By Dianna Brodine, vice president, editorial, Plastics Business
Plastics molding operations are creating products for every industry – automotive, electronics, appliance, food packaging, toys, promotional materials, medical and so much more. After the Great Recession in 2008, most processors have moved to a business model where they no longer specialize in production for one market but instead function within multiple markets. That’s good insurance if a certain market is down for a quarter or two, but it does make it more difficult to stay on top of the activities within each of the very different, very dynamic industries that a company might be molding for.
Books are the typical focus of this column but aren’t timely news sources when markets are changing quickly. Instead, tune into these podcasts to get an overview of the business developments, technology advances and critical issues in the industries for which your companies makes its products. Find these at a variety of podcast outlets, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more.
Automotive Insiders
Automotive industry expert Jason Stein presents a podcast focused on the automotive industry. It launched in 2022 and covers various industry topics, trends, and projections that are impacting the future of automotive. Jason will interview some of the industry’s key thought leaders and industry insiders.
Recent podcast: Creating a Leaner, Resilient Supply Base
Circular packaging can offer not just a solution, but an opportunity to also ensure leaner and more resilient supply chain operations. On this episode of Automotive Insiders, host Jason Stein interviews Patrick Mahoney, Director of Automotive North America for CHEP.
Airline Weekly Lounge
The editors of Airline Weekly discuss the most interesting developments within the commercial airline industry. In keeping with Airline Weekly’s style, conversation generally centers on one question: How do you make money in this industry?
Recent podcast: More Headwinds for Southwest Airlines
In part one, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat discuss why Southwest has cut its revenue outlook for the current quarter. In part two, we take stock for our Airline Weekly mid-year review, and ask what the coming six months could hold.
People of Packaging Podcast
This is a podcast where we illuminate the stories of people in the packaging industry, covering a wide range of packaging subjects including sustainability, design, and sourcing.
Recent podcast: Colorado EPR and the Sustainability of Aluminum Cans: A Discussion with Cory Connors
In this episode, we have Cory Connors, the Director of Sustainable Packaging at Orora Packaging Solutions. Cory brings his expertise from the sustainability hub at the NPE show, contributing valuable insights on the latest trends in sustainable plastics and recycling practices.
Global Medical Device Podcast
The Global Medical Device Podcast, powered by Greenlight Guru, is where today’s brightest minds in the medical device industry go to get their most useful and actionable insider knowledge, direct from some of the world’s leading medical device experts and companies.
Recent Podcast: Is It Possible to “Buy” a QMS? In this episode, Etienne Nichols engages with Sara Adams to discuss Quality Management Systems (QMS) in the medical device industry. The discussion unveils the complexities and common misconceptions surrounding QMS, and Sara shares her extensive experience with FDA inspections and audits, emphasizing the essential, tailored approach needed for effective quality management.
