For the past sixteen years I have spent at least two weeks of my life every fall traveling to, setting up, working, and then packing away trade show exhibits. It never ceases to amaze me how it all comes together. Looking around the hall today, you would never believe that in three short days this place will be transformed into a ‘wonderland’ of packaging machinery.
At this point, there are forklifts, golf carts, and tow motors running round the hall. Crates lay half-open spewing their contents and packing. Empty and half-full pallets are scattered throughout the aisles. Most aisles are undefined and un-maneuverable. Skeletal displays appear as if picked over by grave robbers. Machines sit unmoving with a battery of technicians crawling around them like surgeons orchestrating a multi-organ transplant. Everywhere you look there are people. Some are diligently unpacking and setting up furniture and display items. Some are putting machines together. Others are running wires and cables or laying carpet. There are a few who seem to just be watching others work, but they are the rare exception. To the uninitiated eye it is complete chaos.
Surprisingly, this chaos all comes together by opening morning. When visitors walk through the halls they will have no idea of the complete transformation that has transpired. They will gawk at the displays, machinery and booth staffers and take for granted that it is all there, set up beautifully, for their perusal. That is the magic of the Trade Show.
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.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Will Beverages Go Smaller?
The latest trend to smaller sized beverage packaging seems to have caught on. The industry calls it ‘Grab and Go’ size. I tend to believe there’s more to the popularity of the size than its convenience. I think it might have something to do with an aging baby boomer generation not wanting to drink 12 ounces of soft drinks at one sitting. They are trying to cut back on the calories, while still being able to enjoy their favorite beverage.
I’m a good example. I’m trying to consume less calories as I don’t burn them as fast as I used to and don’t want to put on a lot of weight. However, I still want to be able to enjoy a Coke (my favorite) every now and then. The twelve ounce cans are just too much for me to finish. The new smaller cans are perfect. I can finish the whole can and not feel guilty for over-indulging (by finishing a whole 12 oz. can) or leaving waste (by not finishing the 12 oz. can).
What will be the next smaller packing trend? I believe as my generation grows older, we will continue to change the world of business to suit our needs. There are just too many of us to ignore. We might be the generation who invented the ‘super-size’, but as we age, we’re going to need to down-size those portions as well.
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.
I’m a good example. I’m trying to consume less calories as I don’t burn them as fast as I used to and don’t want to put on a lot of weight. However, I still want to be able to enjoy a Coke (my favorite) every now and then. The twelve ounce cans are just too much for me to finish. The new smaller cans are perfect. I can finish the whole can and not feel guilty for over-indulging (by finishing a whole 12 oz. can) or leaving waste (by not finishing the 12 oz. can).
What will be the next smaller packing trend? I believe as my generation grows older, we will continue to change the world of business to suit our needs. There are just too many of us to ignore. We might be the generation who invented the ‘super-size’, but as we age, we’re going to need to down-size those portions as well.
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.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
How Safe Are Energy Drinks?
Growing up as a teenager in the late 60’s was an interesting time. Up to that point, no one seemed to consider the possibly that what we were consuming might not be healthy for us. Cigarette ads were everywhere- magazines, television, billboards. Smoking was a growing habit among all Americans. Then, suddenly, someone decided to take a good look at some of our ‘unhealthy’ habits and let us know about them. I will never forget the day it was announced that the artificial sweetener in ‘Tab’ soda could cause cancer. I was a student at an all-girls high school, and teenage girls (being the drama queens that they were), spent the day in tears because they had been drinking Tab for years and were sure they were going to die. Next the Surgeon General told us that cigarettes caused cancer. After that there has been an endless succession of warnings about the products we use and consume.
I agree that many of them are not safe. I’ve sipped bottled water that tasted like chemicals and threw it away. An article I read stated that the chemicals making up the plastic bottle holding the water will break down when stored in high temperatures (like in a warehouse in summer). Lately I’ve been wondering about these ‘energy’ drinks that are being sold everywhere. They claim to be safe for consumption, but so was Tab when it first came out. I wonder if we will see some adverse health effects a few years from now in individuals who drink them too often. And maybe that’s the key to all the ‘unhealthy’ habits – a lack of moderation. If used in moderation, when it is truly needed, there probably is no risk in consuming energy drinks. But beware of a high volume of consumption on anything. Remember the saying – ‘too much of a good thing’.
