Retail Ready Magazine #4, by Somic Packaging USA

SOMIC Issue 4, 2022

People, Pride and Packaging New Name, Staff Experts and Approach to Service

Kroger Foods finds success. pg. 6

Noodle Manufacturer bridges tradition and innovation. pg. 9

Lenz and Williams lead Service Department. pg. 12

See how many roles ReadyPack can fill on your team.

Labor shortages and rising demand for Retail-Ready Packaging are prompting companies in a wide variety of industries to purchase more automated equipment. The SOMIC ReadyPack stands out with its simple design and maximum flexibility. It can be preconfigured as both a tray packer and a wraparound packer and upgraded as needed over time. Experienced SOMIC technicians will help with installation, training, and ongoing technical support. The fast availability, ease of use, and adaptability of the SOMIC ReadyPack make it a smart choice for meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow.

See SOMIC in action at PACK EXPO Chicago, booth 8135 at McCormick Place.

Learn more about SOMIC by calling 1.847.915.9872 or visit somic-packaging.com.

LETTER FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

It’s a new age and change is Good

“Having a case that can be opened and placed on shelves in seconds instead of minutes is simply good business these days.”

To say there have been many new developments since our last issue of Retail Ready Magazine is a bit of an understatement. But it is true. We ended 2021 on a high note, and we’ve continued trending upwards during what’s been a very active first three months to start 2022.

The momentum we built at PACK Expo Las Vegas six months ago has carried over into our business.

Market conditions and having dynamic, custom-built automated machinery to offer are feeding a groundswell of opportunities.

Accordingly, we’ve made adjustments to our business plan to better serve current and future customers.

We know that brand owners understand the marketing value to promote their shelf ready packaged products to consumers when making a purchasing decision is significant. To retailers, shelf ready is a significant benefit as they continue to address the on-going struggle with shortages in the labor market. Having a case that can be

opened and placed on shelves in seconds instead of minutes is simply good business these days.

with our team. The goal to some day build machines in the U.S. is now in motion and a step closer to reality.

For many years, there was a perception here in the U.S. about how shelf ready products may be susceptible to damage. That is no longer true. We have seen a shift and an acceptance of quality, shelf ready packaging with reduced packaging content and greater sustainability.

To better accommodate customers, our staff is growing and we’ve made some key hiring decisions that you can read about in this issue.

It’s clear the key to a successful retail ready program involves having package design flexibility that we are able to leverage. This allows us to overcome all shipping concerns, reduce the overall material content, and provide the ultimate speed-to shelf in a premium display. It also reinforces why we always begin with the end in mind; when you focus on the ideal end package to meet multiple challenges, configuring an automated machine to this scope will accomplish the mission.

Change is good, and we are also challenging ourselves at this time.

Not long after PACK Expo ended, we officially changed our name to SOMIC Packaging, Inc. We believe it better portrays who we are in the packaging industry, and where we are heading.

We continue to grow at a rapid rate so we have adopted some new principles and strategies. It was a watershed moment in April when our team began commissioning the first machine ever here in Eagan. We had a few technicians from Germany join us – and more will be arriving this summer – to start the process

Retail-Ready Magazine is published by SOMIC America, focusing on the Retail-Ready industry.

Based in Eagan, MN, SOMIC Packaging manufactures advanced mechatronic case-packing systems that collate, unitize and load

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We introduce Ken Williams, our new Service and After Sales Manager who experienced success in this field with Coca-Cola, Rockwell Collins and others. He’s already added two technicians to our Service team and by the time you read this, he likely will have hired more. Ken talks about his short and long term goals, including an important new program coming later this year.

We also profile Philipp Lenz, who was promoted to Technical Service Coordinator. If he has worked on one of your machines, you know he’s the right person for this job.

The phrase, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” was my first thought when I realized we reached an important milestone with Kroger Foods. Three years ago honestly seems just like yesterday. And even though this year’s PACK Expo in Chicago is six months away, we’ve started planning for the show.

I’ll have more about our plans in the next issue.

