Market intelligence Archives - Chad Harrison International

Retaining Talent in a High-Pressure Industry

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:55:25 +0000

Retention is becoming one of the biggest workforce challenges across the global Print and Packaging sector.

While recruitment remains difficult in many specialist areas, businesses are increasingly recognising that replacing experienced operational, technical, and commercial talent is becoming more disruptive, expensive, and operationally risky.

The industry continues to operate under pressure from:

Skills shortages.
Leadership succession concerns.
Operational intensity.
Margin compression.
Workforce fatigue.
Increasing global competition for specialist talent.

According to Gallup:

Global employee engagement remains below 25% across many industrial sectors.
Highly engaged teams demonstrate significantly lower turnover, stronger productivity, and improved profitability. (gallup.com)

At the same time, Deloitte manufacturing research highlights:

Burnout and leadership fatigue continue increasing across industrial manufacturing environments globally.
Retention concerns are becoming particularly significant within technically specialised and operationally intensive sectors. (deloitte.com)

For Print and Packaging businesses, the challenge is no longer simply attracting talent. It is creating environments where experienced people choose to stay, develop, and lead long term.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Retaining Critical Technical and Operational Expertise

Specialist knowledge remains difficult and expensive to replace.

Long-serving technical and operational employees hold significant process knowledge.
Engineering and maintenance capability remains highly competitive globally.
Production continuity can be heavily impacted by key departures.

What this means:
Retention of operationally critical talent is increasingly linked directly to business continuity and manufacturing stability.

2. Leadership Stability and Succession

Leadership turnover creates wider organisational risk.

Customer and supplier confidence often linked to leadership continuity.
Leadership gaps can impact workforce morale and operational direction.
Succession pipelines remain limited across many manufacturing businesses.

What this means:
Retention and leadership development strategies are becoming increasingly interconnected.

3. Burnout and Workforce Pressure

Operational manufacturing environments remain demanding.

Lean structures increasing pressure on leadership and technical teams.
Ongoing labour shortages creating additional workload challenges.
Increased pace of operational and technological change.

What this means:
Leadership resilience and workforce wellbeing are becoming increasingly important retention factors.

4. Career Development and Internal Mobility

Employees increasingly expect visible progression opportunities.

Younger talent seeking broader career development.
Greater interest in cross-functional and international exposure.
Increased demand for technical and leadership development pathways.

What this means:
Businesses with clearer progression strategies are generally retaining talent more effectively.

5. Culture and Employer Reputation

Employer reputation is becoming increasingly visible globally.

Candidates placing greater emphasis on leadership quality and workplace culture.
Increased focus on sustainability, flexibility, and employee experience.
Industry networks and digital platforms increasing transparency around employer reputation.

What this means:
Retention is increasingly influenced by organisational culture, leadership credibility, and workforce engagement.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased counter-offer activity globally across:
- Engineering.
- Technical sales.
- Operational leadership.
- Sustainability and innovation functions.
Strongest retention challenges currently concentrated within:
- Flexible packaging.
- Labels and specialist converting.
- Automation-led manufacturing environments.
- High-growth packaging businesses.
Increased international movement of senior commercial and operational talent.

More businesses investing in:
- Leadership development programmes.
- Succession planning.
- Workforce engagement initiatives.
- Internal progression pathways.
Retention increasingly viewed as a strategic operational issue rather than solely an HR responsibility.
Greater focus on leadership behaviour, culture, and workforce stability within manufacturing environments.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Identify operationally and commercially critical individuals early.
Review whether leadership structures support long-term workforce stability.
Strengthen progression and development pathways for emerging talent.
Assess workload and burnout risks within operational and technical teams.
Ensure retention strategies extend beyond compensation alone.

