Page 54 - Food & Drink Magazine April 2021

MACHINERY MATTERS
Lessons in driving change towards greater systemisation
“Any disruption is an opportunity to continue to drive change to become more systemised, more automated and more digitally connected with suppliers and customers.”
Welcome to our second edition of Machinery Matters for 2021, brought to you by the APPMA in an exclusive partnership with PKN Packaging News and Food & Drink Business.
Just as things were going relatively smoothly for a while, the picture has changed very quickly. Differences between the states do not help the confusion: for instance in mid-February, the day that face masks were declared no longer compulsory in Western Australia, Victoria was put into a state-wide emergency lockdown.
LESSONS AND OPPORTUNITIES
COVID has taught us that things can indeed alter rapidly, and as businesses and an industry, we have learnt to be more flexible and to find a way to keep moving forward. Think back just 18 months ago and compare how we run our businesses today. Compare the way we work, and what we accept as normal. What would we say to our 18-month younger selves today? How would we convince that self to implement changes so we didn’t just survive, but thrived?
Of course, back then we didn’t know we’d still be facing such disruptions in 2021, and we will, in all likelihood, continue to experience disruptions with COVID. But... we have found a way and “we know the drill” now. Any restrictions placed upon us as an industry will not stop our momentum. Any disruption is an opportunity to continue to drive change to become more systemised, more automated and more digitally connected with suppliers and customers.
The Australian experience and opportunity remains so different to the rest of the world in regards to controlling the spread of COVID-19, and therefore the nation’s ability to deal with the safety and security of our families, communities and industries. On a positive note, this also provides the Australian packaging and processing industry with an opportunity to continue investing in development and expansion.
So, while I certainly welcome the benefits that the potentially imminent COVID-19 vaccine will offer every Australian across the nation, in no way should this scientific achievement dampen our efforts to continue striving for business improvements in the manufacturing industry, such as have been necessitated due to the pandemic of 2020.
LOOKING AHEAD
The APPMA, like other associations and businesses, is progressively re-introducing our networking and educational events in a safe and responsible manner. The first of these is to announce the APPMA Industry and Business Conference, which will be run in Sydney on 16 September. This will be a fully inclusive, hybrid event, giving visitors the opportunity to attend in person, or virtually if more appropriate for them.
In the meantime, stay safe, and let’s look to the positive opportunities and lessons from the global COVID-19 pandemic.
MARK DINGLEY, CHAIRMAN
CONNECT WITH APPMA
There are various ways to stay in touch with APPMA, including our website appma.com.au and social media.
2 MARCH-APRIL 2021 MACHINERY MATTERS
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