Respectfully,

Peter Fox, Chief Executive Officer

500 Lone Oak Road Suite #200 Eagan, MN 55121

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cartons, trays, retail-ready packages, and wraparound cases.

LinkedIN for +1.651.419.6050 somic-packaging.com updated material

See how SOMIC can bring new efficiencies to your packaging line.

p.fox@somic.us

and conversations.

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CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Fox Promoted to CEO Will Pursue Ambitious Growth Strategy in USA

I

n case you missed the news that was made official on December 1, 2021, Peter Fox was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of the company. Involved in the packaging industry for 31 years, he had served as Senior Vice President since 2014.

The move sent a clear signal of how far the company has advanced in such a short time, and how it will be performing on a larger stage in the future.

“Peter will be driving the evolution of our organization to support our long term ambitions for continued growth in the United States,” said Patrick Bonetsmüller, SOMIC’s President who is based in Amerang, Germany.

“His leadership and customer centricity has led him to steadily grow our business. Peter has built a track record of strong relationships by adopting a voice of customer mindset. Combined with his entrepreneurial approach, this has helped our employees to unleash their potential, grow their knowledge and enjoy overcoming challenges together. We wish him great success in his new mission.”

The company has flourished under Peter’s sales and business development guidance, expanding into new markets while designing and developing equipment for a variety of different industries.

One of the most important decisions he made took place in 2018. When he moved the company offices from the Chicago area to Eagan, it was a defining moment and opened the door to new opportunities.

FAT caption

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A small office was replaced in anticipation of future growth. Space tripled with more office room, increased warehouse capabilities, a larger spare parts inventory area

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and room for expansion. A state-ofthe-art production showroom now runs Factory Acceptance Tests on all new machines prior to installation, and the company has hired more employees than ever before.

Peter began his packaging career in research positions at Kraft Foods and The Pillsbury Company. He gravitated to the sales side at Delkor Systems and was the VP of Business Development at food packager Interpress Technologies until he joined the SOMIC team.

“We have become a strong player in the broader U.S. packaged food market,” Peter acknowledged. “Our experience in Europe with retailready tray and hood designs has given us a tremendous advantage over our U.S. competitors. I’m looking forward to reaching the new level.”

New name emphasizes company focus In addition to Peter’s new title, the company officially changed its name to SOMIC Packaging, Inc. “It was a twofold decision and involves only our name. Everything from sales and operations to parts, remains the same,” he explained.

“It was for legal purposes but the bigger reason is it more accurately describes who we are in the packaging world.”

“During my time here,” he continued, “our business has grown dramatically and demand keeps increasing. Our equipment has evolved so it can handle a variety of challenges. Companies today are dealing with the challenge of a shortage of qualified workers. They now have a better understanding of how our solutions can help with their end-of-line packaging needs.”

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Jack Links install on schedule

Celebrating the first FAT to be conducted in the U.S. was, from left to right, Ryan Schumacher, our East Coast sales manager; Jason Unanue and Disney Arrubla of GOYA Foods; Peter Fox; Lukas Ruhland, our Installations manager; and Benedikt Englbrechtinger, our Manufacturing Ramp-Up manager.

Several other key installations are on the schedule for delivery in the coming months. Jack Links, the market-leading meat snack/jerky company, will be installing a 424 Duplex cartoner and a standard 424 W3 case packer at its Minong, Wis. facility.

GOYA Foods to complete install GOYA Foods will complete a twophase project when they receive their 424 T2+ case packing system in June. The machine, which rivals a ReadyPack’s performance but on a slightly larger platform, will handle wraparound case packing of both stand-up pouches and cartons for the nation’s largest Hispanic-owned food company at their Secaucus, N.J. facility.

“I was attracted by the machine’s compact and smart design. I did consider three other vendors, but none could deliver a small footprint machine and meet our specifications,” said Engineering Director Disney Arrubla. “It provides the speed and type of package we need, and offers the flexibility for other packaging design in the future.

It was the last piece of the puzzle to fit into the layout.”

Leading manufacturers stay ahead with SOMIC Out west, a leading nut manufacturer has ordered a case packing system with tray covers and wraparound cases. We will also be providing the sorting system.