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.
I agree that many of them are not safe. I’ve sipped bottled water that tasted like chemicals and threw it away. An article I read stated that the chemicals making up the plastic bottle holding the water will break down when stored in high temperatures (like in a warehouse in summer). Lately I’ve been wondering about these ‘energy’ drinks that are being sold everywhere. They claim to be safe for consumption, but so was Tab when it first came out. I wonder if we will see some adverse health effects a few years from now in individuals who drink them too often. And maybe that’s the key to all the ‘unhealthy’ habits – a lack of moderation. If used in moderation, when it is truly needed, there probably is no risk in consuming energy drinks. But beware of a high volume of consumption on anything. Remember the saying – ‘too much of a good thing’.
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.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Does Your Company Offer Merit Increases?
PMMI recently released the results of a survey they conducted on Merit Increases. Out of the 490 companies they sent the survey to, only 86 responded. The overall results of the survey were that the majority of companies were planning a 2-3% merit increase for 2011. What I found most interesting about the survey, though, were the comments made by some of the respondents listed at the end.
A number of companies noted that they had not implemented any pay increases in the past few years due to the economy. Some companies stated that as a result of a decrease in sales and profitability, they put a freeze on all wages. I remember a time when annual wage increases were expected by employees as part of ‘keeping up with the cost of living.’ That time has past. Our businesses are now competing with the miniscule wages and lack of benefits in countries like China. How can a US manufacturer offer $10 per hour (or much better) plus health insurance, paid sick days, paid holidays, and paid vacations, when the Chinese manufacturers are simply paying $2 per hour (if that) and no benefits? Currently, we are able to do it because our workers are highly skilled and we implement lean manufacturing techniques. But time will change that too. The Chinese workers will fight to keep their jobs by improving their skills and putting out a better quality product. So US workers had better prepare themselves to no longer ‘expect’ a wage increase just because another year has gone by. There was one comment on the survey that made the most sense. It was: “We do not give annual merit increases. As individuals take on more responsibilities and ‘add value’ to their position, or are promoted to a more demanding position, they are compensated accordingly.” That may be the wave of the future for workers worldwide.
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.
A number of companies noted that they had not implemented any pay increases in the past few years due to the economy. Some companies stated that as a result of a decrease in sales and profitability, they put a freeze on all wages. I remember a time when annual wage increases were expected by employees as part of ‘keeping up with the cost of living.’ That time has past. Our businesses are now competing with the miniscule wages and lack of benefits in countries like China. How can a US manufacturer offer $10 per hour (or much better) plus health insurance, paid sick days, paid holidays, and paid vacations, when the Chinese manufacturers are simply paying $2 per hour (if that) and no benefits? Currently, we are able to do it because our workers are highly skilled and we implement lean manufacturing techniques. But time will change that too. The Chinese workers will fight to keep their jobs by improving their skills and putting out a better quality product. So US workers had better prepare themselves to no longer ‘expect’ a wage increase just because another year has gone by. There was one comment on the survey that made the most sense. It was: “We do not give annual merit increases. As individuals take on more responsibilities and ‘add value’ to their position, or are promoted to a more demanding position, they are compensated accordingly.” That may be the wave of the future for workers worldwide.
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.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Do You Have A Trade Show Strategy?
Preparing for a trade show requires a lot of time, money and attention to detail. There are order deadlines that can’t be missed - booth design decisions, marketing initiatives, setting up for the show, reservations to make and a long laundry list of things to do. But aside from the actual planning of exhibiting at the trade show, has your company created a strategy for the show? Does everyone involved know why your company is going? What are the ultimate specific goals and does the entire team know them? Have you sat down and had strategy meetings?
It’s important to set specific strategic goals for every trade show and track your success at reaching them. For example, how many leads do you expect to receive? How many sales? What is the dollar amount of all sales you need to justify the cost of the show? How do you track the leads after the show is over? Who does the follow up? How is the follow up tracked? Who/how are the sales tracked and for how long? In the packaging industry we often find that it may take months or even years for a sale to close that was a direct result of someone seeing our machines at a trade show. If we don’t continue to track that information, we won’t know how truly successful the show was for our company.
