Executive Summits · by the Future of Manufacturing Alliance
Packaging Machinery & Materials Summit for Manufacturing Plants
Meet the plant leaders whose line stops at the case packer.
New category for 2027. Same plant leaders who came to 35 summits.
Each summit is capped at 20 sponsors. Talk to Joe before it fills.
Who’s coming so far
21 manufacturers have confirmed they will send people. The target is 100+ plant leaders in the room by each summit.
- Honda
- GE Aerospace
- General Motors
- Stellantis / Jeep
- Procter & Gamble
- Cleveland-Cliffs
- Whirlpool
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber
- Parker Hannifin
- Swagelok
- Crown Equipment
- Lincoln Electric
- Sherwin-Williams
- + 8 very large manufacturers, not named at their request
Two days with plant managers, packaging engineers, operations and maintenance leaders from Midwest manufacturers planning new lines, end-of-line automation and material changes. Pre-scheduled 1-on-1 meetings. No expo hall.
The people who sign the PO for packaging projects.
Invited from plants across Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Every delegate is screened by title and plant.
1,470plant leaders from 495 manufacturers have come to past FMA summits.1,033 of them pick the vendor, own the budget or sign off.
Who decides a plant purchase, and how many came
- Step 1287Find the problem, write the specEnergy Engineer, Facilities Engineer, Environmental Engineer
- Step 2560Pick the vendorFacilities Manager, Environmental Manager, Energy Manager
- Step 3337Own the budgetDirector of Engineering, Director of Operations, Director of Manufacturing
- Step 4136Sign offPlant Manager, General Manager, President
Who we invite to this summit
Each title, and what that person owns.
- Plant ManagerOwns line output
- Packaging EngineerSpecifies the machine
- Operations DirectorCapex and OEE
- Maintenance ManagerChangeovers and uptime
- Purchasing / SustainabilityMaterial spec, recycled content
Where past delegates worked
Plant leaders at past FMA summits, by industry.
Industries we are inviting to this summit: Food and beverage (fillers, case packers, palletizers) · Consumer products (many SKUs, many changeovers) · Pharma and medical devices (serialization, inspection) · Automotive and parts (returnable packaging) · Chemicals and plastics (bags, drums, pallets).
Counts are past FMA delegates, each counted once. They show who this audience is; they are not 2027 attendees.
Past speakers and delegates, by industry
Food and beverage
12 speakers · 161 delegates
Automotive
10 speakers · 192 delegates
Machinery, equipment and electronics
7 speakers · 209 delegates
Chemicals, plastics and rubber
6 speakers · 120 delegates
Steel and metals
2 speakers · 82 delegates
Aerospace, pharma, building and consumer products
29 speakers · 667 delegates
They came back.
Past FMA sponsors, and how many summits each one sponsored, from the printed programs.
- 18US LED18 summits
- 17Kaeser Compressors17 summits
- 14Covanta14 summits
- 14Solution Dynamics14 summits
- 10Advanced Power Technologies10 summits
- 8Smardt Chiller Group8 summits
- 7BASF7 summits
- 7EQUIDEX Energy7 summits
- 7LG Electronics7 summits
- 6AgriPower6 summits
- 6Greenstar Recycling6 summits
- 6Schneider Electric6 summits
See the other 102 companies that sponsored two or more FMA summits
3M 2 · Acuity Brands 4 · Advanced Green Technologies 3 · Advantix Systems 8 · AERCO International 5 · Air Balance 2 · AmbiRad 3 · Ameresco 2 · Armstrong Fluid Technology 5 · Badger Meter 2 · Be Power Tech 2 · Bio-Reaction Industries 2 · BLUEFIN 4 · Bosch Thermotechnology 2 · Burns & McDonnell Engineering 3 · Camfil 2 · Capstone Turbine 2 · Chelsea Group 2 · Cleaver-Brooks 4 · ConDex Energy 2 · Constellation Energy 5 · Control Instruments 2 · CopperTree Analytics 3 · Cushman & Wakefield 2 · Cypress Envirosystems 5 · Doosan Fuel Cell America 3 · DTE Energy Services 2 · Dyson 4 · Eaton 3 · EcoSafe Zero Waste 2 · EDF Renewable Energy 2 · Edison Energy 2 · Emerson Climate Technologies 2 · Energy Management Systems 4 · Energy Source 2 · EnerNOC 2 · Enertech Global 2 · EnterSolar 2 · Environmental Resources Management 2 · ERS International 3 · ETwater Systems 2 · Every Watt Matters 2 · Eye Lighting International 3 · Facility Solutions Group 2 · FacilityConneX 2 · Fellon-McCord & Associates 3 · GDF SUEZ Energy NA 2 · GE Distributed Power 2 · GE Solar 2 · Gexpro 3 · GI Energy 2 · Green Ballast 2 · Greenworks Energy Solutions 3 · Harris Lighting 2 · Heritage Interactive Services 2 · Hurst Boiler & Welding Co. 2 · IBM 4 · ICETEC Energy Services 2 · ICONICS 3 · Invensys Operations Management 2 · JLL 4 · Jorgensen Facilities Services 5 · K+S Services 2 · KDC Solar 2 · KERAMIDA 2 · Knauf Insulation 2 · KVAR Energy Savings 3 · LEDtronics 2 · Lutron Electronics Co. 3 · MaxLite 2 · MCEnergy 2 · MEP Associates 2 · MPC Energy 5 · Munters 2 · Newton Distributing Company 2 · Nortec 3 · North America Power Partners 2 · North American Roofing 2 · OAKLEAF 4 · Optimum Energy 2 · Orion Energy Systems 2 · OSRAM SYLVANIA 5 · Pfister Energy 2 · PowerSecure 5 · Rinnai America 2 · Rockwell Automation 2 · ROXUL 2 · Rubicon Global 2 · SAP America 2 · Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure 5 · Sloan 2 · Solar UV Solutions 3 · Solatube International 3 · Steril-Aire 2 · Synergy Investment 6 · The Dow Chemical Company 2 · Thermal Energy International 3 · Trane 2 · Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance 2 · Viridity Energy 2 · Wahaso - Water Harvesting Solutions 2 · Zurn Industries 2
In writing, from past delegates.
Their words, not ours.
“Every year we are able to find new partners to develop breakthrough projects”
Breitner MarczewskiDirector of Energy Engineering, General MotorsRead the whole quote
“FMA Summit has been a very friendly business event for General Motors. Every year we are able to find new partners to develop breakthrough projects”
“We will be partnering with a couple of the presenters at the Summit”
Read the whole quote
“…The expertise represented at this Summit (solar, lighting, etc.) was impressive and very informative. We will be partnering with a couple of the presenters at the Summit…”
Scott CullenAmericas Environmental Compliance Manager, Bostik“…full of opportunities to network with vendors I was interested in”
Read the whole quote
“I found the experience well organized and full of opportunities to network with vendors I was interested in.”
Warren VoughtCorporate Facilities Manager, Archer Daniels Midland“…Enjoyed the Summit and met some good contacts.”
Russ DelozierDirector of Sustainability, J+J Flooring GroupSee 8 moreShow fewer
“Great Summit to attend and see the diversity of industry and government. Several vendors presented new ideas to problems we all face in the industry.”
Ed HagerstromDirector EHS, Refresco Beverages US Inc.“Excellent set of presenters on a wide range of subjects, lots of new and forward thinking. Great networking with small groups- startup dinners and circulation times.”
John DeVinneySenior Project Manager, Perdue Farms“I’ve been to a lot of conferences and I found the FMA sessions to be excellent, engaging and interesting. I think it had some of the best speakers I’ve ever seen in a conference I’ve been to. I certainly liked the format, the 20 minutes sessions, so you can get the top level ideas or thoughts without having to hear in infinite detail. The format is well structured, the speakers were really, really good and I would highly recommend this conference to anybody in this field.”
Brendan SullivanExecutive Director, Facilities, Estée Lauder“The Summit was truly ‘eye-opening’. I got an excellent sense of momentum building for companies and institutions making significant changes for the future. Woe betide those organizations who turn a blind eye to the need and benefits of changing how they manage and operate their facilities.”
Chris WendtFacilities Manager, Standard Motor Products, Inc.“As a global leader, it’s extremely important for me to stay current on technological advances. The FMA Summit brought current advances and best practices to me in an efficient 1.5 day event”
Maria WatsonSr. Manager Global Energy, Pall Corporation“The FMA Energy and Sustainability Summit provides valuable insight into where leaders in various industries are finding success in systems and processes that drive overall efficiencies and organizational sustainment.”
Brian SkrobarcekCorporate Director of Environmental Affairs, StandardAero“First time here, was impressed by many of the presenters and the issues they brought up and their solutions.”
Steven JonesElectrical Engineer, ITW Hi-Cone“First time Summit attendee. Great introduction to a number of topics important to Facility Managers of the Future.”
Alec BartolaiSustainability Program Manager, Sargento Foods, Inc.What sponsors closed, and what buyers said.
