Mark A. Shapiro

Some of the best people I work with don’t announce themselves when they enter a room. They just quietly start paying attention. In the EPS business, we handle numbers, specs, shipments, timelines. It’s easy to assume that the loudest voices get the job done. But over the years, I’ve learned to trust the quieter skills. The invisible ones. Like the employee who senses a customer’s hesitation and gently asks the right questions. Or the one who picks up on a supply chain glitch just by noticing that something isn’t moving the way it usually does. They don’t wear these instincts on their sleeves. But they’re the reason customers stay. They’re the ones who turn a technical, transactional business into a human one. We don’t often list emotional radar on a CV. But in my experience, it’s the things that don’t show up on paper that build the strongest foundations. #EPSIndustry #EPACKPetrochem #WorkEthic #InvisibleSkills #EPACKGroup

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Under normal circumstances, a CPG P&L won’t implode overnight.  But these are not normal circumstances.  If you missed JM Smucker’s Q2 report last week, it was a tough one.  Here are the key numbers: Net sales -5% (Price +11%, Volume/Mix -6%). Gross Margin -480bp. Op Profit -24%. Once again, the story was coffee and tariffs.  The coffee segment grew net sales 21% (Price +27%, Volume/Mix -6%), but segment profit was -24% driven by tariffs.  That is a lot of pricing power to still end up at -24% profit.  And this follows a +15% topline, -22% bottom line for the segment in Q1. Tariffs have overwhelmed this PnL. When a business loses cost competitiveness, it’s usually a slow drift of management inattention on the way down – and a concerted but equally time-consuming effort on the way back up. Q2 is the rare case of a cost-shocked P&L. Even the recent inflation surge wasn’t this dramatic and fast-moving. Tariffs (or any dramatic input cost spike) hit margins immediately, but they take several quarters to unwind – whether the relief comes from pricing, productivity, or a policy reversal. And timing mismatches like this are exactly why the market often reacts more to the pain than the relief. The cost spike hits the P&L in real time. The recovery gets discounted in forward guidance. I empathize with the team at SJM. Coffee tariffs have been rolled back, so things will get better. But they aren’t getting credit for a better future – only punished for a very difficult present. The market doesn't differentiate between controllable and uncontrollable – it just responds to what gets delivered this quarter. Earnings release in the comments. https://lnkd.in/gMCR6Na6

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NEWELL’S 30% PLUNGE REWINDS THE CLOCK TO 1987 Newell Brands shares cratered nearly 30% after another weak quarter and a guidance cut, hitting their lowest level since 1987. Sales fell 7% to $1.80B, missing the $1.88B consensus, as tariff-driven price hikes, softer international markets, and leaner retail inventories weighed on demand. Margins compressed again, with gross margin sliding to 34.5% from 35.4% a year ago. Despite cost-cutting efforts, profitability remains thin, and net leverage still sits above 4x EBITDA, leaving limited flexibility for further shocks..

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The Art of Subtraction: Innovating by Removing In a world where sustainability often means adding more - more recycling, more biodegradable materials, more complex solutions — we are taking a different approach at VILSA: doing less, but achieving more. Introducing the VILSA NIX-PACK, a groundbreaking innovation that reimagines the traditional six-pack: Instead of binding our rPET-bottles with shrink wrap, we now use adhesive dots and a recyclable cardboard handle, eliminating the need for plastic film entirely. This minimalist approach yields significant environmental benefits: ·      Up to 50 tons of plastic saved annually, equivalent to 2,000 kilometers of shrink wrap ·      No impact on the recycling process, as the adhesive dots are fully compatible with existing systems Our new innovation demonstrates that true progress doesn't always come from adding more, but from thoughtfully removing the unnecessary. By embracing simplicity, we are able to set a new standard for sustainable packaging in Germany. Discover more about our VILSA NIX-PACK and join the movement towards a more sustainable future: www.vilsa.de/nix-pack   #Innovation #Sustainability  #Packaging #VILSA #NIXPACK #CircularEconomy #LessIsMore #protectingtomorrowtoday

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Earlier today, the PCPC team convened sustainability leaders from across the country for a timely webinar on "Extended Producer Responsibility" and what these evolving regulations mean for the beauty industry. PCPC supports the use of sustainable packaging where it is currently technically feasible and advocates for continued innovation to expand these capabilities. And we view EPR as an opportunity to drive progress through smart policy and collaboration with policymakers, members and stakeholders.     Thank you to our expert speakers Catherine Johnson (Environmental General Counsel PC), Allyn Stern (Beveridge & Diamond PC), and Michael P. Washburn, Ph.D. (Washburn Consulting: Sustainability and Public Affairs) for sharing invaluable insights that help sustainability professionals navigate complex challenges like packaging.    ICYMI, PCPC members can view the webinar recording at this link: https://lnkd.in/eMVJ8cdY   #Packaging #EPR #Sustainability #PCPCEvents #EU #Legislation #Waste