In the Midwest, several agribusiness, cheese, confectionery and vegetable manufacturers will be running products after installing a variety of 424 series machines.

In Canada, a major dairy customer just completed the installation of two more machines. The new equipment supports a new brand line at its manufacturing facility in Ontario.

Arrubla said after their old equipment is removed, the new case packer would be installed with a target production date in July.

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SUCCUSS STORY

KROGER FOODS

CELEBRATES 3 YEARS OF SUCCESS WITH SOMIC

“What impressed us most were the rave reviews we got from the operators and maintenance team.”

Steve Tramp, General Manager of Rochester, The Kroger Co.

T

hree years ago, the nation’s largest grocer took a calculated risk with a relatively new case packer company. But officials at The Kroger Co.’s manufacturing facility in Rochester, Minnesota, did their homework and were convinced that SOMIC Packaging’s technology provided them with a better packaging solution.

Today, a variation of SOMIC’s custom 424 W3 wraparound case packer machines has replaced Kroger’s previous equipment line. The retail ready units support the packaging lines for chunk and shredded cheese, running three shifts per day on a seven-day a week schedule.

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The installation and early results of the five machines installed in 2019 were so successful that Kroger has since added a sixth machine in Rochester. Six others were installed and run at Kroger’s sister plant in Crawfordsville, Indiana, an operation that packages chunks, shredded and cheese slice products.

“We were on a short timeline to research, order and install new equipment, and it was clear that our decision to switch to SOMIC had better work. The risk was going with a new case packer company that we had no experience with and no one here had ever heard of them,” recalled Steve Tramp, general manager of the Rochester facility.

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“We love the small footprint, which made all of this possible."

He’s worked at The Kroger Co. since 1996.

“But we did our due diligence, saw the machines running in a production environment, and talked to people who used the equipment before making the decision. Would we do the same if we did it all over again? Absolutely.”

140 Years of providing to communities Founded in 1883, The Kroger Co. is the nation’s largest grocer. It serves more than nine million customers daily with nearly 2,800 retail food stores in 35 states. Supermarkets such as Ralph’s, Dillons, Pick ‘n Save and Mariano’s, the multi-department store Fred Meyer, and price-impact warehouse stores Food 4 Less and Foods Co., are all Kroger brands.

It also ranks as one of the world’s largest retailers with annual sales of $132.5 billion.

Tramp said conversations within the industry started the ball rolling with SOMIC. At that point, Kroger was in need of automated retail ready packaging machinery for their packaged cheese products.

“We had no knowledge of the SOMIC case packers until we contacted Peter Fox and he visited us,” Tramp said. “We toured our packaging operation and he saw the lack of space that we were dealing with.

Peter thought it was a tight space but with some slight adjustments, he said they would be able to fit all of the case packers.”

The next step for Tramp was seeing the machine in production. Fox spoke with some customers to see who would grant access and share knowledge and opinions of their 424 machines. Once Growers Express approved the request to visit their frozen vegetable processing facility in Yuma, Arizona, Tramp assembled a large group. This included engineering teams led by Rick Eppen and Tim Nichols who are based at their Rochester and Crawfordsville operations, in addition to engineers from Kroger’s general office.

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“Up to this point we liked what we heard and saw. But this was such a huge project, we needed to see it running in production,” he said. “The machine in Yuma ran frozen vegetables in a stand-up pouch and it was impressive. The machine motion was incredibly smooth and effortless, and it had a small footprint. The case packer conditioned the pouches, stood them upright and packed 30 cases per minute.

“What impressed us most,” continued Tramp, “were the rave reviews we got from the operators and maintenance team. They told us how the machine was installed in about two days and how they were running at speed by the end of the week. That was the final thing that sold us on the machine.”

When the machines arrived, Tramp’s team and SOMIC technicians were ready to tackle the installation phase.

“What was most challenging about this process is that we had to pull out the old machines and install the SOMIC units, and have them up and running in one week,” Tramp recalled. “Peter promised they could meet this timeline and they did. It was a remarkable effort that was very well executed.”

