to how to get what you want out of your career. The idea to work in contract packaging came to Jan 19 years ago. Living in Ohio and working for a small distributor, she was profiling different companies from northeast Ohio when she found Custom Products. She was drawn to the job because she is a good fit for detail work and likes having control of her own success, saying “At Custom Products, we listen to the customer needs, find solutions and implement them.” Her motivation, she says is, “I like to work. I know that is weird. I enjoy coming to work every day and the challenge of meeting the customer’s requests.” Work ethic is key, she says, and empathy and attention to detail in solving customer needs will bring success. Her daily activities involve taking responsibility for the actions of all her team members, discussing any challenges and resolving them, managing the reporting activities and annual budget and customer relations. Jan believes in leading by example and her top priority in management and customer service is to evolve and change as the customer’s needs change, to be productive and work smart. So far, she has been with the company for 19 years and has helped grow the contract packaging department to what it is today – an outstanding source for customers packaging almost anything. Custom Products is not the only thing that occupies Jan’s time. In her downtime, she enjoys cheering on Cleveland baseball, reading on her kindle, and spending time with her family. To maintain some semblance of work-life balance she also takes yoga to help manage stress. On pursuing her dreams, Jan says, “I was brought up on thinking I could do anything I wanted to do, as long as I wanted to work for it.” Her favorite part of the job is the people, “I have great customers, fellow associates and management.” When asked what the best advice she ever received was, she answered: “Listen to your gut. If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t.”

'I'd like to speak with a manager' – with Michael Treb 

Usually ‘I’d like to speak with a manager’ indicates extreme displeasure – the food was cold, the wait was long, what do you mean I need a new battery! – but in this case the something was stuffed with interesting facts, and the mood was pleasant indeed. You’ll see what I mean if you keep reading!

Custom Products' Director of New Business Development, Michael Treb, coaching football.

CPCPM: Favorite movie?

MT: Lord of the Rings

CPCPM: Worst job you ever had?

MT: Landscaper

CPCPM: University or life experience, which do you think prepares you better? 

MT: Life

CPCPM: What drew you to the company?

MT: I was coaching youth football in Hudson when I met John again (we crossed paths as kids). We were both assistant coaches on the same team.

He told me to come apply...I said no. He kept bugging me, and I finally did. After doing all the testing and app they said ok we will hire you in six months for sales. I thought they wouldn't call...but six months later they did.

CPCPM: Which celebrity do you get mistaken for? 

MT: Stone Cold Steve Austin

CPCPM: What is one of your favorite quotes?

MT: "Be bold and the gods will send great forces to aid you"

CPCPM: If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be?

MT: Getting a back patio put in.

CPCPM: What is the best part of working in contract packaging? The worst?

MT: The best part is it's always different and new. You meet the weirdest, funniest people with the coolest projects. The bad part....the sales cycle can be really long. I have chased prospects for two years before finally getting an order. 

CPCPM: Who is your favorite person to hang out with?

MT: My boys

CPCPM: If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

MT: Head Coach Cleveland Browns.

CPCPM: Would you rather hike or bike?

MT: Hike

CPCPM: Any final words?

MT: I walked many paths before working here, and I think this position was my niche. I was a tow truck driver, real estate agent, director of security, jailer, debt collector, plumbing company owner...so been there done that.

Reasons to choose Custom Products for your next project

 

The Top 10 Tips to Help You Choose a Contract Packager

• ·      In-house equipment or expertise is not available for a particular project
• ·      Higher priority use of in-house equipment suggests a need for outside help
• ·      Strategically located facilities would better serve national distribution needs
• ·      Unfamiliar forms of packaging are required for a given product
• ·      Projected or actual volumes under or over-employ your manufacturing lines
• ·      New business creates short term work for experienced supplemental help
• ·      Economically, a product may be internationally bulk-shipped, then unit packed locally
• ·      Operations problems, such as a closing due to maintenance, leave the business faced with a labor availability problem
• ·      Excess product in need of reworking takes up valuable space in the warehouse
• ·      Regulatory and environmental requirements force a huge price tag to stay in compliance. 

