The Metal Pack Pod

Alex Fordham

5.0 (1)
MARKETING
UPDATED BIMONTHLY

An industry first, The Metal Packager brings you 'The Metal Pack Pod'! The industry's only dedicated podcast for metal packaging. We bring you the latest industry analysis from this $14 billion a year industry. Make 'The Metal Pack Pod' your go-to resource for everything you need if conducting business in the industry. Brought to you by metalpackager.com

12H AGO

Navigating Innovation and Leadership: A Conversation with Sean Bannon, CEO of Ska Fabricating

In today’s episode we interview, Sean Bannon Ska Fabricating’s New CEO on Packaging Automation, Talent Development and Market Trends Alex Fordham interviews Sean, discussing his decade-long progression from engineer to CEO, and his support for a customer-close organization. Sean describes how an engineering mindset shapes his problem-solving approach and Ska’s culture of creativity across teams and explains efforts to address the labour gap through challenging work, engagement, and intentional knowledge transfer. He explains how customer demand is centred on flexibility and future-proofing capital equipment, including handling varied containers and pallet specifications. Ska is seeing strong activity in retrofits and line optimizations to reduce labour, although there is still market hesitancy around new capacity expansion. Sean highlights new Ska innovation and market commentary on the evolving craft beer market into broader craft beverage trends. As always, please like and share our podcast! Enjoy the show! Time Stamps 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:20 Sean’s Journey to CEO 01:35 Leadership Style and Structure 02:33 Engineering Mindset at Work 04:59 Labour Gap and Talent Pipeline 08:56 Knowledge Transfer and Culture 10:34 Customer Demands and Market Mood 13:29 New Product Innovations 16:23 Growth Beyond Palletizers 19:22 Craft Beverage Market Shifts 21:07 Automation Mistakes and Future Vision 23:37 Closing Thanks and Wrap Up

26 min
4D AGO

A Vision for the Future: Training Leaders in the Canning Industry

Welcome to our latest podcast on Young Packaging for Future Generations: Building Can-Making Skills at Ohio State We interview Domingo Gonzalez from Better Cans LLC, about the “Young Packaging for Future Generations” seminar, created to build foundational knowledge in two-piece aluminium beverage can making amid retirements and potential knowledge loss in the industry. Run with Ohio State University and major industry suppliers and OEMs, the pilot seminar took place last August in Columbus, Ohio at the Food Science and Technology Department, delivering 14 lectures over two days to about 60 attendees including can makers, users, co-packers, distributors, and OSU PhD students. This year’s edition taking place on April 14–15 spring session repeats the 14 lectures with improvements and adds sessions on packaging safety and FDA compliance, flanging and inside reforming, and a general overview of the canmaking and beverage industry. Domingo emphasizes the venue as a neutral ground open to competitors and explains his 27+ years’ experience across the supply chain as motivation to leave a legacy. The Metal Pack Pod is brought to you by The Metal Packager, the #1 digital resource for the global metal packaging market, and PPG Packaging Coatings, a global leader in innovative, safe and reliable coatings. Their range of innovative an sustainable solutions help protect and beautify the world. Enjoy! 00:00 Welcome and Context 00:37 Seminar Overview and Partners 01:42 Who Attends and Why 02:52 2026 Agenda and New Lectures 04:46 Solving the Skills Gap 07:45 Why Ohio State as Neutral Ground 9:35 Domingo’s Background and Mission 13:17 2026 Spring Session Details 16:35 Wrap Up

18 min
JAN 26

The future of water packaging

The global water packaging market is going through one of its biggest shake-ups ever. New regulations, economic uncertainty, shifting consumer expectations, and rapid innovation are pushing brands and packaging suppliers to rethink everything they thought they knew. In a recent episode of the Metal Pack Pod, two industry leaders from very different sides of the packaging world came together to discuss where the sector is really heading. Matt Crocker, founder of aluminium bottle specialist ReWater, and John Bissell, founder and CEO of sustainable materials company Origin Materials, shared contrasting — and sometimes surprisingly aligned — views on recyclability, performance, and what sustainability actually looks like in today’s market.