Tramp said the SOMIC 424 W3 machines in Rochester and Crawfordsville have delivered the speed and efficiency he expected and more.

“We love the small footprint, which made all of this possible.

Maintenance is very minimal and simple. You have to lubricate a few things and clear corrugated dust from the vacuum filter canisters.

But overall, the machines are easy to navigate on the HMI and we can adjust the parameters in 1mm increments. The program set up is unique but once you understand it, it is very simple to run.”

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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

USING THEIR NOODLE TO UPGRADE CASE PACKING “Not only are we benefiting from the new 424 DT machine, our customers benefit as well.”

I

ncreasing production volumes prompted Innviertler Teigwaren, a family-operated traditional specialty pasta maker, to invest in precision wraparound casepacking equipment from SOMIC. A progressive company keen on innovation since opening its doors for business over 60 years ago, the decision to install a new SOMIC 424 automatic wraparound case/lid tray packer in 2021 is proving to be a wise one.

Operating since 1938, they are not your typical pasta manufacturer.

Located near the German-Austrian border, Innviertler Teigwaren had its beginnings as a bakery. Founder and master baker Alois Aigner and his wife, Katharina, started the bakery in the basement of their home,

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making delicious pasta by hand and drying it using the residual heat of their oven. The pasta is always cooked to perfection, ready for a robust ragu, a tangy marinara sauce, or tossed with fruity olive oil and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Soon, the couple developed all sorts of specialty pasta varieties in appetizing shapes using oldworld recipes, artisanal European preparation techniques and the freshest, top-quality ingredients.

In no time, the products caught on. So popular a few years later, they outsourced production by using an adjacent building to automate and expand product volumes.

Continue on page 10 9

The installation of a pasta press helped. The addition of a fleet of sales trucks, grain silos and a drying plant followed, and a series of additional expansions and innovations gradually proved Innviertler Teigwaren was well on its way to success in pasta perfection.

After decades of experience, their name has become synonymous with specialty pasta, such as farfalle, corkscrews, tagliatelle, macaroni, shells, tortellini, orecchiette, tortelloni, spirals, linguini and much more. Today, the contract packaging facility aims for higher performance, bridging the gap for consumers who don't have time to prepare delicious and varied pasta products from scratch. It generates roughly 8,000 tons of various organic pasta products each year, packaging a whopping 400 different varieties in 80 package formats that range in size from 300 to 1,000 grams.

“We are constantly innovating, having automated various production processes along the way,” explains current owner Hans-Peter Aigner, who with his wife, Romana Kerber, is the fourth generation to manage the company. “We try to stay nimble, and are always finding new ways to keep our customers happy.

By automating our downstream production with help from SOMIC, we’re better prepared for 21stcentury challenges.”

Quality over quantity The company’s mindful selection of ingredients and tight monitoring of raw materials in its in-house laboratory ensure product consistency for the numerous organic pasta varieties.

“We consider pasta an essential food,” Aigner adds. “Everyone likes it, it can be used in myriad dishes, made at home quickly, for one or for a crowd, and it takes just minutes. Our pasta tastes like it was made from scratch, it’s so fresh. It’s a real treat.”

For years, rather than massproducing the products, Innviertler Teigwaren preferred its small-batch artisanal ways to generate a smooth, even texture, using clean Austrian raw materials and egg protein enrichment for nutrition.

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“We are dedicated to maintaining the highest quality in all aspects of production,” Aigner explains.

“It’s also necessary to protect the environment, so we learn as much as possible from nature to produce the best organic pasta possible.”

Placing strict controls on the residue-free pasta formulations, specially trained employees ensure the freshest possible organic semolina and organic egg pasta that truly stand out from conventional, often tasteless products. These are some of the reasons why they are a market leader in the region.

Aigner says the company has amassed a large base of manufacturer customers.

“We supply products for large companies and see ourselves as their partner. The relationships we have established with several research institutes enable us to develop even more specialty products when our customers need them.”

But he points out that retail food customers are becoming increasingly important.

