Sean Riley

The #1 most clicked article of 2025: The U.S. already faces a critical labor shortage, with tariffs threatening to reshape and reshore manufacturing.

Five OEMs share a next-generation playbook for beating the odds of succession.

From data collection to AI, digital tools are spreading across packaging and beyond. Adoption is uneven, but most companies are laying the groundwork for more connected, data-driven operations.

Annual Outlook Report insights show automation continues to rise as manufacturers respond to workforce shortages while demanding clearer, faster returns from equipment investments.

Annual Outlook Report insights show automation continues to rise as manufacturers respond to workforce shortages while demanding clearer, faster returns from equipment investments.

In this preview of the 2026 Annual Outlook Report on the packaging workforce, findings reveal CPGs are adapting to a difficult hiring landscape with new approaches to recruitment and a reallocation of training investments.

How are CPGS approaching automation in 2026? Editors Sean Riley and Casey Flanagan sit down to discuss why companies are turning to automation to solve labor constraints and throughput demands while simultaneously grappling with higher costs and internal alignment challenges.

Shawn Marie Jarosz explains what’s happening with tariffs now, what’s coming down the pike, and, most importantly, what you can do about it.

Universal Robotics' Imitation learning and real-world data capture are driving a push toward layered control architectures that blend deterministic performance with adaptive, learning-based execution.

A half-dozen expert-backed steps that could separate compliant OEMs from those facing massive penalties.