unPACKed with PMMI
We share the latest packaging and processing industry insights, research and innovations to help you advance your business.
Search for unPACKed with PMMI en español, our new podcast created by and for the Latin American market!
Episodes
223 episodes
The Biggest PACK EXPO International Yet: What's New for 2026
PACK EXPO International 2026 is shaping up to be the largest in the show's history, with more than 2,700+ exhibitors across 1.3 million net square feet. Get the inside scoop on what's new, from Discovery Tours and the AI-powered Solutions Finde...
[EXHIBITOR EDITION] Cybersecurity Isn't Just an IT Problem
In this episode, cybersecurity expert and PMMI’s Senior Director of IT, Andy Lomasky, joins unPACKed to explore key challenges and strategies in protecting industrial systems. We discuss network segmentation, remote-access risks, and essential ...
The State of Packaging Ahead of PACK EXPO 2026
In this episode, PMMI’s Vice President of Market Development, Jorge Izquierdo, breaks down the top challenges facing packaging and processing operations heading into PACK EXPO International 2026. He also explains what "operational resilience" m...
PACK EXPO 2026: What to Know Before You Go (with The Manufacturing Millennial & Meaghan Ziemba)
In this episode, influencers Jake Hall and Meaghan Zeimba discuss what's new on the factory floor this year, including smarter robots, better-connected software, and the biggest workforce challenges in manufacturing. They also share helpful tip...
Walking the Floor with Purpose: A Veteran Attendee's Guide to PACK EXPO
Ahead of PACK EXPO International, Charles Weinberg, CEO of MSI Express, shares his team's proven playbook for tackling the show floor.From pre-show homework and vendor meetings to sending mechanics to scout new technology firsthand. He a...
[EXHIBITOR EDITION] Winning the Trade Show Game at PACK EXPO International
In this special exhibitor edition of unPACKed, trade show expert and President of Competitive Edge, Jefferson Davis, joins the podcast to share what separates winning exhibitors from the rest at PACK EXPO International, starting with a simple f...
The State of Trade: Tariffs, USMCA, and Manufacturing's Path Forward
In this episode, Founder and Chief Trade Strategist of TradeMoves LLC, Shawn Jarosz, joins the podcast to share the newest tariff updates and what they mean for the packaging and processing industry. From evolving U.S. trade policy and USMCA ne...
People Over Process: Leadership Lessons from the Cockpit
Nicole Malachowski flew F-15Es in combat, led the Thunderbirds, and advised the White House over a 21-year Air Force career, and her take on leadership isn't what you'd expect. She joins the pod and breaks down why vulnerability, not authority,...
[Re-Release] Are Your Competitors Out-Marketing You?
In our 200th episode, we talked with Manufacturing Happy Hour host Chris Luecke about what authentic marketing looks like for manufacturers today. We covered how small teams can create consistent, meaningful content without overcomplicating it ...
[EXHIBITOR EDITION] Connecting Students, Schools, and Industry Through PACK EXPO
In this episode, PMMI’s Director of Workforce Development, Kate Torrence, shares how our approach to workforce development has shifted from supporting today's workforce to cultivating tomorrow's. She discusses the programs, partnerships, and PA...
The Ingredients of Industry Growth: What the State of the Industry Report Reveals
Consumer preferences, from high-protein foods to viral grocery trends, are reshaping the food and beverage processing industry in unexpected ways. In today's episode, we chat with Vanessa Lopez from Interact Analysis to explore the key findings...
[Re-Release] Automation = Opportunity: How Robots Create More Careers
Jake Hall, The Manufacturing Millennial, is back in the feed — and this conversation is just as relevant as ever. Jake breaks down why outdated perceptions of manufacturing are holding the industry back, how robots are saving jobs rather than r...
The Economic Trends Every Business Should Watch
In this episode, we break down economic trends shaping businesses with economist Lauren Saidel-Baker. From inflation and labor shortages to AI and productivity, she shares what companies should really be watching over the next few years and why...
[EXHIBITOR EDITION] The Human Advantage: Why Trade Shows Matter
In this special Exhibitor Edition episode, we sit down with Chief Editor of Packaging World, Matt Reynolds, and Director of Custom Research at PMMI, Rebecca Marquez, to explore why trade shows matter in an AI-driven world, and how businesses ar...
Your Employees Are Leaving—Here’s Why
Losing great people isn’t just about pay. Ultimately, it’s about leadership, culture, and connection. We sit down with Jim Weber to see what REALLY drives employees to stay or go so, listen in and hear how leaders can build a workplace people d...
Shifting Perceptions of “Dirty Jobs” with Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe, best known for Dirty Jobs, joins the podcast to talk about why so many skilled trade careers are still misunderstood. He shares why he thinks perception, not opportunity, is the real barrier and why telling better, more hone...
The Real Reason You Are Losing Customers
In this week's episode, Lisa Apolinski from PhatKat Consulting breaks down how suppliers can build trust and stand out by creating value-driven, story-based content that reduces risk, cost, and time. We also cover how AI is reshaping buyer deci...
[EXHIBITOR EDITION] How AI is Transforming Trade Shows
In this episode, Jessica Lawshe from PMMI and Don Kline from Map Your Show explain how AI-powered tools are making it easier for buyers to find the right exhibitors and navigate trade shows. We also cover how exhibitors can use tools like Sales...
Where Manufacturing Careers Really Begin
Where do careers in manufacturing really begin for women? In this episode, Meaghan Ziemba shares why the path often starts long before college or a first job, shaped by early exposure, encouragement, and what young girls are (and aren’t) shown....
The Workforce Crisis You Can’t Ignore
Festo joins us to talk about how they’re working with PMMI to tackle the manufacturing workforce challenge through training and certifications. We also break down why the skills gap might not be what it seems, and how it connects to the pace of...
Are Your Competitors Out-Marketing You?
In our 200th episode, we talk with Manufacturing Happy Hour host Chris Luecke about what authentic marketing looks like for manufacturers today. We cover how small teams can create consistent, meaningful content without overcomplicating it and ...
Front and Center at PACK EXPO East
Recorded live from the show floor, Sean is joined by Liz Cuneo of Healthcare Packaging and Matt Reynolds of Packaging World to break down what stood out at PACK EXPO East 2026. They cover cold-chain growth, measurable sustaina...
[EXHIBITOR EDITION] How Small Exhibitors Win Big at PACK EXPO
Today we’re joined by Heather Davis from Blentech Corporation to talk about what it really takes to succeed at PACK EXPO as a small to mid-sized exhibitor. If you’ve ever wondered how to compete with the massive booths, generate quality leads, ...
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Are Tariffs the New Normal?
In this episode, Founder and Chief Trade Strategist of TradeMoves LLC, Shawn Jarosz, pulls back the curtain on the new IEEPA tariffs—why they’ve become the “new normal,” and what a looming Supreme Court ruling could mean for importers, includin...
Stop Collecting Contacts. Start Connecting.
This episode of unPACKed with PMMI is a playback from a PPWLN Learning Circle focused on Connections. Alison Fragale and Lisa Hurtz share why meaningful professional relationships are built through empathy, curiosity, and being helpful, not tra...