Packaging engineers and designers play a key role in successful supply chains, whether they realize it or not.

In an upcoming workshop, supply chain expert Dan Balan tackles “Mastering the Food & Beverage Supply Chain: How to Drive End-to-End Performance.”

In this high-energy, four-hour immersion into how you impact on your products’ supply chain—and, ultimately, your company’s bottom line—you will learn:

• The objectives, constraints and dynamic conflicts in the ecosystem

• The 10 big pitfalls in any supply chain

• How packaging can improve efficiencies and reduce costs

• How to transform your supply chain from end-to-end—and why

The workshop is scheduled for July 15, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago. It is part of Packaging Digest’s 2014 Global Food & Beverage Packaging Summit, the leading conference on packaging engineering and innovation for the food and beverage markets. A leader in enterprise business transformation, Balan will also present another topic at the conference: “Transforming the food and beverage industry: The eight business drivers of excellence.”

Teaching about business transformations is his sweet spot. Balan is president of Fastraqq, a management consultancy that advises companies on supply chains, agile innovations and growth strategies. He created Packaging360 Leadership, a unique online educational program to revolutionize the paradigm of the packaging industry, which is available through the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP).

During the workshop, Balan will share case studies—one from a snack-food leader and another from a liquor manufacturer—giving real-world examples of successful execution of these ideas.

Packaging Digest gives you a taste of what you’ll learn by attending the workshop. Register today to be fully satiated—and stay a step ahead of your competition!

What is one of the top 10 pitfalls in any supply chain and what can packaging professionals do to avoid it?

Balan: One of the ways packaging folks can improve the supply chain is by securing the supply chain. That means to design against theft, pilferage, brand authentication and preservation, and then detect any miscreant activity. This process involves a full understanding of the end-to-end supply chain.

What is one of the ways packaging can improve supply chain efficiencies and reduce costs?

Balan: Supply chain costs involve the cost of transportation. By learning how to efficiently use space and understand the transporter's concerns, you help minimize total landed costs.

In this workshop, attendees will learn how to transform their supply chain from end-to-end. Isn't that too much work? Why is it their job to do this? What's the payoff for them?

Balan: Packaging folks need to fully understand the whole supply chain as there are several areas where they can assist other departments. They need to work in concert with suppliers, manufacturing, transporters and senior management. The workshop will give them a clear roadmap to improve the overall supply chain—and, therefore, their very business.

As a bonus for reading to the bottom of the article (thank you!), Balan shares the top reasons for supply chain failure:

1. Lack of supply chain consciousness.

2. Lack of executive leadership that values supply chain.

3. Supply disruption and lack of supplier compliance.

4. Risks in the extended SC are not isolated and mitigated.

5. No common ground for performance. No clear, aligned metrics.

6. Supply chain security is at stake—theft, brand tampering, piracy and shortchanging of goods.

7. Transportation costs are not controlled.

8. Lack of timely, coordinated information flow between stakeholders.

9. Too many tight couplings in the supply chain, leaving no room for recovery in case of rupture.

10. Constraints throughout the extended chain are not visible in a timely manner.

11. No clear costs and times—leading to ballooned total landed cost.