CHI Insight

Within the global Print and Packaging sector, retention is becoming one of the clearest indicators of leadership quality, workforce stability, and long-term business resilience. Businesses that retain expertise effectively are creating a significant competitive advantage.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is reviewing workforce stability or succession planning, it may be worth considering:

Which individuals would create the greatest operational or commercial risk if they left.
Whether current leadership capability supports long-term workforce engagement and retention.
How competitive your business is from a culture, development, and employer reputation perspective.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global workforce and retention trend insight.
Succession and leadership market mapping.
Benchmarking around leadership structures and workforce retention strategies.
Guidance on attracting and retaining specialist operational, technical, and commercial talent globally.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post Retaining Talent in a High-Pressure Industry appeared first on Chad Harrison International.

Global Hiring Trends in Print & Packaging

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:48:14 +0000

The Print and Packaging talent market is becoming increasingly global.

Manufacturers are no longer competing solely within local or regional markets for leadership, technical, and commercial talent. Businesses across the UK, Europe, and the United States are increasingly drawing from the same international talent pools.

At the same time:

According to Smithers:

The global packaging market is projected to exceed $1.2 trillion by 2028.
Flexible packaging remains one of the fastest-growing packaging segments internationally.
North America and Europe continue leading investment in automation, sustainability, and advanced packaging technologies. (smithers.com)

Meanwhile, Deloitte manufacturing research highlights:

More than 80% of manufacturers globally are experiencing moderate to severe workforce shortages.
Leadership, engineering, automation, and sustainability capability remain among the most difficult areas to recruit internationally. (deloitte.com)

The result is a rapidly evolving international hiring landscape across Print and Packaging manufacturing.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Access to International Talent Pools

Local markets alone are increasingly unable to meet hiring demand.

Specialist talent shortages continuing across multiple regions.
Greater willingness to hire internationally for senior and technical roles.
Increased use of global search and relocation strategies.

What this means:
Businesses are increasingly broadening workforce strategies beyond domestic markets.

2. Leadership Mobility Across Markets

Experienced leaders are becoming increasingly internationally mobile.

Greater crossover between US and European packaging markets.
Multi-site and international leadership experience increasingly valued.
Increased demand for leaders capable of operating across cultures and regions.

What this means:
Global leadership capability is becoming a major differentiator within senior hiring processes.

3. Nearshoring and Manufacturing Investment Shifts

Global manufacturing investment patterns continue evolving.

Increased reshoring and regionalisation of supply chains.
Greater investment into North American and European manufacturing capability.
Continued expansion across sustainable packaging and automation infrastructure.

What this means:
Talent demand increasingly follows manufacturing investment activity and supply chain movement.

4. Competition for Specialist Technical and Commercial Capability

Global competition for specialist talent continues intensifying.

Automation and engineering expertise remain in particularly high demand.
Commercial leaders with manufacturing expertise increasingly difficult to secure.
Sustainability and innovation capability commanding premium compensation globally.

What this means:
Businesses are increasingly competing internationally for highly specialised talent populations.

5. Employer Brand and Talent Attraction

Candidates are becoming increasingly selective globally.

Greater emphasis on leadership quality and workplace culture.
Increased scrutiny around sustainability and long-term business stability.
Flexibility, progression, and international opportunity becoming increasingly important.

What this means:
Employer positioning is becoming a critical factor in attracting globally mobile talent.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased hiring activity globally across:
- United States.
- United Kingdom.
- Germany.
- Netherlands.
- Scandinavia.
Strongest demand currently concentrated within:
- Flexible packaging.
- Sustainable packaging.
- Labels and specialist converting.
- Automation-led manufacturing environments.
Increased international movement of:
- Commercial Directors.
- Operations leadership.
- Packaging technologists.
- Automation and engineering specialists.

More businesses using international search strategies to access specialist leadership and technical talent.
Continued salary inflation within highly specialised technical and commercial disciplines globally.
Growing crossover hiring between:
- Packaging.
- FMCG manufacturing.
- Chemicals and materials sectors.
- Advanced industrial manufacturing environments.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Review whether your hiring strategy is overly dependent on local talent markets.
Assess how competitive your employer proposition is internationally.
Consider broader international search strategies for specialist and leadership roles.
Evaluate succession and mobility planning across key operational and commercial positions.
Ensure hiring processes remain fast and commercially competitive in global talent markets.