“In the early days of the pandemic, there were so-called ‘hoarding purchases,’ where shoppers were buying up huge quantities of pasta at a time. It proved we have to be just as accommodating to the retail sector. That was the ultimate factor in our decision to automate our downstream packaging processes."

Faster, easier process needed For years, the company typically processed, bagged and case packed a few tons of pasta at a time. Three or four employees performed case packing manually, but the recent increase in volume for retail could no longer warrant manual case packing.

“Finding more employees to manually case pack the bags of pasta was almost impossible,” he says.

“We had to automate the end-ofline packaging step and are pleased we selected the SOMIC 424 DT wraparound tray-packing/lidding system, which effectively freed us of a labor-intensive process. It was a great change and a huge relief.”

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During his apprenticeship, Aigner was exposed to different types of packaging machines, including SOMIC’s, before taking over the family business.

lid is neatly placed over them before the cases are neatly glued and shaped around the bags. This works flawlessly with all of our case configurations."

"I remember learning about their machines and enjoyed working with them. I got to know the advantages of their case-packing equipment. Not only was it compact, it was precise yet gentle.”

Innviertler Teigwaren needed a system that could handle the company’s multiple secondary case options. A customer in the U.K. specified a three-bag case, for example, which differs from the usual secondary cases holding 10 or 12 bags of pasta. After the SOMIC machine went onstream, Aigner was quite pleased with SOMIC’s assistance with the U.K. application.

Developed for a wide range of products and secondary packages, the SOMIC 424 DT wraparound case packer reaches an output of up to 150 packs per minute. Equipped with customer-specific format tools providing nearly unlimited flexibility, their 424 DT is preconfigured to handle as many as 15 different formats. The system groups single-variety products in 1 x 6 to 2 x 6 configurations, and mixed groups in 300 to 1,000-gram pouches and in a wide variety of carton sizes.

Customized according to Innviertler Teigwaren’s needs, their 424 DT system accommodates the pasta maker’s specific bag handling, grouping, case-loading and sealing requirements. Aigner was impressed with its commissioning phase in early February 2021.

“The machine was delivered on time, and went onstream so quickly we were able to start production almost immediately. We can always ask SOMIC’s technicians for help and use remote maintenance assistance if needed. Their technicians are very professional."

Packing the noodles In production, SOMIC technology demonstrates its versatility and smooth handling. After bags of the pasta are formed, filled and sealed, they emerge from two buffer conveyor belts feeding into their 424 DT tray-packing system.

Passing through a stabilizing roller, the uniformly shaped bags are then automatically collated and transferred onto secondary paperboard wraparound trays.

"I like this transfer section very much,” indicates Aigner. “The bags of noodles are pushed onto the wraparound tray and a paperboard

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"SOMIC’s case-packing experts helped design a suitable shipping case for the project. They are always available to help us, which is a great advantage because we expect more demand for this type of secondary packaging going forward.”

This is yet another example of our progressive approach to pasta production.”

Innviertler Teigwaren has come a long way from its humble bakery beginnings and is prepared to face future packaging challenges.

“The SOMIC system also saves on packaging materials through the optimized use of paperboard, on energy and on compressed air,” Aigner said. “Not only are we benefiting from our new 424 DT machine, our customers also benefit.

The wraparound case packer was a great solution, providing us with an attractive package. We can continue to say only top-quality pasta products leave our house. We’re ready to satisfy more pasta customers.”

Simple changeovers Touchpanel operation is easy with their 424 DT, explained Aigner.

“It offers simple inputs and easyto-understand menu selection and prompts. We received superior training from the SOMIC technician, who explained all of machine functions and changeover formats in detail. That’s important because we can change package formats three times a day.”

His packaging team quickly learned the 424 DT’s technology. Thanks to the simple SOMIC QuickChange system, comprehensive operating instructions and clearly-numbered changeparts, the team finds changeovers quick and easy. Parts are stored in a convenient carrier that makes them clearly identifiable and easily removable.

"These are valuable and important tools,” Aigner emphasizes. “It is imperative they be stored properly."

Ready for pasta’s future Aigner and the packaging team are more than pleased with their automatic case-packing station.

