Seminar on Social Media

I had the privilege last evening to attend the American Marketers Association meeting in Tampa, FL with the topic of Creating Business Value in an Open & Connected World. The seminar featured Mike Haines, Facebook’s Central Region VP; Sam Feldman, Account Manager for Google’s National Agency Team; Kevin Hourigan, CEO Bayshore Solutions; Tom Hoof, Dir. of Tampa Bay Ray’s marketing team; Peter Taylor, Dir. of Mktg. for Sarasota Memorial Hospital; and Douglas Sparks, VP of Operations for Offshore Sailing Schools.

The speakers discussed the latest social media topics such as Facebook, You Tube, Google, Blogs, Mobile Media, Twitter and more. The local marketing executives described their initial forays into the various social media mediums. The topics were timely, informative, and well presented. Coming from the ‘Baby Boomer’ generation, all the new technologies and media sources are intimidating and somewhat foreign to me. But, I’m determined to at least try to keep up and not become a dinosaur. Our company needs to grow for the sake of all our employees (and their families) and we can’t do that if we don’t stay on top of the latest technology and resources. If we don’t do it, our competitors certainly will.

If I learned nothing else last evening, the statistics are staggering. There are over 400 million Facebook users. Some of these have to be your customers, no matter what you sell. You Tube has over 448 million new visitors per month and over 1 billion visitors per day. If you don’t have video on it, your company is missing out. You could not afford to buy this much media exposure, but the real beauty is that both of these media venues are absolutely free.

I encourage readers to assist in my education. Tell me about your experiences with the different social media forms and how they can and do help your companies. What did you try that worked really well? What pitfalls can you offer the rest of us to beware of? I worry that ‘I don’t know, what I don’t know.’ I feel like I’ve just touched the tip of an iceberg and I want to see and learn more about it. Help teach me about the unknown.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

The Latest In Healthcare Packaging

On May 27, 2010, pharmaceutical and medical device packaging professionals will be descending upon the Hyatt Regency in Princeton, NJ to attend the Healthcare Packaging Conference and Workshops. The conference is a unique opportunity for healthcare packaging professionals to keep up with the latest trends in the industry and network with their peers.

The one-day program is packed with workshops ranging in topics from Moldable Desiccants to Rigid Container Options That Can Reduce Lost Product Expense, with a plethora of topics in between. The participants can pick and choose the workshops they want to attend.

New England Machinery is pleased to be one of the sponsors of the event. We will be highlighting our servo capper capabilities at our tabletop display. Servo Capper technology was designed with the pharmaceutical and healthcare fields in mind. The servo cappers are a tremendous assistance in validation. NEM’s servo cappers range in size from single head to multiple head rotary models. The servo technology allows for the ability to set applied torque, offers precision torque, has the flexibility of recipe-driven format changes, allows the documentation of applied torque values, gently handles caps and containers, has built-in diagnostics for validation purposes and much more.

If you plan on attending the conference, please stop by our tabletop display to say hello. If you are not yet signed up to attend, call 800-355-5595 or go online at healthcare-packaging.com/conference to sign up before it is too late.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

Do You Say Thank You Enough?

Today is officially Professional Administrative Assistant’s Day. It is a great reminder to simply say ‘thank you’ to the individuals in your company who help make it all happen. Face it, the executives can make all the tough decisions, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty every day tasks that must be done in order for the company to function properly, it is the administrative assistants who get it done. They are the individuals who catch the balls that might fall when everyone else is looking the other way.

They may have different titles in various companies. They come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and genders. Their tasks vary from typing and data entry, to making travel arrangements, filing, answering the telephones, setting up meetings, transmitting messages, keeping track of where everyone is at, delivering and opening mail, and much more. Some are asked to handle personal matters such as picking up dry cleaning and shopping for their boss. Whatever their tasks entail, they are the ‘glue’ that holds it all together. I’m glad there is a day dedicated to thanking them. However, we should all remember to thank them even when it isn’t their special day.