CHI Insight

The global Print and Packaging talent market is becoming increasingly interconnected. Businesses competing successfully for leadership and technical capability are those willing to think internationally, move decisively, and position themselves strategically within a highly competitive manufacturing environment.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is reviewing workforce strategy or leadership capability, it may be worth considering:

Whether current hiring strategies reflect the increasingly international nature of the market.
Where global competition may be impacting your ability to attract specialist talent.
How leadership mobility and succession planning align with future growth objectives.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global market mapping across specialist Print and Packaging sectors.
International compensation and hiring trend insight.
Benchmarking around leadership and technical capability globally.
Guidance on attracting internationally mobile commercial, operational, and technical talent.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post Global Hiring Trends in Print & Packaging appeared first on Chad Harrison International.

ESG and Sustainable Print & Packaging Talent

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:29:02 +0000

Sustainability is rapidly reshaping the global Print and Packaging sector.

What was once viewed primarily as a compliance issue is now becoming a major commercial, operational, and customer-driven priority.

Across global markets, businesses are facing increasing pressure from:

Customers demanding more sustainable packaging solutions.
ESG reporting expectations.
Investor scrutiny.
Regulatory change.
Consumer preference shifts around recyclability and environmental impact.

According to McKinsey:

More than 55% of consumers globally are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable packaging.
Sustainable packaging demand is expected to grow significantly faster than traditional packaging segments over the next decade. (mckinsey.com)

Smithers also forecasts the global sustainable packaging market to exceed $500bn by 2030, driven by:

Circular economy initiatives.
Reduced plastic usage.
Increased recyclability targets.
Sustainable materials innovation. (smithers.com)

At the same time, regulatory pressure continues increasing globally:

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.
Plastic reduction initiatives.
Net-zero commitments.
Supply chain sustainability reporting.

As a result, businesses across Print and Packaging are increasingly competing for talent capable of supporting sustainability strategy, operational transformation, innovation, and ESG-driven growth.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Sustainable Packaging Expertise

Customer expectations around sustainability continue increasing globally.

Greater demand for recyclable and reusable packaging solutions.
Increased focus on material reduction and waste minimisation.
Rising customer scrutiny around packaging lifecycle impact.

What this means:
Technical and commercial professionals with sustainability expertise are becoming increasingly valuable.

2. ESG Capability Within Leadership Teams

Sustainability is becoming a leadership responsibility, not simply an operational initiative.

Increased ESG reporting requirements.
Greater investor and customer scrutiny.
More focus on sustainability strategy and accountability.

What this means:
Leadership teams increasingly require commercial and operational leaders with ESG understanding and transformation capability.

3. Innovation and Material Development

Packaging innovation continues accelerating globally.

Increased demand for fibre-based and recyclable materials.
Ongoing development of sustainable substrates and barrier technologies.
Greater investment in circular economy solutions.

What this means:
Innovation-focused technical talent is becoming a major competitive differentiator.

4. Operational Sustainability and Efficiency

Sustainability and operational performance are becoming increasingly connected.

Pressure to reduce waste, energy usage, and emissions.
Increased focus on manufacturing efficiency and resource optimisation.
Greater visibility around supply chain sustainability performance.

What this means:
Operational leaders are increasingly expected to balance sustainability goals with profitability and productivity.

5. Employer Brand and Talent Attraction

Sustainability increasingly influences workforce expectations.

Younger professionals placing greater emphasis on ESG values and employer purpose.
Increased interest in environmentally responsible manufacturing businesses.
Growing expectation around sustainability leadership within industrial sectors.

What this means:
Businesses with credible sustainability strategies are often more attractive to emerging talent populations.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased global demand for:
- Sustainability Directors.
- ESG leadership capability.
- Sustainable packaging specialists.
- Innovation and materials experts.
- Technical professionals with circular economy expertise.
Significant investment activity across:
- Fibre-based packaging.
- Sustainable flexible packaging.
- Recyclable labels and substrates.
- Recycling and recovery technologies.

