What CPGs and Manufacturers Need from Packaging and Automation Partners

By Kyle Spahr, Packaging Sales Representative, Group O

At the 2026 PMMI Roadshow in Wichita, Kansas, one message came through clearly: CPGs and manufacturers are not simply looking for packaging equipment. They are looking for partners who understand their operations, help them make smarter decisions, and support long-term success after the sale.

The PMMI Roadshow brings PMMI members and CPG professionals together to discuss industry topics, customer insights, PMMI resources, and facility tours that help move the packaging and processing industry forward. For Group O, the event was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the types of companies we support every day and better understand what they need from packaging, equipment, automation, parts, service, and supplier relationships. Kyle Spahr noted in the recap conversation that many of the presentations helped suppliers better understand CPG language, priorities, internal operations, and what matters most to them. 

A special thank you to PMMI for hosting the Roadshow and creating a space where suppliers, OEMs, CPG leaders, and manufacturers can learn from one another. Group O recently joined PMMI to support continued growth in packaging and automation solutions, strengthen its connection to the industry, and stay engaged with the research, technical standards, business intelligence, and collaborative networks shaping packaging and processing. 

For me, the biggest takeaway was simple: customers need more than a vendor. They need a productivity partner.

CPGs Are Managing More Complexity Than Ever

One of the strongest themes from the Roadshow was complexity. CPGs and manufacturers are managing more product variation, more packaging formats, more production demands, more labor pressure, and more aging equipment than ever before. I saw several challenges that stood out from the CPG presentations: raw material variability, component failures, skills gaps, workforce issues, and growth challenges tied to too many SKUs. 

Those challenges create ripple effects across the operation. Raw material variability can impact consistency. Component failures can create downtime. Skills gaps can slow onboarding and troubleshooting. SKU complexity can make changeovers harder and increase pressure on plant teams that are already working to keep production moving.

PMMI had a “Future Ready Operations” presentation that reinforced this same point, identifying knowledge loss, asset obsolescence, SKU proliferation, technical complexity, workforce upskilling, easier changeover, access to data, and OEM-CPG partnership as important factors tied to productivity and future-ready operations. 

That is why packaging and automation conversations cannot stop at a single equipment request. A customer may ask for a stretch wrapper, case sealer, material handling solution, or replacement part, but the real need is often bigger. They may be trying to reduce downtime, simplify training, improve throughput, manage labor, reduce risk, or build toward a future-state line.

At Group O, we look at packaging and automation as connected parts of the same operation. Materials, equipment, labor, workflow, service, parts, data, and long-term goals all influence performance. Our role is to help customers understand those connections and identify the right solution for the full system.

Customers Want Lifecycle Success, Not Short-Term Fixes

Another major theme from the PMMI Roadshow was lifecycle success. CPGs want to understand how long a solution will be useful, how easy it will be to maintain, whether parts will be available, and who will support it when something goes wrong.

CPGs and Manufacturers are not only focused on the upfront cost of a machine. They wanted to understand the lifecycle and value of the investment. They do not want to buy something and find themselves replacing it again a few years later. They want confidence that the equipment, parts, support, and service model will hold up over time. 

That changes the role of the supplier. The conversation has to move beyond “What machine do you need?” to questions like:

 • How will this solution fit into the current operation?
 • What does success look like after installation?
 • What parts and service support will be needed?
 • Who is responsible when support is required?
 • Can the system grow with future production needs?
 • How does this purchase fit into the customer’s larger capital plan?

The “Future Ready Operations” presentation framed this shift as a move from buying equipment to building capability, noting that customers are increasingly buying the ability to operate, learn, recover, scale, and upgrade with less risk across the life of the asset. 

That aligns closely with how Group O supports customers. Our packaging and automation offering includes assessments, engineering-led design, integration, scalable solutions, technical support, OEM and replacement parts sourcing, managed parts programs, preventative maintenance, and long-term partnership focused on maximizing uptime and protecting capital investments. 

Support Has to Be Clear Before Production Is on the Line

Another point that stood out was the importance of support through all channels. When a line is down, production teams do not want confusion. They want to know who to call, what happens next, and how quickly the issue will be addressed.

I would describe Group O as a customer conduit. We may not be the OEM, but we work directly with OEMs, technical resources, internal service capabilities, and customer teams to help connect the right people and keep the issue moving forward. That matters because customers want accountability, communication, and clarity before a problem happens, not after. 

This is where a partner like Group O can provide value beyond a direct equipment purchase. Customers do not always want to manage every supplier, OEM, service contact, and replacement part source on their own. They want a partner who understands the operation and can help coordinate support across the full packaging system.

That note from the PMMI Roadshow is worth remembering. Whether a project involves new equipment, a rebuild, a retrofit, a parts program, or a phased automation plan, success depends on mutual understanding, aligned expectations, and accountability from the start. CPGs and manufacturers emphasized that successful projects require clear expectations, defined responsibilities, and strong accountability from all parties. As several speakers noted, “trust but verify” and “hope is not a strategy” remain important principles for delivering successful outcomes.

Customers Need Help Planning, Not Just Reacting

One of the best takeaways from the PMMI Roadshow was the idea of being a “productivity partner.” A productivity partner is not just there to quote a machine when a customer asks for one. A productivity partner helps the customer look ahead.