If you don’t know what you expect to get out of the show, why would you spend all the money in going to it? Take the time to strategize with your sales staff prior to the show. Set goals. Make plans on what it will take to reach those goals. The better prepared you are in advance, the better the outcome will be for your company.
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.
It’s important to set specific strategic goals for every trade show and track your success at reaching them. For example, how many leads do you expect to receive? How many sales? What is the dollar amount of all sales you need to justify the cost of the show? How do you track the leads after the show is over? Who does the follow up? How is the follow up tracked? Who/how are the sales tracked and for how long? In the packaging industry we often find that it may take months or even years for a sale to close that was a direct result of someone seeing our machines at a trade show. If we don’t continue to track that information, we won’t know how truly successful the show was for our company.
If you don’t know what you expect to get out of the show, why would you spend all the money in going to it? Take the time to strategize with your sales staff prior to the show. Set goals. Make plans on what it will take to reach those goals. The better prepared you are in advance, the better the outcome will be for your company.
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.
Monday, October 11, 2010
ThomasNet Offers Industry Market Barometer
ThomasNet recently completed a survey of U.S.manufacturers, distributors and service companies. The Industry Market Barometer, as they call it, measures companies’ performance, uncover strategies for growth and depict the overall segment outlook. The majority of respondents were small and mid-sized companies (80% of the respondents employed less than 500 employees.
The overall findings were very encouraging. They state “Several key indicators all demonstrate a sector that’s “caught on fire” – taking into account more company growth, fewer business declines, a resumption of hiring, a winding down of layoffs, and new investments. Moreover, the kinds of jobs that companies are adding indicate further growth to come.” Some of the interesting findings include: 45% of the respondents claim their company has gown in the period between January to June 2010. 60% of the respondents expect their company to grow through the end of December 2010. 34% plan to hire new employees. Of that 34%, one quarter of them plan to hire line workers indicating increased production demand.
Forty percent of the responding companies plan to invest in new technology, 37% in facilities/renovations, and 36% in capital equipment. Finally, the methodologies to be employed to create the growth include an increase in online marketing, pursuit of business in new industries, develop new innovative products or services, and pursue business in new US geographic areas.
For more information visit www.thomasnet.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.
The overall findings were very encouraging. They state “Several key indicators all demonstrate a sector that’s “caught on fire” – taking into account more company growth, fewer business declines, a resumption of hiring, a winding down of layoffs, and new investments. Moreover, the kinds of jobs that companies are adding indicate further growth to come.” Some of the interesting findings include: 45% of the respondents claim their company has gown in the period between January to June 2010. 60% of the respondents expect their company to grow through the end of December 2010. 34% plan to hire new employees. Of that 34%, one quarter of them plan to hire line workers indicating increased production demand.
Forty percent of the responding companies plan to invest in new technology, 37% in facilities/renovations, and 36% in capital equipment. Finally, the methodologies to be employed to create the growth include an increase in online marketing, pursuit of business in new industries, develop new innovative products or services, and pursue business in new US geographic areas.
For more information visit www.thomasnet.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.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Export Financial Assistance
Many small companies are not aware of the financing programs available to assist them in selling their goods to international markets. For example, the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) working capital program guarantees a line of credit provided by a local US bank to support domestic borrowers to finance their company’s related inventory with an advance rate of up to 75% (including WIP) and export related accounts receivables with an advance rate of up to 90%. The line is generally extended for 1 year but on a case-by-case basis may be extended up to 3 years. The product must be exported from the U.S. and have a minimum of 51% U.S. content or added-value. The program also supports the financing of services including labor and overhead to produce goods and/or to provide services for export. The working capital guarantee has an annual facility fee of 1.5% however, the borrower may be eligible for a reduced facility fee of 1% if certain criteria are met.
