What do Campbell Soup, Frito-Lay, Kraft Foods, and PepsiCo all have in common?

These companies, in addition to a handful of other big-name CPG's that we can't quite mention yet, are working directly with course instructor Paul Zepf, M. Eng. P.Eng., CPP, to shape the content for the Packaging Line Performance Workshop. We spoke to Paul to find out more about this new development.

Packaging World: How does the Workshop Advisory Board affect prospective attendees?

Zepf: We wanted to make sure this workshop is not taught in a theoretical vacuum. Even though I have 30 years' experience in packaging line performance improvement, this course must meet real-life needs of packagers. The only way to do that is to have key influencers from industry advising on content.

PW: What has been their reaction so far to the content planned for the workshop? What changes have they asked for?

Zepf: It's interesting, the message from everyone I've spoken to is keep it focused and simple. They want two things--how to measure OEE, and how to make changes that can boost OEE. They want to make sure the people they send can carry the knowledge back to their plants and work with it right away.

PW: Those are very large companies. Is this course just for Fortune 500 companies?

Zepf: Absolutely not. In fact, one of the advisory board members told me that who should really attend is small to medium-sized companies who may not even be aware they have a problem.

PW: What do you mean, problem?

Zepf: Smaller companies are much less likely to know how to measure OEE, which is a measure of packaging line performance. As a result, they may not even be aware that they are leaking profit. THEY are the ones who most need to learn how to pinpoint and fix problems that could be affecting financial performance of their operations.