Past sponsors on the business that came from an FMA introduction, and past buyers on the vendors they met there.
Set up Wednesday. Two full days of meetings. Home Friday afternoon.
Same schedule in Columbus and Detroit.
- Wednesday afternoonSponsors set up their exhibits. Everyone checks in.
- ThursdayThe full day: plant case studies, booked 1-on-1s, the reception and dinner.
- FridayMorning case studies, more 1-on-1s, closing lunch. On the road by mid-afternoon.
The hour-by-hour plan and the venues
| Time | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast at your company table | Breakfast at your company table | |
| 8:00–10:00 AM | Plant case studies | Plant case studies | |
| 10:00 AM | Coffee and shop talk in the exhibit room | Pre-booked 20-minute 1-on-1s at your table | |
| 11:00 AM | Plant case studies | Plant case studies | |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch with your booked 1-on-1 meetings | Closing lunch with your booked 1-on-1 meetings | |
| 1:00 PM | Plant case studies | Plant case studies, then head home | |
| 2:00 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Pre-booked 20-minute 1-on-1s at your table | |
| 3:00 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Coffee and shop talk in the exhibit room | |
| 3:30 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Plant case studies | |
| 5:00–7:00 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Reception and dinner, with more 1-on-1s |
The full package's 15 pre-booked 20-minute 1-on-1s run Thursday and Friday: in the meeting blocks above, at lunch, and at the reception. Each is with a plant leader who asked to meet you, at your company table. You get your meeting schedule before you arrive, and the delegate list, with names, titles and companies, 30 days before the summit.
Venue photos via Wikimedia Commons: Hilton Columbus Downtown by Ɱ (CC BY-SA 4.0); Renaissance Center by Crisco 1492 (public domain).
The program: plant leaders come to hear how other plants fixed it.
The program is built from projects plants actually finished, presented by the plant and the company that did the work. Every packaging machinery and materials category has room for more. If you've solved a problem like these, your story belongs on this program.
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Packaging machinery and integrationInvited
How Darlington Snacks in Joplin, Missouri doubled output with a turnkey bagging and case-packing line
Two VFFS baggers at 150 bags per minute each feed one automated case erect, pack and seal line: 'we've doubled production with about 40 percent less labor on the line,' with less waste, overpacking and giveaway (as reported by Viking Masek and Packaging World, Jan 2024).
The problem: Darlington Snacks struggled with staffing, packing accuracy and demand for single-serve packs in an area dense with competing food plants.
Published result: Two VFFS baggers at 150 bags per minute each feed one automated case erect, pack and seal line: 'we've doubled production with about 40 percent less labor on the line,' with less waste, overpacking and giveaway (as reported by Viking Masek and Packaging World, Jan 2024).
Invited: Viking Masek, with Darlington Snacks · Read the published case
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End-of-line automationInvited
Robotic display-pallet building at Michigan Sugar in Sebewaing, Michigan
A dynaPAL robotic palletizing system with a modified gripper builds whole and half pallets at up to 10 pallets per hour; the director of engineering calls it 'not lightning fast, but it's reliable' (no savings figure published; as reported by Columbia/Okura).
The problem: Retail customers wanted display pallets of individual, unbundled sugar bags stacked in their own patterns.
Published result: A dynaPAL robotic palletizing system with a modified gripper builds whole and half pallets at up to 10 pallets per hour; the director of engineering calls it 'not lightning fast, but it's reliable' (no savings figure published; as reported by Columbia/Okura).
Invited: Columbia/Okura, with Michigan Sugar · Read the published case
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Labeling, coding and inspectionInvited
Vision inspection replaces human checkers at Federal Package in Chanhassen, Minnesota
Two Cognex In-Sight 2800 cameras with edge learning inspect 100 containers per minute with 'nearly 100% accuracy' on deodorant containers and catch 80% of adhesive-label defects; plant staff built it without outside integrators (as reported by Vision Systems Design).
The problem: Federal Package needed to catch deodorant drips from overfilling and label errors at line speed, with fast changeovers across many SKUs.
Published result: Two Cognex In-Sight 2800 cameras with edge learning inspect 100 containers per minute with 'nearly 100% accuracy' on deodorant containers and catch 80% of adhesive-label defects; plant staff built it without outside integrators (as reported by Vision Systems Design).
Invited: Cognex, with Federal Package · Read the published case
See all 7 stories, in 4 categories, and how a session runs
- 1The problemWhat was happening at the plant.
- 2The costEnergy, maintenance, downtime or lost output.
