Interview with Deon Van der Merwe

Having left the Hospitality industry, migrating to the Packaging Industry, I started as a young Sales Rep learning about LDPE and PP manufacturing in Sales. My career advanced into Regional and National Sales Manager roles, where I learnt the complexities of laminated substrates - including films such as PE, PP, BOPP, CPP, Pet, Nylons, barrier films, Paper-based substrates such as GIP, MGBK, CIS, and later into the corrugate and rigid manufacturing arena. 

My current role feeds as advisory support into 3 arenas: (1)National Sales Team for the 3 business units (2) National Customer base problem solving and (3) Executive Leadership team, reporting to our GM Operations as well as our Chairman on NPD and R&D.

Probably the greatest challenge I face is the issue around providing APCO compliant packaging materials in that yes- many materials are replaceable in a short time frame and we have great success with them however -(a)there are many materials that just cannot be replaced overnight with APCO compliance due to (b)innate material behaviour (c)current customer machine capabilities to handle these new materials (old and outdated), (c) cost to customer and lastly (d) technical expertise, all in the (f) absence of proper recycling facilities that can handle the load.

• What future plans or innovations excite you the most in your career?
  I am a firm believer in R&D leading to NPD and have always said – you may be on the right track but if you stand still, you're bound to get knocked over! The few aspects that excite me - the value that paper-based may play in the market, new packaging ideas that should be coming to market to change the game, and building the right team around me to facilitate and achieve these goals. 

• When you begin a new packaging project, what three guiding principles or philosophies shape your approach?

  Primarily, I always focus on these three aspects that are critical to a successful new launch –

  Whether a replacement product or a new product - (1) innate value the packaging is bringing to my customer (2) the lower financial outlay / capex for my customer to successfully run the NPD, the better and (3) price! A great idea is seldom regarded by customers as great when there is a 20% price hike!

1. Technical know-how and technical support
2. quality
3. price
4. Service and back-up service

Most brand owners will agree with me that a dynamic idea is truly only dynamic when someone can deliver it to me, in a way I can actually use it and my production team can package it with the equipment I have. Even at the right price If you don’t cover these, you miss the mark.

1. Sustainability and
2. AI-influenced design and innovation

Especially here in Australia if the government and associated regulatory bodies do not get together through action and investment with recycling facilities, it will only get worse. 

1. Technologically – Flexographic printing has advanced dramatically ( relative to gravure), especially with print advances such as ECG (Extended Gamut Printing) – utilizing CMYK OGV has changed the game.
2. Environmentally – a bit of a disaster to be honest, as it's just getting worse. On the positive, it encourages me to see small enterprises such as “Honest Made” in Indonesia, and we need to support SMEs such as this one.

I am unfamiliar with it, so if I may suggest -keep marketing and campaigning and creating this platform for packaging (nerds as we are often regarded) to connect and spread the love!

Very much so, as this technology is literally unstoppable right now. Packaging design is now literally unlimited in asking AI for input and advice with design, material behaviour and aesthetics. Production lines will be replacing humans with robotics (AI) for improved production efficiencies and delivery speed, supply chains will still, for a while, require humans however can also be built to deliver the service required. (see below)

This is a super interesting topic! Probably one of the more exciting aspects is technological breakthroughs, and that's why I studied Blockchain Technology. The opportunities for the future are endless, as systems can be built to incorporate robotics (picking and packing), RFID devices, and sensors physically attached to products and pallets in the supply chain to identify location, movement, and stock inventory, inter alia. Data is transmitted via the IoT and recorded on the chain as validated by nodes, so there can be, for example, no fraud, no mistakes with data entry and no corruption. The list goes on…

Very highly likely in that robotics can literally load materials, set up ink systems, check colour matching and palletise printed film for processing at slitting or bagmaking. It's rather scary how this technology can assist profitability, with no lunch times as downtime.

We are planning on promoting (1) sustainability materials promoted and supported by APCO, enhancing circular packaging solutions. PPG is building a funded recycling plant in VIC and will assist brand owners and other recycling facilities in reducing waste into the future.

A very heartfelt question for any brand owner! Brand Aesthetics, tactilility, gustatory and olfactory perception will play pivotal retail consumer roles, and this is where R&D is salient. We cannot just do “what everybody else is doing” and hope to win. We have to design, research, develop and enquire around new ways of working to deliver personalised packaging concepts. This is also where AI will play a significant part in retail exposure and market expansion strategies. The next challenge is to find the right supplier with the capabilities to answer the call.

There is a saying: stay in your lane! I have never believed in this (only) as a packaging professional with a strong R&D drive and it is important to question and change “capability lanes” while shifting the idea gears. A strong reason for some of my previous successes came from asking “but why not” and “how will we do this? I recall developing a corrugated, cooler box (Esky in Australia) with no LDPE lining for the Soccer World Cup. Fully branded and able to hold ice and water for 24 hours keeping the “bevvies” cold without collapsing or distorting, able to be collected by Council clean-up the next day after the games. A corrugate that holds liquids and is alive with a “full circular economy “.

We have a real challenge in the packaging industry, and that is the lack of young knowledge. Young people are not being trained sufficiently, lacking “hands-on experience” with all aspects in the industry – from design layout, artwork “bites and bleeds”, line and colour distortion, print ghosting (not the internet type), with set-up and execution, into the print processes, etc. There is so much to learn about this industry and we need this knowledge transfer for the younger generation to maintain this industry. My advice is to get onto the floor and learn as much as you can, whether it's Flexibles, Corrugated or Rigids.

Paul Prophet, Sales Director and ex Sales manage to me. Clint Angamunthoo – Technical Director, friend and colleague.

Prayer is daily for me. many times a day. So to stay on top of my workload and support my National Team in every way I can, to assist technically with Sales, customer material challenges, and promote my team to win! I infuse my day with the most important human emotion, being love and gratitude, for being in this remarkable place we call earth is a true gift. Never forget it.

Stay active and keep the oxygen flowing. Do not procrastinate. Follow up. Take responsibility.

We do not realise that Life really is a one-day game. As humans, we become complacent and generally bored with ourselves. My life has been such a roller coaster ride that I have been shaped by enduring the thrills, bills and spills - often dancing on the edge of the champagne glass with my expectations of life. Lost many friends to war and violence in South Africa, even family. No feeling sorry, no excuses as to why you cannot! Don’t wait for the right time, look around you and utilize what you have NOW and work towards the “right time”. Find the way to make it happen. Assume nothing, take nothing for granted and always be ready to be plucked from the stage. Be accountable and be grateful….