60 seconds with Charles “Chuck” D. Yuska, PMMI

Charles “Chuck” D. Yuska, PMMI
Title: President and CEO, PMMI—The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies
Location: Reston, Va.
Experience: Yuska has been president and CEO of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, since 1990. PMMI owns and produces the Pack Expo portfolio of trade shows, including Pack Expo Las Vegas and Pharma Expo 2015 (Sept. 28–30; Las Vegas Convention Center).
Duties: PMMI is a trade association representing more than 700 companies. During Yuska’s tenure, PMMI has expanded the number of trade shows from one show to seven quickly growing events. In that time, PMMI has become known as an innovator in the association and trade show spaces.

Modern: First, congratulations on the 20th-anniversary milestone. Since this is a special event, what can attendees expect to see at Pack Expo Las Vegas?

Yuska: Pack Expo’s Las Vegas event has been consistently providing winning technology solutions for every vertical market since its launch in 1995. This year, we’ll host more than 2,000 top-tier exhibitors and 30,000 attendees across 800,000 square feet of exhibit space, and bring Pharma Expo to Las Vegas for the first time. The co-location fosters a “cross-pollination effect.” As attendees and exhibitors from a diverse set of vertical markets come together, they’ll learn about technologies and best practices from adjacent industries that they can apply to their situations. The show’s a huge learning experience with machines in action and a wealth of free educational sessions on the show floor. Modern Materials Handling’s readers will want to check out the Reusable Packaging Pavilion sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) and its Reusables Learning Center.

Modern: Given your 25 years at PMMI, what are the most important changes you’ve seen in the packaging industry, especially in the last three to five years?

Yuska: As sustainability and supply chain efficiency continue to grow in importance, so does the concept of source reduction. Brand owners must constantly evaluate their packaging and determine the best possible combination of variables to move their products from plant to retailer to consumers. That means paying attention to every packaging detail, beginning with the primary package and continuing all the way to the industrial packaging. The goal is to minimize waste and maximize every load of product to be transported. Attendees will have access to all of those solutions.

Modern: When I first began writing for Modern, we looked at Pack Expo as outside of our realm. Yet, in recent years, materials handling solution providers have begun exhibiting successfully. Meanwhile, we’re seeing more packaging solution providers at ProMat. From your perspective, how are our two industries coming together?

Yuska: Integrated supply chains create fairly complex scenarios. From start to finish, they require efficient ordering and production, packaging and palletizing—and that’s just the beginning. Manufacturers can now look at all the components of a supply chain, from production to pallet, and create the most effective systems to meet their customers’ needs. At the same time, sustainability — that is, using our resources as efficiently as possible — is driving the supply chain from start to finish. In packaging, that translates to finding the best combinations of primary and secondary packaging, so products get to their customers with as little waste as possible. When we reach those goals, we see positive things happen for the environment, our companies and our communities.