Sean Kharche is relatively new to plastics, but he has had multiple leadership roles in other industries, including a 15-year stint at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., which included six years of being based in Asia.
Kharche, who has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toledo and an MBA from Kent State University, now is vice president of homecare, personal care and industrial packaging for Amcor Rigid Plastics in Ann Arbor, Mich.
He spoke with Don Loepp prior to NPE2018.
Q: Is this your first NPE?
Karche: Yes, first one.
Q: What are you expecting?
Kharche: I am looking forward to learning about current and new technologies, machines and vendors. I am particularly interested in understanding the evolution of Manufacturing 4.0.
Q: You're relatively new to Amcor Rigid Plastics. What's been your initial impression?
Kharche: ARP is a super business with a fantastic brand that stands for safety, integrity, quality and service. Amcor team members have great knowledge of technologies, markets and products coupled with high ethics and industriousness. Customers can count on Amcor stability, security of supply and longevity.
Q: What trends are you seeing in home and personal care packaging?
Kharche: We field many requests from the market for sustainability, aesthetics, design services and help with preimmunization.
Q: Do customers ask about plastics packaging and sustainability? What do you tell them?
Kharche: Yes, fortunately, this is a strength of ours, and we help customers develop more sustainable packages that help them be more environmentally conscious. They see us as experts in helping them achieve their sustainability goals.
Q: How can the right package help your customers?
Kharche: We help our customers increase revenues by designing and developing packaging that distinguishes our customers products, and reduce total cost of ownership due to our high quality and service standards.
Q: What are your main goals/needs related to attending NPE this year? Materials, tooling, machinery, networking?
Kharche: As I am attending for the first time, I am interested in all of the above, but primarily networking.
Q: What sort of prep work can you do for a trade show like NPE?
Kharche: I will prep on technologies, vendors and participants.
Q: What do you think a typical day at the show will be like for you?
Kharche: View exhibits, meet with trading partners.
Q: What are you excited about seeing or participating in?
Kharche: Different processing technologies and latest approaches to driving lower costs with high quality and uniformity.
Q: How will you gauge whether this show is successful, whether the trip was worthwhile?
Kharche: Gauge it based on learning new technologies, processing and networking.
Q: What's your strategy for networking at events? Do you enjoy it?
Kharche: Will have identified specific firms and folks I want to meet and speak with.
Q: Do you do anything for fun at the show, or is it all work all the time?
Kharche: There will be dinners and team-building opportunities.