Here are some great ‘thank you’ ideas to use throughout the year. On a hot summer day, pick up a box of frozen ice cream cones and bring it in after lunch to share with all the assistants. Pick up Starbucks gift cards to give them. Buy them a small potted plant (Home Depot and Lowes always carry some). If they listen to an iPod, give them an iTunes gift card. Purchase some fancy pens in the office supply store and let them pick the one they want. Bring in a box of donuts some morning. Remember to include a hand written card that says that you really appreciate all they do, even if you often forget to say thank you. Also, it’s not how much you spend that matters, it’s the fact that you took a few minutes out of your day to recognize all they do for you and the company so that you can all be successful.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

What Do Marketer’s Do?

I was recently asked by a member of my family, what I do all day. The individual asked how I could possibly keep busy if all I did was marketing. I explained that if a marketer was not busy, they were not doing their job. Our ‘job’ is to promote the company’s name, reputation, products, logo, employee’s, projects, events, and everything else in any way shape or form connected to the company. We always have a list of projects we are working to complete. The list is always longer than time permits and as an item is completed and comes off the list, usually two more take its place. For me, it’s the perfect job. It allows me to use both sides of my brain, so I’m never bored. I use the analytical side of my brain in determining what projects/ideas are the most cost effective. I research market trends, do cost analysis, prepare budgets, plan events, and make lists. I also, though, get to use the creative side of my brain. I help conceptualize advertising campaigns, trade show event designs, plan videos, write press releases, create newsletters, and generally try to come up with something new that will catch our customers’ attention in everything we do.

The family member persisted with, “Well isn’t it boring trying to market packaging machinery?” My answer is a definitive “No.” It really isn’t a matter of what you’re marketing. The challenges are what make the job enjoyable. Whether you are marketing bottle unscramblers, or cosmetics, you will always have to contend with besting your competitors, catching the attention of your customers, increasing your market share, and ultimately growing the company’s sales.

I often think about the saying ‘find what you love doing and make a career of doing it.’ I guess I’m one of the lucky people who have accomplished that task. I can’t imagine having as much fun doing anything else.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

National Association of Manufacturers Efforts to Save US Jobs

I received an e-mail from the National Association of Manufacturers today. They need all manufacturers to support their efforts to enact legislation that will save US businesses and job. I sent the following letter to my local legislators. Please consider sending one yourself to help us save US jobs.

Dear Legislator:

On April 14-15, 2010, manufacturers from across the nation will be in Washington to participate in the National Association of Manufacturers' (NAM) Manufacturing Summit. All of the events during the Summit share one common goal: to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill and leave a durable impression of who we are, what we stand for and why manufacturing matters.

Although I'm unable to visit you in person, I fully support the message you will hear from your manufacturing constituents during the Summit.

Our nation's unemployment continues to hover at 10 percent, and many industrial sectors of the economy are still struggling to recover. Other nations are investing in technology, adjusting their tax codes and building their infrastructure to accommodate and attract manufacturing. The rules for success in the global economy are constantly changing, and manufacturers in America are all too often victimized by outdated policies that harm their ability to compete and provide high-paying jobs to American workers. The NAM is concerned about jobs and how quickly we can get America back to work. At the same time, we want to make sure we are spending, investing and improving America's ability to compete.

I urge you to address the following issues during the remainder of the 111th Congress:

A Growth Agenda for Creating Jobs: Our nation's unemployment continues to hover at 10 percent, and many industrial sectors of the economy are still struggling to recover. A new analysis, Jobs for America by the NAM and the non-partisan Milken Institute, examines ways in which we can create jobs. More than 11 million jobs can be created in the United States in this decade alone by changing key policies and making investments in energy, broadband and transportation infrastructure. As a manufacturer, I am concerned about jobs and how quickly we can get America back to work. At the same time, we want to make sure we are spending, investing and improving America's ability to compete. If Congress follows this roadmap, we will get America working again and we will make our nation a stronger competitor in the global marketplace.

R & D: Congress should act as soon as possible to restore and extend the R&D tax credit. More than 70 percent of credit dollars are used for salaries of R&D workers who are highly skilled. The lack of certainty with an on-again, off-again credit influences companies' future R&D budgets, particularly as many manufacturers are courted by other countries offering more generous and permanent R&D tax incentives. According to the Milken Report, making the R&D tax credit permanent and strengthening it would generate 316,000 manufacturing jobs and increase GDP by $206 billion (1.2 percent).