WHY CHOOSE CUSTOM PRODUCTS?

When choosing a contract packager you are developing a partnership. That partner is who will get your product to market, and has to have the same respect for your product that you do. They must complete the project on time, with absolute quality, and at a reasonable cost.

Custom Products looks at your project as their project. We can solve problems in start-up businesses, limited production facilities, concerns about equipment investments, physical facilities, personnel training and more.

Learn more at www.customproducts.net!

Paying it Forward

I just read an article on the internet about a couple who left a $100 tip on a $66 bill at a restaurant.  These articles are written time to time outlining someone who is “paying it forward” to someone who may be in a tough spot in their life.  The part of the article that really stuck out was that this tip was for very poor service.

Why would anyone leave that kind of tip for poor service?  The answer was that the couple who happen to own a restaurant themselves (not the one they were in), have been in that same situation before and had to deal with unhappy customers.  They said that they realized that the restaurant was short-staffed and the poor service wasn’t the fault of their waitress.

All too often in today’s world, where business is 24/7, people treat others with little or no respect.  You can still be demanding and respectful.  Admitting that you made a mistake and that you may need someone to help you out will go a lot further than trying to make it their fault.  People know how they feel when they are treated this way and maybe should remind themselves of this when treating others in the same way.

Granted, you probably won’t receive a $100 tip, but you just may receive help that is worth a lot more.

A sharp tongue sometimes cuts its own throat. – Jim Scancarelli

Todd Trefz – Director of Operations

Gratitude at Work

Social media today is all the rage with the ALS ice bucket challenge (been there, done that) and various “Gratitude” Challenges.  As I considered what I would blog about this month, it occurred to me that we rarely see anyone say what they are grateful for at their job.  So: 

1) I’m grateful to have a sales staff that truly does mirror the Company’s and my concern and interest in our customers. Never do they just go through the motions, and they always make their customers’ priorities theirs.

2) I’m grateful for the support staff we have in customer service, production and other departments throughout the organization. Without them, we could sell all day, and still nothing would ever get done. We truly do work as a team, and despite bumps in the road, we have each others’ backs.

3) I’m grateful for ownership that tolerates each and every one of our quirks and nuances, and views them as strengths rather than weaknesses. We are encouraged to bring our unique insights to the table every time, because different perspectives sometimes uncover the best avenue to take in a given situation. Most importantly, family always comes first here.  We do what we do for them, and its encouraged not discouraged.

These are the things I’m grateful for, and these are the very reasons we are a thriving company that always tries to make our customers feel as if they are our ONLY customer.

 

Michael Treb – Sales Manager

If you don’t have a Destination, You will never get there.

Setting goals is simply the long-term version of keeping track of your time.  I have learned it is a three-step process.

·         Setting goals
·         Develop a plan to achieve those goals
·         Track your time to make sure your plan gets executed

Everybody and every business need a set of basic goals and beliefs.  Most of us are seat-of-the-pants, one day at a time operators.  Our goals get clouded and our plans to achieve them fall by the wayside.  I worked for a large corporation in a previous life and was taught that achieving the company’s goals consisted of three simple parts:  respect for the individual, whether it is a customer, employee, or supplier; pursuit of excellence, and outstanding customer service.

Goals don’t have to be elaborate, but just realistic.  Your personal plans and goals don’t even have to be that complicated.  Goals in the case of sales could be adding X accounts, Y more profit or income, or Z total sales.  I was told many years ago that a goal is a dream with a deadline.  If you don’t have a destination, you will never get there.

 

David Frass, Sales Representative 

Customers First

It seems like every company says that its customers are the most important aspect of their business. Maybe it’s the truth, or maybe it’s just PR.  But Custom Products truly is a business focused on its customers.  We not only meet current needs, but anticipate future needs and move to meet those.  Our goal is to assist our customers in their efforts toward lean manufacturing, quality, continuous improvement and cost reductions.