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The Second Trump Trade War is an existential crisis for companies selling physical products. Here are 12 ways business owners can navigate it: 1. Remember that fortunes are lost AND made in crises. Stay optimistic, yes your business might shrink but there will be opportunities and if you survive, you’ll have much less competition. 2. Work nights and weekends Because the upside and downside in a crisis are so big, you need to spend more time working to stave off bankruptcy or take advantage of opportunity 3. Get on a plane for face to face Whether you need a loan, a buyer to accept a price increase, or a supplier to do the impossible, the chance of success rises dramatically if you get on a plane and ask them to do it face to face. 4. Check your data twice as often During Covid lockdowns, we went out of stock because I didn’t notice the demand spike until it was too late to restock. You will see big demand and supply shifts; check your data to notice them before it's too late. 5. If you’re in a financial position to take risk, do it “Be fearful when others are greedy; be greedy when others are fearful” 6. If you’re not in a financial position to take risk, proactively take precautions It’s better to overreact and be wrong, than underreact and be wrong 7. Know your supply chain To survive or profit in a crisis, you need to make changes; if you don’t know how your own operations work, it’s hard to do that. 8. Talk to everyone Ask your fellow business owners what they’re doing, speak to your suppliers to find out what their customers are doing, speak to your customers to find out what their other vendors are doing. Information is power in a crisis. 9. Sacrifice pawns to save the king Your goal is to save the business, not every product line. Sometimes you need to let your weaker business verticals wither away so you can focus on the most important ones. 10. Prediction is impossible, but try How will this crisis affect supply? How will it affect demand? Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable 11. Hedge Try to find a strategy where, no matter what happens, you win, or at least don’t lose 12. Good luck and have fun Crises are a part of life; you’ll one day be nostalgic about this crazy period in your career, so enjoy it!

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One of the things that can get lost as corporate boards focus more on geopolitical and economic uncertainty is board refreshment. According to a recent survey of CEO’s and board members by Heidrick & Struggles, only 28% of directors are what Heidrick terms “strategic board refreshers,” treating board refreshment as a strategic priority, and proactively and continually evaluate the board’s skills and contributions. The majority, 52% (“traditional board refreshers”), recognize the importance of board refreshment but are distracted by other priorities, risking longer-term performance by not evolving with strategic shifts. The survey found that privately held companies are more likely to prioritize board succession planning (38% of family-owned and 35% of PE-backed companies vs. 33% large, 22% medium, and 16% small, public companies). Heidrick hypothesizes that for private companies, facing increased pressure from investors looking for higher returns, and PE-backed companies holding companies for longer, board refreshment helps them expand their networks, manage risk and in some cases, strengthen leadership ranks with board members who could step into the CEO role if needed.  Family-owned and PE-backed companies are also looking to professionalize their boards to attract outside investment and board members who may help position the company for exit.  But even for public companies, Heidrick argues that being proactive helps boards shape their refreshment agenda rather than having it shaped for them, potentially by activist shareholders or proxy advisors.  The good news is that 84% of directors in the survey (both strategic and traditional refreshers) say that that their boards are spend more time on refreshment, ensuring it's a continuous process and gets time on the agenda, improving transparency, and building relationships with potential board members in advance.  Board refreshment lays the foundation for longer term value creation, and “boards that embed ongoing renewal into their culture and their agenda are better equipped to challenge management, guide long-term strategy, and outperform peers.” Given that the survey represents self-reported data from directors, it would be a powerful follow-up to show (publicly available) company performance data that reflects the strategic advantage of board refreshment over traditional refreshers and those for whom it isn't a priority. #boards https://lnkd.in/ge_vWpmZ

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How do global and regional companies navigate a volatile and uncertain marketplace? 🎤Right now, Stephen DeAngelis, Founder and CEO of Enterra Solutions, LLC, is addressing this critical question in his keynote session. Stephen is exploring how the global marketplace is shifting from one of stability and predictability to one of volatility and competition. Despite these challenges, a rising global middle class is compelling CPG leaders to rethink their strategies in a more heterogeneous local and global market. In this session, Stephen is highlighting the emerging geo-strategic landscape that CPG and retail leaders are navigating, the complexities of fierce global competition, and the need to develop new models to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world. 🌍He provides essential insights on reshaping strategies to adapt to today’s uncertainties. #POI2025EuropeanSummit #POI #CPG #GlobalMarket #NewReality

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