PMMI, the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, recently placed even greater emphasis on the importance of innovation with a series of conference agendas, including one specifically called “The Innovation Imperative.”

As a trade organization, PMMI provides support services and forums that help its members constantly increase their competitiveness. This directly benefits packaging machine specifiers as their OEMs learn such disparate skills as lean manufacturing mechatronic design.

Most recently, the 500+ member group embraced key automation technology providers because world class machinery has come to depend more and more on electrical and software content rather than traditional mechanical engineering alone -- also known as mechatronics.

It is likely then not a coincidence that packagers, machine builders, educators, reporters and industry analysts quoted in this issue of his issue of Packaging Automation are all emphasizing the need for innovation. The globalization, fast pace and competition for consumers’ purchases in today’s marketplace simply demands innovation. The same holds true for automation suppliers as well as machine builders and consumer goods manufacturers.

Quality, price, delivery – all the other attributes need to be there as well. But without innovation it’s no longer possible to build or hold onto market share.

That’s a scary thought, unless you are an innovator working with innovation partners, just like the companies in so many of this issue’s stories.

What are your thoughts on innovation? Packaging Automation magazine would like to hear from you. Write us at editor@packagingautomation.net.