By understanding our customers’ corporate goals and targets, we are able to align our products/services with their overall values and focus.  Helping our customers win in the marketplace is what we are good at.  We focus on the measurable in which our customers have the most value. We take on our customers’ cost centers of packaging materials and packaging of the products, while continuously improving  the cost, speed, and quality necessary to meet these needs. 

We really enjoy assisting our customers and partnering in their success.  This is why we are continually educating ourselves on packaging technology and best practices. Keeping up with not only the speed of the market place, but also technology, is a must for us so we can bring best in class ideas and performance to our customers.

To Blog or Not to Blog

There are many reasons to start a blog.  Some people just have opinions that want (i.e. NEED) to share.  Others may be promoting or marketing themselves or a business.  Ultimately, I guess that’s why the CPC blog was started.  But it’s more than that.  Our blog shows a different side to our organization.  Our sales and management team don’t want to make stuffy corporate presentations to you via blogspot.  Instead, we just want to share what’s on our minds and how it relates to you and our business relationship with you.

In Human Resources, we see blogs, and all social media for that matter, as a relatively new challenge that we must face.  It’s a minefield of potential problems forcing us to design Social Media policies that balance current labor laws with our organization’s best interests.  On the other hand, blogs can be a valuable resource to help us navigate through the ever-changing world of employment law.  My favorite blog is written by an attorney/employment law trainer.  She posts concise articles about current events and case law that provide quick reminders of best practices or new practices we should incorporate into our daily operations. 

When done right, blogs are a positive and effective tool for sharing thoughts and information.  We like the more casual nature of a blog.  That’s why we post videos too!  We figure everyone can use a chuckle now and then, so we share a couple This Day Today videos each month...they are short, informative and silly.  Just the way we think a blog should be J

So, as we continue to develop the CPC blog, we hope you will come back and check it out each month.  We promise no heavy sales pitches, just light introductions to the people and processes that make Custom Products a great Company and a great place to work.

Kristine Wincki – HR Manager

Time to Reshore?

If you have not heard, there is a positive economic wave running across the United States. It is called Reshoring. American companies are bringing manufacturing, assembly and other processes back home! The wage gap between US and foreign countries has shrunk in recent years. Long lead times in getting delivery on merchandise cause challenges managing inventory. Companies are finding benefits in keeping the supply chain closer to their customers. These companies are able to react more quickly to changes in demand. High fuel costs are increasing the cost of shipping. When these and other dynamics are combined, the incentives to export work are not as convincing as they once were.

At Custom Products, our strengths in Inventory Management, Packaging Supplies and Contract Packaging make us a unique resource for companies looking to package a product. We have seen an increase in activity as materials that were packaged overseas are being shipped to us to be transformed into finished goods on a large scale. We excel at blister packaging, kit assembly, shrink-wrapping, poly bag and skin-board packaging, and we take pride in the quality of our work. Our goal is always to work with our customers to find the lowest cost solutions that will complete their projects. Give us a call to see if we can help.

Catch the wave! Come back on shore!

Keith Shepard – Sales Representative

Doing what you love is rewarding! 

If anyone knows me at all, they will know that I LOVE shopping. One of the reasons I enjoy it is because I refuse to pay full price for almost anything and love looking for the best deal. I feel better about my purchase knowing what a great deal I got.  Who doesn’t? I almost find this to be like a competitive sport in some ways.  In finding the best price by comparing stores, quality of products and deals offered, I feel like I have won a prize.
This plays into other areas of my life as well. Knowing that I have this love for “retail therapy,” I know that I must work hard to support it.  This pushes me for success in my career and provides me with motivation to provide savings for others. 

I use this same competitive attitude in finding the best deal possible for my customers.  Bringing this aspect of what I love into my business life has helped me to also love what I do in my career.  Not only did I win the satisfaction of finding the great deal, but I have passed on the winnings to a customer. A customer who may have just been able to cut some costs not previously available to them. This is a very rewarding feeling to have helped and it also fuels more motivation.

Where can I help you save?

Shelly David

Sales Representative