Increased crossover hiring from:
- FMCG sustainability functions.
- Chemicals and materials sectors.
- Environmental and circular economy consulting.
- Advanced manufacturing innovation functions.
International businesses increasingly competing for specialist sustainability and innovation talent.
ESG capability becoming a growing differentiator within senior leadership hiring processes.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Assess whether sustainability capability exists within current leadership structures.
Review how ESG priorities are reflected within hiring and workforce planning.
Prioritise candidates with both commercial and sustainability understanding.
Ensure innovation and technical teams are aligned to future sustainability goals.
Consider how sustainability positioning impacts employer brand and talent attraction.

CHI Insight

Sustainability within Print and Packaging is no longer simply a regulatory or environmental discussion. It is becoming a core commercial and workforce challenge that is reshaping leadership capability, innovation priorities, customer expectations, and global talent markets.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is reviewing sustainability capability, it may be worth considering:

Whether your current leadership team reflects the future direction of customer and regulatory expectations.
Where ESG and sustainability capability gaps may exist within operational, technical, or commercial functions.
How sustainability strategy is influencing talent attraction, retention, and workforce engagement.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global insight into ESG and sustainable packaging hiring trends.
Market mapping across sustainability and innovation talent pools.
Benchmarking around ESG-related leadership capability and workforce structures.
Guidance on attracting commercially credible sustainability talent within Print and Packaging globally.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post ESG and Sustainable Print & Packaging Talent appeared first on Chad Harrison International.

Automation, AI and the Future Workforce

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:07:25 +0000

Automation and digital transformation are reshaping the global Print and Packaging sector at pace.

Manufacturers across the UK, Europe, and the United States continue to invest heavily in:

Smart factory capability.
Robotics and automated converting systems.
AI-driven production planning.
Workflow automation.
Predictive maintenance technologies.
Data-led manufacturing environments.

The pressure driving this investment is significant.

According to McKinsey:

Existing manufacturing technologies could automate between 60% and 70% of repetitive operational tasks globally.
AI and automation adoption across manufacturing could generate trillions in productivity gains over the next decade. (mckinsey.com)

Meanwhile, Deloitte research shows:

More than 70% of manufacturers globally are increasing investment in smart manufacturing technologies.
Digital transformation and workforce capability remain among the most important strategic manufacturing priorities internationally. (deloitte.com)

Within Print and Packaging specifically:

Automation investment continues accelerating across converting, finishing, and packaging operations.
Digital print technologies continue expanding globally.
Data visibility and manufacturing efficiency are becoming increasingly business-critical.

The challenge for many organisations is no longer whether automation will reshape the workforce, but whether leadership teams and operational structures are evolving quickly enough to keep pace.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Workforce Adaptability

Technology is changing operational roles rapidly.

Increased automation across manufacturing environments.
Greater integration of digital systems and workflows.
Evolving capability requirements across production teams.

What this means:
Businesses are increasingly prioritising adaptable employees capable of evolving alongside manufacturing technology.

2. Automation and Engineering Capability

Automation investment continues increasing demand for specialist technical expertise.

Greater reliance on automation engineers and robotics capability.
Increased need for predictive maintenance and systems optimisation expertise.
More technically advanced manufacturing environments.

What this means:
Engineering and automation capability are becoming increasingly central to operational performance and future competitiveness.

3. Data and Digital Decision-Making

Manufacturing environments are becoming increasingly data-led.

Expansion of operational analytics and real-time production visibility.
Greater measurement around waste, downtime, and efficiency performance.
Increased use of AI-supported planning and forecasting tools.

What this means:
Operational and commercial leaders increasingly require stronger analytical and digital capability.

4. Leadership Through Transformation

Technology adoption creates both operational and cultural change.

Workforce concerns around automation and changing job roles.
Increased need for communication and change-management capability.
Greater pressure on leaders to balance transformation with workforce engagement and stability.

What this means:
Leadership capability during periods of operational transformation is becoming a major differentiator.

5. Balancing Technology with Human Capability

Despite increasing automation, people remain critical to manufacturing success.

Skilled technical expertise remains difficult to replace.
Innovation and customer problem-solving remain highly people-led.
Workforce engagement continues to influence operational performance significantly.

