In conversation with AWT
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We caught up with Bruce Hanson, CEO of Minneapolis-based label converter AWT, who is taking part as panelist at the Labelexpo Americas converter leadership lunch. Ahead of his session, he gives us a sneak preview of what it will be covering….
Hi Bruce, great to catch up, how’s it going at AWT? What’s new since the last Labelexpo Americas, which you also spoke at (on flexible packaging), back in 2022?
Great to catch up with you as well and appreciate you inviting me to participate in Labelexpo America 2024. We at AWT have continued our journey of building an industry leading organization that is focused on our employees and a world-class customer experience. We have continued to add capacity to growing areas of our business for additional production in Labels, Flexibles and Shrink applications and most recently brought RFID into our portfolio of products to further add value to what our clients are asking us for most. Additionally, sustainability efforts are continuing to advance in working to bring solutions to market that are helping our customers achieve their objectives. It’s been a lot of fun to work alongside a great team of committed individuals and we are excited about our path forward.
It’s great to have you join us on the converter leadership power panel at the networking lunch event! Tell us a bit about what you expect the discussion to cover….
You have brought together some great panelist for the converter leadership lunch, and I suspect we will be hitting a number of topics including, but not limited to: Sustainability; RFID; Continuous Improvement; AI; building great cultures and further industry consolidation. It’s a dynamic industry to be a part of with a solid group of companies and people to learn from and partner with.
One of the talking points is set to cover the ways in which leading converter companies are addressing key trends. Can you briefly outline what you believe those to be and the opportunities they have presented for AWT?
This is a broad question to answer in a concise statement, so I’ll try and to be brief. We cover a wide range of end markets in the Healthcare, Food & Beverage, Wine & Spirits, Personal & Household Care, and the Industrial, Mobility and Highly Engineered converted components markets. Each bring their own unique opportunities, but all have a growing need for continuous improvement in their businesses. The need to constantly be reinventing our products and adding value through ideas to help drive costs out of the process is important. This focus is a daily effort for AWT today, through new material option, sustainability enhancements, and technology improvements to name a few.
Furthermore, we have seen an increased demand for RFID with changes that are continuing materialize. While it has been in the conversation for many years, I feel we are moving into the adoption phase with RFID and this will further drive solutions for many end markets that for years had a hard time justifying the ROI. The advancements that have continued to take shape have brought us to a time and place where costs have come in line to help businesses make the leap. This is exciting and disruptive at the same time and will be fun to be a part of this transition.
While I mentioned sustainability along with Continuous improvement, it is much bigger than just that alone. Companies have really started to move initiatives forward and we all need to be a part of that journey towards better industry solutions to support the environment.
Lastly, the suppliers in the Labels and Packaging space continue to bring new technology tools forward for production, and you will see many of them on the Labelexpo Americas show floor. Great to have strong partners that are helping us advance in putting a high-quality product in our customers hands consistently.
What do you see are the biggest challenges facing the label industry right now?
Understanding buying behavior’s in the marketplace and anticipating demand in the various end markets. The pandemic is past us, but in many ways, the impact it continues to have on how consumers are making choices and living continues to change. That coupled with the economic uncertainty we have lived through in the past 12-24 months has forced companies to think and act differently. Our ability to be nimble and agile for customers remains a high priority in making good decisions.
What single piece of advice would you give to other converters when formulating a long-term strategy?
Take the time to make a strategic plan and continue to review and refine as you grow your business. We are often faced with opportunities that are not in our sweet spot, and it’s easy to fool ourselves in to being something we are not. A solid strategy allows for you to be great in delivering a consistent experience in meeting the customer expectations. As your business grows, add to your capabilities by thoughtfully building repeatable and redundant processes and manufacturing to support and service sustained growth. This allows you to focus on the things you can control, and not get caught up in all the other noise that is happening outside of your business.
What are you most looking forward to seeing at Labelexpo Americas 2024?
The industry panels are great, the show floor undoubtedly will offer a lot of learn from new technologies, and the ability to network and meet people will be
That said, I’m also looking forward to seeing Industry Friends! This industry is chalked full of GREAT PEOPLE. People you can learn from if you invest in the relationships. This includes the many great suppliers that are showcasing existing and new products, converters you can learn from and collaborate with, and many experts that have years of blood, sweat and tears poured into making this a great industry to be a part of.
Hear from Bruce and his fellow panelists at “Converter leadership panel discussion and Q&A” from 12.45-1.30pm on Tuesday 10 September 2024. For the full speaker program, visit https://www.labelexpo-americas.com/networking-events-schedule
