The answer is "Yes!"

Tired of hearing 'No, can't be done..."? At J.L. Clark, you're much more likely to hear, "Yes it can!". eInnovations inteviews J.L. Clark President Phil Baerenwald and J.L. Clark's Director, R&D and Plastics New Business Development Joe Valley to find out why the company just can't say no...

Q. You hear 'yes' a lot at J.L. Clark. How come?

Phil:  We're problem solvers.  Simple as that. It's hard for us to say no to any packaging challenge, even when we know a project isn't a particularly good fit. Realistically, we stand a better chance winning business where we're involved early in the search for a breakthrough design versus a job already 'tooled up' and being produced in, say, China.  Doesn't stop us from trying.

Joe: In fact, we just had a meeting with a prospective customer currently sourcing their packaging offshore.  Their challenge is getting the vision and design expertise that's in short supply there. I think they were very surprised by how far down the development road we could take them without incurring cost.  Our internal R & D resources allow us to conceptualize, model and prototype a completely new design at minimal cost even without a development or production commitment.

Q.  So you're saying 'yes' to more reverse migration opportunities?

Phil: We are certainly seeing more opportunities from companies who have suffered through the hidden costs of delivery, and quality issues that exist when sourcing their packaging offshore.   Once the initial 'luster' of low price wears off, companies are faced with some harsh realities, not the least of which is getting an innovative, high-quality product in time to meet increasingly ambitious product launch schedules. Let's face it:  packaging is usually the last link in the product development chain.  These days, time is a luxury few companies can afford.

Joe: That's what I think really thrilled a world leading soup maker recently. We staged one of our Innovation Days – an up-close, hands-on look at all the packaging possibilities as it relates to their project – and within two weeks we had a prototype container. The customer took one look and said, "I can put this on the shelf today!" You will not find this kind of responsiveness anywhere else in the world.

Q. There's obviously significant risk involved in many of the complex packaging projects of the type J.L. Clark specializes in. Ever wish you'd said no to a project?

Phil: Rarely.  We have a remarkable array of vertically integrated resources to choose from, and a dedicated team of people committed to problem-solving at every level.  We also try to minimize risk by assigning a Project Manager using 'Stage Gate' project management techniques to track, measure and maintain artwork, tooling and other key benchmarks along the way so there are no surprises. And we have a pipeline filled with new solutions, like our new plastic stock tooling and aluminum containers, and many new initiatives to meet the critical sustainability objectives of our customers. We are very well-positioned to say yes to more projects than ever before.

Joe: We're still saying 'yes' even after a product ships!  We developed a new coffee container recently for a customer that wanted to adapt to an application requiring a special seal.  We developed, tested and brought the technology for applying the seal right into their plant for testing on their filling line.  Our idea of product development doesn't stop here at J.L. Clark but with the customer.