- 3The decisionThe options they weighed, and why this one.
- 4The workWhat changed, how long it took, what went wrong.
- 5The resultsMeasured before and after. Achieved, estimated or identified, said plainly.
- 6The lessonsWhat another plant should check first.
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Packaging machinery and integration
1 story invited · 1 open slot-
Invited
How Darlington Snacks in Joplin, Missouri doubled output with a turnkey bagging and case-packing line
Two VFFS baggers at 150 bags per minute each feed one automated case erect, pack and seal line: 'we've doubled production with about 40 percent less labor on the line,' with less waste, overpacking and giveaway (as reported by Viking Masek and Packaging World, Jan 2024).
The problem: Darlington Snacks struggled with staffing, packing accuracy and demand for single-serve packs in an area dense with competing food plants.
Published result: Two VFFS baggers at 150 bags per minute each feed one automated case erect, pack and seal line: 'we've doubled production with about 40 percent less labor on the line,' with less waste, overpacking and giveaway (as reported by Viking Masek and Packaging World, Jan 2024).
Invited: Viking Masek, with Darlington Snacks · Read the published case
- Open slot
Your customer's story goes here.
Solved a plant problem in this category? Propose it for the program.
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End-of-line automation
3 stories invited · 1 open slot-
Invited
Robotic display-pallet building at Michigan Sugar in Sebewaing, Michigan
A dynaPAL robotic palletizing system with a modified gripper builds whole and half pallets at up to 10 pallets per hour; the director of engineering calls it 'not lightning fast, but it's reliable' (no savings figure published; as reported by Columbia/Okura).
The problem: Retail customers wanted display pallets of individual, unbundled sugar bags stacked in their own patterns.
Published result: A dynaPAL robotic palletizing system with a modified gripper builds whole and half pallets at up to 10 pallets per hour; the director of engineering calls it 'not lightning fast, but it's reliable' (no savings figure published; as reported by Columbia/Okura).
Invited: Columbia/Okura, with Michigan Sugar · Read the published case
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Invited
How Cascade Coffee near Seattle took hand-stacking off six packaging lines
Six Robotiq cobot palletizers, installed with Olympus Controls: the slowest line palletizes roughly 2,500 cases per day and the fastest about 6,500. The first palletizer paid back in nine months against a projected 'less than two years', and the COO says he can count on one hand the robot days lost in three years (as reported by Cascade Coffee's COO in Packaging World, Mar 2026).
The problem: Every case was hand-stacked, turnover in palletizing roles exceeded 60%, and when palletizing fell behind, upstream equipment had to stop.
Published result: Six Robotiq cobot palletizers, installed with Olympus Controls: the slowest line palletizes roughly 2,500 cases per day and the fastest about 6,500. The first palletizer paid back in nine months against a projected 'less than two years', and the COO says he can count on one hand the robot days lost in three years (as reported by Cascade Coffee's COO in Packaging World, Mar 2026).
Invited: Robotiq and Olympus Controls, with Cascade Coffee · Read the published case
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Invited
How Supreme Rice in Crowley, Louisiana outgrew hand stacking
A dynaPAL palletizing robot with an integrated stretch wrapper, installed in 2016: production more than doubled, and shipments went from two truckloads a day to 50-60 a day (project from 2016, story published 2025; as reported by Columbia/Okura).
The problem: Moving into retail bags made manual pallet stacking too slow, and the local labor pool for heavy physical work was small.
Published result: A dynaPAL palletizing robot with an integrated stretch wrapper, installed in 2016: production more than doubled, and shipments went from two truckloads a day to 50-60 a day (project from 2016, story published 2025; as reported by Columbia/Okura).
Invited: Columbia/Okura, with Supreme Rice · Read the published case
- Open slot
Your customer's story goes here.
Solved a plant problem in this category? Propose it for the program.
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Packaging materials
1 story invited · 1 open slot-
Invited
Replacing foam with corrugated for Alliance Laundry Systems' washers and dryers
Five-layer recyclable corrugated replaced 100% of the EPS: 3.3 tons of plastic saved annually, CO2 reduced by up to 98% (15 tons per year), packaging costs down 26% and storage and transport space down 40% (period not stated for the cost figure; plant not named; as reported by Smurfit Westrock).
The problem: EPS protective parts added to the carbon footprint, created waste and made storage and transport inefficient.
Published result: Five-layer recyclable corrugated replaced 100% of the EPS: 3.3 tons of plastic saved annually, CO2 reduced by up to 98% (15 tons per year), packaging costs down 26% and storage and transport space down 40% (period not stated for the cost figure; plant not named; as reported by Smurfit Westrock).