What this means:
The most successful organisations are combining technology investment with workforce development and leadership capability.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased global demand for:
- Commercial Directors.
- Strategic Account Managers.
- Technical Sales leaders.
- Business Development professionals with manufacturing expertise.
Strongest commercial hiring activity currently concentrated across:
- Flexible packaging.
- Sustainable packaging.
- Labels and specialist converting.
- Industrial and protective packaging sectors.
Commercial professionals with both technical and operational understanding continue to command premium compensation internationally.

Growing salary premiums for professionals with:
- Automation capability.
- Digital manufacturing expertise.
- Transformation leadership experience.
Businesses increasingly assessing operational leaders on:
- Change management capability.
- Digital understanding.
- Workforce adaptability.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Review whether workforce capability aligns with future automation plans.
Assess where digital and analytical capability gaps exist within leadership teams.
Prioritise adaptability and learning capability during hiring processes.
Ensure leaders are equipped to manage operational and cultural transformation.
Balance technology investment with workforce engagement and retention strategies.

CHI Insight

The future workforce within Print and Packaging will not be defined solely by automation. It will be defined by the organisations that successfully combine advanced manufacturing technology with adaptable leadership, technical capability, and workforce engagement.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is investing in automation or digital transformation, it may be worth considering:

Whether your workforce structure supports future manufacturing capability requirements.
Where leadership capability gaps may exist around transformation and change management.
How automation investment could reshape future hiring and workforce planning.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global insight into automation-driven hiring trends.
Benchmarking around technical and operational transformation roles.
Market mapping across smart manufacturing and engineering capability.

Guidance on attracting leaders capable of managing workforce transformation internationally.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post Automation, AI and the Future Workforce appeared first on Chad Harrison International.

Commercial Talent That Understands Manufacturing

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:50:04 +0000

Commercial hiring across the global Print and Packaging sector is changing rapidly.

Businesses are increasingly moving beyond traditional sales profiles and prioritising commercial leaders who understand:

As customer expectations evolve, commercial teams are under growing pressure to:

Deliver profitable growth.
Build strategic customer partnerships.
Support innovation and sustainability initiatives.
Navigate increasingly technical and operationally driven buying decisions.

According to Smithers:

The global packaging market is forecast to exceed $1.2 trillion by 2028.
Flexible packaging continues to be one of the fastest-growing global packaging segments.
Sustainability, e-commerce growth, and supply chain resilience are reshaping customer buying behaviour globally. (smithers.com)

At the same time, McKinsey research shows that B2B buyers increasingly prioritise:

Industry expertise.
Technical credibility.
Consultative capability.
Strategic partnership value.

This is particularly true across industrial manufacturing and packaging environments where operational performance and commercial performance are closely linked. (mckinsey.com)

The result is a growing demand for commercially strong individuals who can combine:

Sector credibility.
Customer understanding.
Operational awareness.
Strategic growth capability.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Commercial Leaders with Operational Understanding

The most effective commercial professionals increasingly understand how manufacturing environments operate.

Knowledge of production capability and operational limitations.
Understanding of lead times, efficiency pressures, and margin drivers.
Ability to align customer expectations with manufacturing reality.

What this means:
Commercial credibility is increasingly linked to operational understanding, not simply relationship management.

2. Consultative and Solution-Led Sales Capability

Customer conversations are becoming more strategic and technically complex.

Increased demand for sustainable packaging solutions.
Greater scrutiny around materials, compliance, and supply chain performance.
More sophisticated procurement and customer decision-making processes.

What this means:
Businesses are prioritising commercial talent capable of solving customer problems, not simply selling products.

3. Global Account Management Capability

Packaging supply chains are becoming increasingly international.

More customers operating across multiple regions and manufacturing sites.
Increased complexity within global procurement structures.
Greater focus on long-term strategic supplier relationships.

What this means:
Commercial leaders with international customer management capability are becoming increasingly valuable.

4. Balancing Growth with Margin Protection

Commercial growth is being measured more carefully than ever.