That means asking better questions:

 • What are your capital priorities this year?
 • What production issues are creating repeat problems?
 • What equipment is aging out?
 • Which parts are becoming harder to source?
 • Where are labor constraints showing up?
 • What future line changes are already being discussed?
 • What project could be phased in now to support a larger goal later?

Let's talk about the idea of “stackable capital.” Many manufacturers have long-term plans, but plant-level needs, budget windows, and production realities often change faster than a 10- or 12-year roadmap. Sometimes capital is available now, even if the full project will not happen until later. The opportunity is to help customers use that money strategically so each purchase becomes part of a larger plan instead of a disconnected, reactive buy. 

That is an important mindset shift. Instead of waiting until something breaks or until a plant team requests a one-for-one replacement, packaging and automation partners can help customers build a more thoughtful path forward. This may include purchasing a component now, planning for a future line addition, upgrading parts of a system in phases, or using current capital to support a future-state automation strategy.

For Group O, this fits naturally with our consultative approach. Group O is a single-source partner bringing together packaging materials, automation, equipment, parts, service, and ongoing optimization to support the unique needs of an operation. 

Training and Usability Are Part of the Solution

The PMMI Roadshow also reinforced that automation is only valuable if people can use it, maintain it, and troubleshoot it. Several discussions emphasized the importance of effective training, minimizing complexity, and designing equipment with more intuitive user experiences. As workforce challenges continue across manufacturing, operators increasingly need systems that use visual guidance, simplified interfaces, and built-in troubleshooting tools to reduce training time and improve adoption. The message was clear: technology needs to be easier for operators and technicians to learn, support, and operate successfully.

During the show a speaker made a similar point by highlighting intuitive HMIs, visual instructions, QR-linked manuals, videos, fault isolation, role-based troubleshooting, easier changeover, modular architecture, and upgrade paths.

That matters because workforce challenges are real. Plant teams need solutions that reduce training burden, minimize complexity, and help employees perform confidently. A system that is difficult to learn or hard to troubleshoot creates risk. A better solution helps teams ramp faster, respond faster, and operate with more consistency.

Group O can help customers think through that practical side of automation.

The right solution is not always the most advanced option.

 It is the solution that fits the operation, supports the people using it, and improves performance without creating unnecessary complexity.

The Bigger Takeaway: Solve the System, Not Just the Request

The strongest message from the PMMI Roadshow was that customers need packaging and automation partners who can help solve the system. They may come to the table with a specific request, but the real opportunity is often tied to a broader operational goal.

Aging equipment may point to a parts and service strategy. Too many SKUs may point to changeover, materials, or workflow improvements. Labor challenges may point to automation, training, or usability. Capital availability may point to a phased plan instead of a quick purchase. Downtime may point to support structure, lifecycle planning, or improved OEM alignment.

This is where Group O is built to help. As an end-to-end packaging and automation partner, Group O can help customers evaluate the current state, identify bottlenecks, source materials and equipment, coordinate with OEM partners, support implementation, source parts, provide technical support, and continue improving performance over time. Group O is proud to be a single-source solution who focus on integrating packaging materials, equipment, automation, testing, and continuous improvement to reduce complexity and total cost of ownership. 

The show confirmed what we already see in the field: CPGs and manufacturers are not just buying machines. They are looking for confidence. Confidence that their equipment can be supported. Confidence that parts will be available. Confidence that the solution fits their operation. Confidence that capital is being used wisely. Confidence that their partner understands the bigger picture.

That is the kind of partnership Group O is focused on delivering.

Thank you again to PMMI for hosting the Roadshow and continuing to bring together the people, resources, and conversations that help move the packaging and processing industry forward. Group O is proud to be a PMMI member and looks forward to continuing to apply these industry insights to the packaging and automation solutions we deliver for our customers. 

What Companies Are Looking For — and What Group O Can Deliver

Let's Recap our Roadshow Recap! CPGs and manufacturers are looking for packaging and automation partners who can help them:

 • Reduce complexity across equipment, materials, parts, service, and SKUs.
 • Improve productivity, uptime, throughput, and operational consistency.
 • Plan equipment investments around lifecycle value, not just upfront cost.
 • Understand parts availability, service expectations, and long-term support needs.
 • Align OEMs, suppliers, service teams, and internal stakeholders.
 • Use capital strategically through phased or “stackable” planning.
 • Minimize training burden and make technology easier to operate and support.
 • Move from reactive buying to proactive planning.
 • Build packaging systems that can adapt as production needs change.

Group O can help deliver:

 • End-to-end packaging and automation support.
 • Packaging materials, equipment, parts, service, and technical support through one partner.
 • OEM coordination and supplier alignment.
 • Automation assessments and solution design.
 • Lifecycle-focused planning for equipment, support, and parts availability.
 • Practical support strategies built around uptime and productivity.
 • Scalable automation solutions designed around the customer’s full operation.
 • Continuous improvement that helps customers simplify, optimize, and grow.

This PMMI-affliated, end-to-end packaging partner is here and ready to help your business tackle these very current needs. Let's do this together!

About the Author

Kyle Sphar is a Packaging Sales Representative at Group O who helps clients solve complex packaging challenges through tailored, results-driven solutions. With a focus on packaging materials, automation, optimization, and sustainability, he works to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and support environmentally responsible operations.