Invited: Smurfit Westrock, with Alliance Laundry Systems · Read the published case
- Open slot
Your customer's story goes here.
Solved a plant problem in this category? Propose it for the program.
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Labeling, coding and inspection
2 stories invited · 1 open slot-
Invited
Vision inspection replaces human checkers at Federal Package in Chanhassen, Minnesota
Two Cognex In-Sight 2800 cameras with edge learning inspect 100 containers per minute with 'nearly 100% accuracy' on deodorant containers and catch 80% of adhesive-label defects; plant staff built it without outside integrators (as reported by Vision Systems Design).
The problem: Federal Package needed to catch deodorant drips from overfilling and label errors at line speed, with fast changeovers across many SKUs.
Published result: Two Cognex In-Sight 2800 cameras with edge learning inspect 100 containers per minute with 'nearly 100% accuracy' on deodorant containers and catch 80% of adhesive-label defects; plant staff built it without outside integrators (as reported by Vision Systems Design).
Invited: Cognex, with Federal Package · Read the published case
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Invited
End-of-line x-ray on the can line at Keystone Meats in Ohio
A Mettler-Toledo X37 x-ray at the end of the packaging line: 'virtually no false rejects', daily test strips that 'never' fail, and two-minute changeovers two to three times a day, at a few hundred cans per minute (qualitative; as reported by Mettler-Toledo in Processing Magazine).
The problem: Metal from cutting, grinding and metal cans is the main foreign-material risk in canned meat, and the plant wanted a final check before distribution.
Published result: A Mettler-Toledo X37 x-ray at the end of the packaging line: 'virtually no false rejects', daily test strips that 'never' fail, and two-minute changeovers two to three times a day, at a few hundred cans per minute (qualitative; as reported by Mettler-Toledo in Processing Magazine).
Invited: Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection, with Keystone Meats · Read the published case
- Open slot
Your customer's story goes here.
Solved a plant problem in this category? Propose it for the program.
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"Invited" means invited: none of these companies has confirmed. Results are as published by the supplier; we ask every presenter for dates, baseline costs and verified results before the program is final.
Real FMA Summit rooms. No stock photography.
Get in front of the decision makers, not the crowd.
Full package
- 15 guaranteed pre-scheduled meetings
- A 20-minute case-study session
- A fully furnished exhibit
- Your corporate dining table
- Three people at full access
Add meetings up to 40 at $1,500 each.
- Any booked meeting that doesn’t happen is added to your next summit, written into your sponsor agreement.
- Each summit is capped at 20 sponsors, each solving a different problem for the people in the room.
Want the category to yourself? Each summit is capped at 20 sponsors. To talk about your category, .
- Plant leaders ask to meet you. We seat the ones who asked at your table.
- Your booked meeting schedule arrives before the summit.
- Any booked meeting that doesn't happen is added to your next summit: miss 3, and you get 15 plus 3. It's written into your sponsor agreement.
- You get the delegate list 30 days before the summit: names, titles and companies.
- Three people are included with full access. Extra passes are $2,900 each.
Or pick only what you wantMeetings from $15,000, talk $15,000, exhibit $15,000, dining table $10,000
One category, one summit. Prices in USD. Whatever you pick includes three people with full access. Meetings are booked on an opt-in basis before the summit; any booked meeting that doesn't happen is added to your next summit.
No vendor walks the show. Solution providers attend only as sponsors. A vendor that has not sponsored cannot register, attend or work the room, so the plant leaders you meet are not being chased by your competitors in the hallway.
The ten questions every sponsor asks.
Past sponsors answer all ten in one 5-minute film. Pick a question and the film jumps to its answer.
Now ask your own questions.
Answered on camera by past FMA sponsors. Recorded at past FMA summits.
Who's behind it.
Started FMA in Montreal in 2007 and has run every summit himself: 35 of them, 17,000+ meetings. Capped at 20 sponsors per summit, meetings booked before anyone arrives, and no vendor walks the show.
Read the full story
30 printed programs, with every sponsor and speaker as printed.
Open any programCapped at 20 sponsors per summit. Packaging buyers you can't reach at a booth.
Twenty minutes with Joe Piazza: who is coming to your summit, where your company fits among its 20 sponsors, and what the agreement says. The sponsor brief has the delegate profile, the full agenda and the itemized pricing.
35 summits since 2007. Joe Piazza, who founded FMA, runs every summit himself. The videos on this page are from past summits.