International Tax Policy: U.S. manufacturers currently face higher taxes than most of their competitors in other countries. Our statutory corporate tax rate is the second highest among developed nations, and the impact of our worldwide tax system increases the cost of doing business for U.S. corporations and costs American jobs. When our economy is struggling and thousands of jobs are lost every month, the Administration's proposed $122-billion tax increase on worldwide American companies would put them at a massive disadvantage and cost American jobs.

Tax Increases for Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturers: Unless Congress acts before the end of the year, small business owners will be facing billions of dollars in new taxes. The individual tax rate cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003, which dramatically lowered the tax rates on small business owners, are set to expire at the end of the year. The impact will be felt by a large number of job creators and the tax increases will stifle economic growth.

Labor Policy: Manufacturers oppose all votes on the jobs-killing Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), including alternatives that limit the amount of time employees have to decide whether or not to form a union and limit employers' ability to communicate with employees. Congress should also oppose the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would add costs to employers through increased litigation and the Protecting America's Workers Act, which seeks to overhaul a bipartisan approach to promoting safer workplaces through cooperation between employers and OSHA.

The Sarasota-Bradenton area alone has seen the closing of almost all of our major manufacturing plants, these include Hi-Stat, Wellcraft, Parker-Hannifin, Cheetah Technologies, and more. Small to medium manufacturing plants are continuing to close on a daily basis and are too numerous to mention. Our company is competing for sales with global competitors. We have implemented lean manufacturing and are all working harder with less, so that we can keep our prices competitive. But we are not competing on an equal playing field. Our competitors are receiving government subsidies and these countries are adding duties to importing our products. The legislation you enact could be the catalyst that will save US manufacturing. A healthy US economy needs a balance of industries that include agriculture, finance, service and manufacturing.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Margaret Bonura
Director of Sales & Marketing
New England Machinery, Inc.
Email: mbonura@neminc.com

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

Is Sales Training Helpful?

It’s very hard for most of us to admit that we may be ‘lacking’ in the area of our chosen profession. In reality, however, unless we receive continuing education in our respective field, we are lacking. I can’t think of a single career field or profession that has not and will not continue to change in some way shape or form as time goes by. The medical and educational fields are most aware of this continuing need and require certain positions to acquire and maintain certifications that necessitate annual completion of educational courses.

But most careers do not require continuing education. So, unless the individual is personally motivated to ‘stay on top of their game’, they are most likely, not keeping up with their profession and chosen career. I find this especially true in speaking with members of my generation – the baby boomers. They feel that they have been in their field and doing the job for so many years that they, consequently have seen, heard, and/or tried ‘it all’. They believe that there is no one out there who could teach them more than they already know about what they do all day. Salespersons are no exception to this mindset. Salespersons who have been in the business for over 15 years believe that they have learned all the approaches and techniques to selling. By now they have mastered the new technologies including the internet and e-mail. What more could they possibly learn by attending sales training?

Unfortunately, for those who don’t try it, they’ll never know what they could have learned. I’ve heard the retrospective saying – “If I only knew what I didn’t know.” Life needs to be a continual learning experience. What price can you put on learning? Even if you only learn one new small technique to try out, it could be the key to opening more doors and closing more sales. I’ve attended countless seminars over my years in business on numerous topics. A few of the seminars had very little to do with my work or job, yet I still have to say that I learned at the very least, one new thing at every seminar I attended. So make that investment in yourself and your future earnings. You are never too old to learn something new. No matter how old you are, or how much experience you have had, there are still ideas, thoughts, and techniques out there that you don’t even know about. Find a seminar or training class and expand your horizons.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

Should Manufacturer’s Design for ‘Planned Obsolescence’?

When I was a young child, my parents purchased new wall-to-wall carpeting for our living room and dining room. The carpet was a new fabric made by Dupont that was ‘guaranteed’ to last a lifetime and never stain. There were four children growing up in that house. Our parents often entertained and that carpet withstood countless birthday parties, holidays, summer sun, harsh northern winters and numerous dogs. My parents cut and bound the edges of the carpet and moved it to two houses. By the time I was married my parents had finally tired of the carpet that still looked brand new and chose not move it to their retirement home. I think they sold it at a garage sale.