This can also be combined with an export credit insurance policy proved by the Ex-Im Bank of the U.S. or a private sector insurance carrier. While insurance is not required, it is highly recommended since the working capital guarantee protects the lender, it does not protect the borrower in the event of non-payment from a foreign buyer.
There are also buyer financing programs available. The Ex-Im Bank medium term guarantee is a term loan provided by a local US bank to support an overseas buyer importing eligible capital goods and services from US exporters. The loan is up to 5 years on a case-by-case up to 7 years. The amount financed would be the lesser of 85% of the value of all eligible goods and services in the U.S. supply contract or 100% of the U.S. content in all eligible goods and services in the U.S. supply contract. The buyer is required to make a 15% down payment to the exporter which can either be borrowed from a lender or the exporter at market terms, or is from the buyer’s own funds.
One of the key ingredients to New England Machinery's growth through this down economy has been our international sales. If your company is not currently selling internationally, you may want to look into it. For more information on the availability of financial assistance in selling to international markets, contact a local bank or the Ex-Im Bank U.S. at www.exim.gov.
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 http://www.neminc.com/.
This can also be combined with an export credit insurance policy proved by the Ex-Im Bank of the U.S. or a private sector insurance carrier. While insurance is not required, it is highly recommended since the working capital guarantee protects the lender, it does not protect the borrower in the event of non-payment from a foreign buyer.
There are also buyer financing programs available. The Ex-Im Bank medium term guarantee is a term loan provided by a local US bank to support an overseas buyer importing eligible capital goods and services from US exporters. The loan is up to 5 years on a case-by-case up to 7 years. The amount financed would be the lesser of 85% of the value of all eligible goods and services in the U.S. supply contract or 100% of the U.S. content in all eligible goods and services in the U.S. supply contract. The buyer is required to make a 15% down payment to the exporter which can either be borrowed from a lender or the exporter at market terms, or is from the buyer’s own funds.
One of the key ingredients to New England Machinery's growth through this down economy has been our international sales. If your company is not currently selling internationally, you may want to look into it. For more information on the availability of financial assistance in selling to international markets, contact a local bank or the Ex-Im Bank U.S. at www.exim.gov.
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 http://www.neminc.com/.
Monday, October 4, 2010
New Marketing Ideas
I’m always trying to come up with something new and innovative to help market our company and products. As New England Machinery builds bottle cappers, I came up with the idea of putting a message inside a clear plastic bottle, capping it, and sending it to our customers. The message invited them to our booth at the upcoming trade show and offered a free gift if they appeared with the invitation. For the customer, the uniqueness of receiving a message in a bottle via U.S. mail was enough to prompt them to open and read the message. Our response rate in the booth was four times the standard response rate for unsolicited mail/reward-type mailings.
Our machines are built to last for generations, so for our company’s 30th anniversary in business, we held a contest to uncover the oldest NEM machine still in production. (We actually own the first machine NEM ever built after having bought it back from Schering Plough when they finally retired the machine in 2000. It still runs beautifully and occasionally we take it to an exhibition to show the quality and longevity of our machines.) The contest’s winning machine was still in production over 28 years from when it was originally built and sold. The winner received a digital camera for their personal use and a second digital camera was given to the company. The contest was another successful campaign that put us in touch with companies that had purchased our machine on the used market.
We will be unveiling a new marketing initiative in a month or so, but want to keep it ‘under wraps’ until it’s time. In the meantime, feel free to share your successful marketing ideas with us here.
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 http://www.neminc.com/.
Our machines are built to last for generations, so for our company’s 30th anniversary in business, we held a contest to uncover the oldest NEM machine still in production. (We actually own the first machine NEM ever built after having bought it back from Schering Plough when they finally retired the machine in 2000. It still runs beautifully and occasionally we take it to an exhibition to show the quality and longevity of our machines.) The contest’s winning machine was still in production over 28 years from when it was originally built and sold. The winner received a digital camera for their personal use and a second digital camera was given to the company. The contest was another successful campaign that put us in touch with companies that had purchased our machine on the used market.
We will be unveiling a new marketing initiative in a month or so, but want to keep it ‘under wraps’ until it’s time. In the meantime, feel free to share your successful marketing ideas with us here.
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 http://www.neminc.com/.
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