Increased customer pressure on pricing and lead times.
Continued raw material and operational cost volatility.
Greater focus on quality of revenue and profitability.

What this means:
Commercial leaders are increasingly expected to contribute strategically to margin management and operational performance.

5. Leadership Stability and Relationship Retention

Long-term customer relationships remain highly valuable across Print and Packaging.

Customer confidence often linked to individual relationships and sector expertise.
Leadership instability can impact account continuity and commercial confidence.
Commercial succession planning becoming increasingly important globally.

What this means:
Businesses are placing greater emphasis on retaining commercially critical talent.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased global demand for:
- Commercial Directors.
- Strategic Account Managers.
- Technical Sales leaders.
- Business Development professionals with manufacturing expertise.
Strongest commercial hiring activity currently concentrated across:
- Flexible packaging.
- Sustainable packaging.
- Labels and specialist converting.
- Industrial and protective packaging sectors.
Commercial professionals with both technical and operational understanding continue to command premium compensation internationally.

Increased crossover movement between:
- Packaging.
- Industrial manufacturing.
- Chemicals and materials sectors.
- Advanced manufacturing industries.
International businesses increasingly competing for commercially strategic leadership talent.
More businesses assessing commercial hires on:
- Strategic growth capability.
- Margin awareness.
- Customer retention performance.
- Leadership and stakeholder influence.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Assess commercial candidates on operational understanding alongside sales capability.
Test how candidates balance customer growth with profitability and operational realities.
Prioritise long-term relationship and account development capability.
Evaluate whether your commercial structure reflects increasingly global customer demands.
Ensure hiring processes assess strategic thinking and commercial adaptability, not simply sector contacts.

CHI Insight

The most valuable commercial leaders in Print and Packaging are no longer defined purely by revenue generation. They are defined by their ability to align customer strategy, operational capability, sustainability expectations, and long-term profitable growth.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is reviewing commercial capability, it may be worth considering:

Whether your commercial team reflects the increasing complexity of customer expectations globally.
How operationally aligned your commercial function is with manufacturing capability.
Where succession or capability gaps may exist within strategically important customer relationships.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global market insight across commercial leadership hiring trends.
Benchmarking around commercial structures and compensation internationally.
Competitor and market mapping within specialist packaging sectors.
Guidance on attracting commercially strategic leadership talent globally.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post Commercial Talent That Understands Manufacturing appeared first on Chad Harrison International.

The Growing Shortage of Technical Talent

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:26:01 +0000

Technical capability is becoming one of the most important competitive differentiators across the global Print and Packaging sector.

As manufacturers continue investing in:

the demand for highly skilled technical professionals continues to accelerate globally.

At the same time, the available talent pool is tightening.

According to Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute:

The US manufacturing sector alone could face a shortage of more than 2.1 million skilled workers by 2030.
Nearly 77% of manufacturers globally report ongoing difficulty attracting and retaining skilled technical talent.
Engineering and automation capability remain among the hardest areas to recruit internationally. (deloitte.com, themanufacturinginstitute.org)

Meanwhile, EngineeringUK estimates the UK requires approximately 124,000 engineers and technicians annually simply to meet future workforce demand. (engineeringuk.com)

Within Print and Packaging specifically, businesses are increasingly competing for:

Multi-skilled engineers.
Automation specialists.
Packaging technologists.
Technical sales professionals.
Machinery and converting expertise.

The challenge is no longer simply finding technical talent. It is finding individuals capable of supporting increasingly advanced manufacturing environments.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Engineering and Maintenance Capability

Operational uptime remains critical within increasingly automated manufacturing environments.

Greater reliance on advanced production equipment and automated systems.
Increased focus on preventative and predictive maintenance capability.
Reduced tolerance for production downtime and operational disruption.

What this means:
Engineering and maintenance capability is becoming directly linked to productivity, profitability, and customer delivery performance.

2. Automation and Smart Manufacturing Expertise

Manufacturing technology continues to evolve rapidly across global packaging markets.

Increased adoption of robotics and automated converting systems.
Expansion of Industry 4.0 technologies and connected manufacturing.
Greater reliance on data-driven operational environments.

