Kevin Wardle
Interview with Kevin Wardle (formerly) from Avery Dennison, Victoria
- Outline what your company does.
- What is your role?
- What type of companies make up your customers?
- How does your company integrate considerations such as resource efficiency and/or maximum resource re-utilisation, into your business practices?
- What are some recent trends and issues that are likely to affect your business in the near future?
- What future challenges do you think the industry faces?
- What do you like most about working in your the industry?
Avery Dennison is a global leader in pressure-sensitive labeling materials, office products and retail tag, ticketing and branding systems. Based in Pasadena, California, it employs more than 21,000 individuals in 47 countries worldwide who apply the company's technologies to develop, manufacture and market a wide range of products for both consumer and industrial markets.
I have two roles: Branch Manager Victoria & National Sheets Manager*.
* Sheet business for off-set printers
Our customers are typically Business-To-Business - mainly Reel to Reel Narrow Web* Label Converters. We also use paper merchant distribution channels for the "offset" printing segment.
* Labels under 500 mm in width
The Fasson Exact program utilizes a National batching program that reduces material scrap and waste in the form of off-cuts of between 6 to 10% on average. This allows our customers to order materials to the 1mm increment of what they require for the print job.
Petrol prices, affecting transport costs and also the raw material component in pressure sensitive laminates. Considerations and planning for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) implementation as well as private brand labels.
Further import pressures, both from favourable foreign exchange and trade barrier tariff relief, certainly further company consolidation is anticipated.
The innovation of pressure sensitive laminates and what this enables designers to do. I was suitably impressed with the recent student awards* with the Ready To Drink beverage brief (Label design for a new beer product). I also enjoy the strong customer relationships formed due to such a mature market.
* Southern Cross Package Design Awards 2005