50 min
12/09/2025

How Hyperion Is Reinventing Carbide Tooling: The DZ23 Breakthrough Every Canmaker Needs to Know

Hyperion Materials & Technologies reveals its latest innovation — the DZ23 carbide grade — a major leap forward for canmaking efficiency, tooling durability, and high-speed line performance. In this episode of The Metal Pack Pod, host Alex Fordham sits down with Lluís Miñarro, the Global Segment Director for Can Tooling Products and Services at Hyperion Materials & Technologies, to explore how advanced carbide grades, global supply chain strategies, and customer-driven engineering are shaping the future of metal packaging. Lluís breaks down: Why lighter carbide grades improve punch dynamics How tooling innovation reduces spoilage, energy use, and maintenance The real impact of APT / tungsten supply constraints on cost and production Hyperion’s expanded global footprint — including new US manufacturing facilities What canmakers can expect from the next wave of tooling R&D If you’re in canmaking, tooling, operations, sustainability, or metal forming, this episode delivers real-world insight from one of the industry’s leading experts. 00:00 Intro & episode overview 01:20 Industry trends: sustainability, demand rebound & regional shifts 03:50 Hyperion’s role in global can tooling 06:00 Luis Minero’s background & passion for metallurgy 08:00 Why tooling innovations matter more than ever 11:00 Introducing the DZ23 carbide grade 13:45 Performance benefits: wear resistance, weight reduction & line efficiency 17:20 Understanding APT and tungsten supply chain challenges 19:55 How raw material pricing affects tooling costs 20:20 Hyperion’s new US production capabilities 22:00 What’s next for Hyperion and can tooling innovation

23 min
11/29/2025

CFPA in Metal Packaging - What does the industry need to know?

In this episode of "The Metal Pack Pod," industry experts discuss the transition to chromium-free passivation (CFPA) of metal packaging. The conversation highlights the importance of innovation, rigorous testing, and unified messaging to ensure a smooth transition, while maintaining food safety, performance, and competitiveness in a changing regulatory landscape. Our panel of experts: Eastman – Andy Morse (Tetrashield Business Director), Jake Goodrich (Technical Director)ThyssenKrupp - Dr. Heiner Schäfgen (Head of Technical Customer Services & CFPA TransitionSonoco Metal Packaging – David Hall (R&D Director)Sherwin Williams – Suzanne Bloom (Food Packaging Marketing Lead)

56 min
11/13/2025

Sun Chemical: Standardising Colour, Sustaining the Future

In this episode, we interview Eduardo Alegria, Global Business Director for Metal Packaging Inks at Sun Chemical. They discuss Sun Chemical’s new metal packaging colour library, developed with X-Rite, which aims to standardise colour communication and streamline production. Eduardo shares insights on the evolution and resilience of the metal packaging sector, digital printing innovations, and sustainability efforts, including bio-renewable inks and waste reduction. The conversation also covers industry challenges, consumer trends, and the importance of clear messaging around metal packaging’s sustainability advantages.

40 min
10/20/2025

Can printing: Why photopolymer plates matter

In this episode, Michelle Garza from Anderson & Vreeland discuss the technology and industry practices behind photopolymer plates used in metal decorating for can making. The conversation covers plate-making processes (CTP and DLE), the importance of prepress, plate care, storage, and cleaning best practices. Industry trends, such as the growth of canned beverages and the need for skilled workers, are explored. The episode highlights the value of proper plate handling to maximise lifespan and sustainability.

26 min
10/08/2025

Shaping the future of metal packaging

In this podcast episode, we speak with Ajeeth Enjenti from Trivium Packaging about the company's latest developments and the metal packaging industry's landscape. We delve into Trivium's commitment to sustainability, market trends, and challenges like inflation and tariffs. Ajeeth highlights increasing consumer awareness of sustainability, the stability of the food can market, and Trivium's growth strategies, particularly in Asia and Africa. The discussion also covers the impact of global supply chain complexities and the role of technology in industry integration. The episode underscores Trivium's dedication to sustainability and its proactive approach to market challenges.

22 min

An industry first, The Metal Packager brings you 'The Metal Pack Pod'! The industry's only dedicated podcast for metal packaging. We bring you the latest industry analysis from this $14 billion a year industry. Make 'The Metal Pack Pod' your go-to resource for everything you need if conducting business in the industry. Brought to you by metalpackager.com

Creator

Alex Fordham
Years Active

2021 - 2026
Episodes

71
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Copyright Alex Fordham
Show Website

The Metal Pack Pod