What this means:
Manufacturers increasingly require technically capable professionals who can operate, optimise, and support highly automated production environments.

3. Technical Capability Within Commercial Roles

Commercial roles are becoming increasingly technical.

Customers expect consultative and solution-led engagement.
Greater complexity around sustainability, materials, and packaging performance.
Increased overlap between technical, operational, and commercial functions.

What this means:
Technical sales and customer-facing specialists with manufacturing expertise are becoming increasingly valuable globally.

4. Building Long-Term Technical Talent Pipelines

Many businesses are struggling to develop sustainable technical workforce pipelines internally.

Ageing engineering populations across industrial manufacturing sectors.
Increased competition for younger technical talent.
Ongoing perception challenges around careers within manufacturing industries.

What this means:
Technical workforce planning is becoming a strategic long-term business priority rather than simply a recruitment issue.

5. Retaining Specialist Technical Expertise

Experienced technical professionals remain highly mobile internationally.

Increased crossover movement between packaging, food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Technical professionals commanding increasing compensation premiums globally.
Counter-offers and retention pressure continuing across specialist engineering disciplines.

What this means:
Retention of technical expertise is becoming just as important as attraction.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased global demand for:
- Multi-skilled Engineers.
- Automation Specialists.
- Packaging Technologists.
- Maintenance Managers.
- Technical Sales professionals.
Strongest technical hiring activity currently concentrated across:
- Flexible packaging.
- Labels and specialist converting.
- Sustainable packaging innovation.
- Automation-led manufacturing environments.

Increased crossover recruitment from:
- FMCG manufacturing.
- Pharmaceuticals.
- Food and beverage manufacturing.
- Advanced industrial manufacturing sectors.
Packaging manufacturers investing heavily in automation are accelerating technical hiring activity globally.
Technical professionals with both operational and communication capability continue to command premium compensation internationally.
More businesses introducing structured technical assessment and competency-led hiring processes.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Review whether your technical workforce strategy aligns with future automation and growth plans.
Assess succession risks within engineering and technical teams early.
Ensure technical recruitment processes move quickly within competitive markets.
Focus on long-term retention of specialist technical expertise.
Consider broader international talent pools where local availability is limited.

CHI Insight

The shortage of technical talent across Print and Packaging is no longer cyclical. It is becoming a structural challenge driven by automation, ageing workforces, and increasing global competition for specialist expertise.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is reviewing technical capability, it may be worth considering:

Which technical roles present the greatest operational risk if left unfilled.
Whether your current workforce structure supports future automation and manufacturing plans.
How competitive your business is within the wider global engineering and manufacturing talent market.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global technical talent market mapping across specialist Print and Packaging sectors.
Benchmarking around engineering and technical compensation trends.
Insight into competitor hiring activity and international workforce trends.
Guidance on attracting and retaining specialist technical capability globally.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post The Growing Shortage of Technical Talent appeared first on Chad Harrison International.

Hiring for Operational Excellence

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:20:38 +0000

Operational performance is becoming one of the defining competitive differentiators across the global Print and Packaging sector.

Manufacturers are continuing to operate under pressure from:

At the same time, automation investment and manufacturing transformation are accelerating globally.

According to McKinsey:

Manufacturers that successfully implement operational excellence and lean transformation programmes can improve productivity by between 15% and 30%.
Digitally enabled manufacturing environments are delivering significant improvements in efficiency, waste reduction, and operational resilience. (mckinsey.com)

Meanwhile, BPIF reporting continues to highlight labour shortages and operational inefficiencies as major constraints across Print and Packaging manufacturing environments. (bpif.org.uk)

As a result, hiring priorities are evolving.

Businesses are increasingly looking for leaders capable of:

Improving productivity.
Reducing waste.
Leading transformation.
Protecting margin.
Driving operational consistency across increasingly complex manufacturing operations.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement Capability

Efficiency and productivity remain central operational priorities.

Increased focus on waste reduction and throughput improvement.
Greater adoption of lean manufacturing methodologies.
Stronger measurement around OEE, downtime, and operational performance.