“We

received very good training from the SOMIC technician, who explained all of the steps, machine functions and changeover formats in detail.”

Hans-Peter Aigner, Owner, Innviertler Teigwaren

“It has been a great win to have our bags of pasta automatically enter the machine and quickly exit in neat, finished wraparound cases.

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EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

From Planes to Packaging, Ken Williams is reaching new heights in Minnesota

L SKY'S

THE THE LIMIT Ken Williams, Service and After Sales Manager

ong before Ken Williams signed on as SOMIC Packaging’s new Service and After Sales Manager, the native Minnesotan dreamed of soaring through the sky and becoming a pilot. It is good that fate intervened because of all the things he has accomplished in his 29-year career. It has also prepared him well for what he intends to do while revamping the Service department.

“When I was a junior in high school I knew I wanted to work in a technology-related industry. I always had an interest in aircraft and I wanted to be a pilot, so I met with a recruiter from the U.S. Navy,” he recalled.

“He told me the movie, Top Gun, had served as a huge recruiting tool.

They already had enough pilots.”

Undaunted at first, he pursued a different route as a pilot via the educational system. Prior to meeting with officials at universities and flight schools, he decided to interview two of his friends’ fathers who were pilots.

“I had several friends whose fathers worked in flight and maintenance operations for Northwest Airlines out of Minneapolis. After speaking with them about their careers, I was convinced I did not want to be a pilot.

They explained all of the drawbacks of a pilot’s life. That changed my mind.”

So off to college he went, still interested in aviation but focused on maintenance. Ken, who has degrees from Minnesota State Technical College SE and Dunwoody College of Technology (where he studied avionics), landed his first job as a Field Service Engineer/QA with Hughes Avicom in 1993.

The company had pioneered a system where passengers could watch movies, play Nintendo video games, look at in-air flight route maps or enjoy duty-free shopping.

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Retail-Ready Magazine

Ken was involved in the handson installation of the in-flight entertainment systems. In 1997, Hughes Avicom was acquired by Rockwell International and renamed Rockwell Collins.

In 1998, Ken joined Northwest Airlines as an aircraft maintenance technician before returning to Rockwell Collins a year later, this time as a Regional Operations Supervisor/QA Manager. Then the terrorist attacks on 9/11 occurred, and changes to the aviation industry eventually led him to leave the industry in 2006.

“When 9/11 happened,” he said, “I was working with several branch locations at service centers in Detroit, Minneapolis, New York and Seattle. I had ten QA inspectors and approximately 100 service technicians, and we were responsible for service, distribution, warehousing, inventory control, FAA audits and Lean Manufacturing at each facility.

“After 9/11 Rockwell Collins wanted to control their future. They started consolidating their assets and we closed the Detroit, Minneapolis and Seattle operations. After Northwest and Delta filed bankruptcy the same day in 2006, I decided to make a significant career change.”

Following his 13 years in the aviation industry, Ken became the Operations & Sales Manager at Ceres Environmental Services in the Minneapolis area. His time with the environmental consulting company sharpened his business operations skill set and prepared him for his next job as the Maintenance & Production Supervisor at Great Lakes Coca-Cola in Eagan, a few minutes across town from SOMIC Packaging’s offices.

“I had been working in sales for almost nine years and I wasn’t enjoying my career like I had during my technical focused days,” he remarked.

“I recalled my first five years in aviation and looked for technical opportunities with growth potential.

I thought that existed at Coca-Cola; they were well-established and in a location that was about to grow.

Shortly after joining them, CocaCola sold the infrastructure and somic-packaging.com

changed their business emphasis from global to regional.”

Before he left Coca-Cola after five years, Ken gained invaluable experience that he is applying today. He supervised a team of 15 maintenance technicians, in addition to overseeing Production and Quality Control personnel.

The maintenance group worked 24/7, divided across four shifts, and he trained new members in Systems Applications and Products, Forklift and Scissor Lift Certification, and Good Manufacturing Practices. He also conducted LEAN Manufacturing events, setting the company standard by which all other LEAN events are measured.