In the meantime, however, within two years of bringing it to market, Dupont realized that selling a ‘lifetime’ no stain carpet was not good business for them. The only reason people would replace it was if they tired of the color. So they stopped selling it – planned obsolescence. Only manufacture consumer goods that can be used up, worn out, or break down, so that the customer must come back after a period of time to replace the product.

We know of some packaging machinery manufacturer’s whose products do not stand the test of time. We have heard the sad stories of new machines that lasted only a few years in actual production before they needed replacement. Fortunately for me, I don’t work for one of them. As a marketing director, I would have a hard time promoting a product that I knew was of an inferior quality. I was very impressed when I first started working at New England Machinery (NEM) to learn how long our machines stayed in production. A few years ago we heard that Schering Plough was finally closing down the line and de-commissioning the first machine NEM ever built and sold. We purchased that machine back from them and proudly show it off. It still runs flawlessly after over 36 years.

In our current tight global economy, production facilities cannot afford to purchase machinery that will not last. They need machines that can withstand 24/7 production runs, offers quick changeovers, can handle a large range of container shapes and sizes, can be run by inexperienced operators, and have the availability of purchasing changeparts to add new products to the line. NEM unscramblers can fill those needs. For more information, call (941) 755-5550.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

The NEM Difference

In 1974 the founders of NEM were packaging engineers working for a Fortune 500 company in their packaging machinery division. They were not happy with the design of the bottle unscramblers that were available for purchase on the market. So they put their heads together and designed ‘a better mousetrap’. Their concept was, and for the most part, still is, unique to the industry. A few competitors have since tried to copy their concept, but no one is as successful at bottle unscrambling as NEM.

Over the years, the original design has been improved upon and now includes all the latest technologies. The company’s engineers have also taken the original concept and designed subtle variations that resolve their customers’ challenges such as limited floor space. So what are the advantages of the NEM bottle unscrambler design over the competitors designs? They include:

- A much smaller footprint
- Gentle container handling
-Optional integrated ionized air rinser with no increase in machine length
- A longer, more effective ionized air rinser
- Easily accommodates tapered containers
- Multiple hook positions allow greater adjustability for a wider range of containers
- Non-painted surfaces
- AC motors and drives is standard
- Vertical faceplate for easy access to all components

NEM’s customers ‘fall in love’ with their bottle unscramblers. Once they have one, they never buy another brand. They like the easy adjustability, quick changeover, smooth operation, quality, durability (many of them are still in production after over 20 years), and high performance. For more information on an NEM bottle unscrambler, call (941) 755-5550.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.

The Latest Trends in the Packaging Machinery Industry

What new trends are making inroads into the packaging machinery industry? I recently spent several days researching just what is new and upcoming and/or what outside factors might affect the industry. I was surprised by some of the new trends I uncovered. Some of them may turn out to be nothing more than ‘fads’ that come and go quickly. But, I’m sure a number of them are here to stay and will evolve over time. So here goes with my list of new trends in packaging machinery:

Bioplastics: Plastics that are partly or fully derived from renewable resources and are convertible as well as biodegradable.

Edible Films: Protein-based films that are capable of serving as a carrier for organic acids capable of inhibiting the growth of food borne bacteria.

Co-branding & Cross Promotion: Combining two brands in one product and packaging one brand to promote another brand.

Outsourcing Secondary Packaging: Nearly half of the 500 manufacturers surveyed oursource some or all of their secondary packaging services.

Sustainability Practices That Save Money: Re-designing packaging to reduce space, cut costs of materials, etc.

Automate Plants: Reduce labor costs, increase flexibility, and boost efficiency.

Phood: Food that has been pharmaceutically enhanced for health benefits.

Shelf-Ready vs. Shelf Stable: Secondary packaging that allows the retail outlet to place the product on the shelf without removing each piece from the box, tray or crate.

Increase in Contract Packaging: As the economy tightened, contract packaging started booming.

Pouches are now incorporating spouts: Beverage producers are now adding spouts to pouches. Pouches take up less space and are lighter weight for shipping.

Hispanics Account for 50.5% of US Population Growth: Since 2000 the Latino population in the US is the fastest growing segment. This trend is predicted to continue.

Mobile Messaging will increase marketing opportunities: There are 195 million active Short Message Service users in the U.S. and 3.3 billion mobile screens worldwide.

Let us know what new trends you see in the packaging industry.


The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.