Ken joined SOMIC Packaging after a short stint as the Packaging Service Manager at Engage Technologies Corporation. The packaging and industrial equipment supplier is the parent company of several businesses including Eastey, a case sealing and shrink-packaging equipment manufacturer. He managed all service installations and the service parts department, and provided technical training and support to distributors and end-users.

“I liked what I was doing, but then realized Engage was doing the same thing they did 30 years earlier.”

“When I met with Peter Fox and talked to him about this opportunity, I got the same feeling I had when I was at Rockwell. I saw the growth SOMIC Packaging experienced in a relatively short period of time, and the potential opportunities that are down the road.

"It’s a great work environment here, and we are focused on providing excellent packaging equipment using today’s best technology and actively planning for the future.

There are a lot of challenges ahead and work to do, and to me, it is both fun and exciting.”

Ken dove right in when he started at SOMIC, assembling an agenda that addresses both immediate needs and future projects. One of his first priorities is to revamp the department by expanding the number of service technicians.

what it takes to build a department.

Since coming on board, we are in the process of bringing our Service team together under one roof here in Eagan.

“I’ve also heard from more of our end-users who said they want us to do the maintenance on their SOMIC machines,” added Ken. “With the labor shortage impacting many companies, they simply do not have people with the expertise and want OEMs to supplement their maintenance teams. I see an increased need for this in the future."

“We had three service technicians on staff when I started. I have since hired two additional service technicians and am looking to add three more. They must have a thorough understanding of mechatronics, as well as an ambitious spirit because every week we are learning and doing something new and being challenged. Finding the right qualified people is also a challenge because the workforce landscape has changed in the last few years.”

“People realize our machines are a superior product.

Our goal now is to

Ken’s agenda includes a future apprenticeship program he will begin work on later this year. He has already reached out to his alma mater Dunwoody and a local technical school about a three-year apprentice commitment. Selected candidates would have a composite week of days in the classroom school and on-the-job training at Contact Ken and the the SOMIC Packaging office.

Service Department will be glad to help.

“We are very excited to start k.williams@somic.us our apprenticeship program,” exclaimed Ken.

provide

superior

service."

Considering his previous QA experience and success, the company is in a good place.

“I’ve learned about repeatability and what it takes to produce a steady, high-quality product, time after time,” he said. “People realize our machines are a superior product. Our goal now is to provide superior service. I have read some comments from a report Peter had prepared. We have some work to do, but I like challenges and we are going in the right direction.”

“When I was at Coca-Cola, we had an in-house technical service so I know 13

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

R

ecently SOMIC Packaging achieved another significant company milestone. For the very first time, commissioning of all new machines began in the showroom in Eagan with the case packaging unit that will soon be delivered to the GOYA Foods manufacturing facility in New Jersey.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TEAM Philipp Lenz, Technical Service Coordinator

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Responsibility for overseeing the commissioning process and all technical services related topics belongs to Philipp Lenz, a 15-year industry veteran who joined the company as a Senior Service Engineer in 2019. In February 2022, he was promoted to the position of Technical Service Coordinator. With his background and experience, it’s clear that he’s the right person for the job.

A native of Germany, Philipp arrived in the United States in 2015 after serving in several capacities and gaining an impressive amount of across-the-board technical experience. He earned an Engineering degree in ElectroMechanics with a specialization in Automation, then completed a 3-1/2 year apprenticeship as an Assembly Specialist and Service Engineer at teamtechnik Production Technology in Freiberg Neckar, Germany.

While there he received instruction to develop PLC code and HMI solutions, and how to diagnose and correct a range of machine issues.

“I enjoyed my time at teamtechnik,” he said. “I learned how to program high-speed automation machinery for automotive and healthcare companies, and assembled and installed customized solutions based on high-level metrics and requirements. That’s what literally opened up all of the options for me because I started traveling and working around the world right after my apprenticeship.”

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Philipp’s first paid job turned out to be in the same city, but he spent most of his time in other places. As a Controls Engineer for Wolfgang Metzger Elektrotechnik, a building and automation technology company, he created PLC code and HMI solutions for customers in the automotive, consumer, food, and health industries. His passport collected mileage as visits to service those customers took him to the United States for the first time, as well as China, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom in a span of seven months.

In 2012, he began work as an independent contractor before an opportunity with KOCH Packaging Systems caught his attention three years later. Joining them as a Senior Service Engineer, he designed and developed thermoforming machinery and blister packaging equipment for the industry-leading company in Pfalzgrafenweiler, Germany.

His experience and the ability to perform at a high level were quickly noticed by his superiors.

Less than a year later, Philipp was on his way to permanent residence in the United States after being transferred to KOCH’s U.S. headquarters in New Jersey.

“It was always my dream to work and live in the United States. Who has the opportunity to live in a world leading foreign country like the U.S.?” he asked.

“It was definitely the right decision to come over here. I’ve met so many nice people – co- workers and customers – and it opened up a completely new horizon for me.

Working and living here at first was indeed a challenge, even though I spoke English as a second language.

But I love it. I can’t imagine going back to Germany at this point.”

somic-packaging.com

" We also listen to our customers and design the machines exactly to their unique needs. This is what makes us a world-leading company.”

Philipp worked at KOCH for almost three years before he first encountered a SOMIC machine as part of a project between the two companies.

“I was impressed with their machines right from the start. I also saw the opportunity to expand my skill set and knowledge base,” Philipp said while explaining what led him to join the SOMIC team in the same capacity in April 2019. By the time he was promoted to Technical Services Coordinator last October, he had led the design and installation of more than 120 customized machines for food and healthcare customers.

“After three years here, I’m intrigued by our high-speed machinery and automation. It’s super interesting in an always growing industry,” he acknowledged.

“I work with the SOMIC engineering team in Germany on a daily basis.

Along with our five service technicians, we’re all one team – a team effort makes life so much easier. We have design reviews, continuous improvement processes and meetings to determine the perfect solution. We also listen to our customers and design the machines exactly to their unique needs. This is what makes us a worldleading company.”

A dedication to getting the job done right is evident when you talk to him.

Philipp makes it quite clear where his priorities stand.

“I’m highly motivated to make our customers happy. It’s part of my personality,” he acknowledged. “The most important thing is to have the

customer on your side. They need to understand why issues happen. Of course, it’s my job to find the right solutions. Full customer satisfaction is the highest priority in the service business and I think we’ve established great relationships with our customers.”

Philipp indicated that after months of build-up, he was glad when the day finally arrived in April when they began commissioning machines. He’s dubbed it ‘Mission SOMIC Eagan 2022’.

“This is a big year for us. It’s a bigger step to serve and train our customers here in the United States, and all part of our five-year business plan,” he said. “After each machine gets shipped by boat or by air, once it arrives we uncrate it and go to work.

“Every piece needs to be leveled and connected properly. Only then do we switch our attention to setting up the different formats. Once those are dialed in, we conduct our Factory Acceptance Test. It’s a multi-step process that usually takes a couple of days to complete, and confirm that everything is ready so we can ship and deliver it to the customer.

Eventually we want to start building the machines right here in Eagan.”

Getting it right and supporting the customer is an expectation Philipp and each service technician strive for every day of the year.

“Having a great work ethic and being ready to take that extra step makes you stick out in the crowd. I’m always available, 24/7, and I’m proud to be part of this project team. I love my job and what I’m doing.”

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500 Lone Oak Road Suite #200 Eagan, MN 55121 1.847.915.9872 somic-packaging.com

Compact & Mighty Reduced size, simple design, and fast availability make SOMIC ReadyPack a smart choice for meeting increased demands in today’s tight labor market.

It can be preconfigured as both a tray packer and a wraparound packer, and upgraded as your needs change over time, bringing maximum flexibility to your Retail-Ready Packaging production. SOMIC machines will deliver consistently strong results today, tomorrow, and long into the future.

See SOMIC in action at PACK EXPO Chicago, booth 8135 at McCormick Place.

Learn more about SOMIC by calling 1.847.915.9872 or visit somic-packaging.com.