What this means:
Operational leaders are increasingly expected to deliver measurable productivity and efficiency gains, not simply manage production output.

2. Multi-Site Operational Leadership

Larger packaging and manufacturing groups continue to centralise and streamline operations globally.

Increased complexity across regional and international manufacturing sites.
Greater emphasis on operational consistency and standardisation.
Increased focus on margin control and operational scalability.

What this means:
Demand is growing for leaders capable of managing operational complexity across multiple locations and manufacturing environments.

3. Automation and Operational Transformation

Automation investment continues accelerating across Print and Packaging manufacturing.

Increased adoption of robotics and automated converting systems.
Greater reliance on digital production workflows and data visibility.
More focus on operational agility and manufacturing resilience.

What this means:
Operational leaders increasingly require both manufacturing expertise and transformation capability.

4. Operational Leadership Under Margin Pressure

Commercial pressure continues to shape operational hiring decisions.

Continued volatility in energy and raw material costs.
Increased customer pressure on pricing and lead times.
Greater focus on manufacturing efficiency and cost optimisation.

What this means:
Operational leadership is increasingly measured against profitability, productivity, and commercial contribution.

5. Workforce Stability and Engagement

Labour availability remains inconsistent across global manufacturing markets.

Ongoing shortages of skilled operators and technical staff.
Increased pressure on existing teams.
Greater operational risk linked to workforce turnover and absenteeism.

What this means:
Strong workforce leadership and team engagement are becoming critical operational capabilities.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased global demand for:
- Operations Directors.
- Plant Managers.
- Continuous Improvement specialists.
- Lean manufacturing leaders.
- Engineering and maintenance leadership roles.
Strongest operational hiring activity currently concentrated across:
- Flexible packaging.
- Labels and specialist converting.
- Corrugated manufacturing.
- High-volume automated production environments.
Growing demand for operational leaders with:
- Lean manufacturing capability.
- Automation implementation experience.
- Multi-site operational leadership exposure.
- Data-led manufacturing understanding.

Increased crossover hiring from:
- FMCG manufacturing.
- Automotive manufacturing.
- Pharmaceuticals.
- Advanced industrial manufacturing sectors.
More businesses assessing operational hires against measurable:
- Productivity improvement.
- Waste reduction.
- Downtime reduction.
- Transformation delivery performance.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Define operational success measures clearly before hiring.
Assess candidates against measurable operational improvement achievements.
Prioritise leadership adaptability alongside technical manufacturing expertise.
Evaluate whether operational leadership capability aligns with future automation and growth strategies.
Ensure hiring processes assess commercial awareness as well as operational performance.

CHI Insight

The strongest operational leaders within Print and Packaging are no longer measured purely by production output. They are measured by their ability to improve efficiency, lead transformation, stabilise teams, and protect profitability in increasingly complex manufacturing environments.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is reviewing operational capability, it may be worth considering:

Where operational inefficiencies are impacting margin or productivity.
Whether leadership capability aligns with future automation and manufacturing plans.
How succession or workforce risks could impact operational continuity across key sites.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global insight into operational leadership hiring trends.
Benchmarking around operational leadership structures and compensation.
Market mapping across lean manufacturing, operations, and transformation talent pools.
Guidance on attracting leaders capable of driving operational excellence globally.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post Hiring for Operational Excellence appeared first on Chad Harrison International.

The Leadership Gap in Print & Packaging

admin — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:13:07 +0000

The global Print and Packaging sector is entering a major leadership transition period.

Across the UK, Europe, and the United States, many businesses continue to rely heavily on experienced operational, technical, and commercial leaders who hold decades of sector expertise, customer relationships, and manufacturing knowledge.

At the same time, the industry is evolving rapidly through:

According to BPIF industry reporting, the UK print industry alone employs approximately 91,000 people across more than 6,700 companies, while the global packaging market is forecast to exceed $1.2 trillion by 2028. (bpif.org.uk, smithers.com)

However, the sector also faces a significant demographic challenge.

Manufacturing research from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute suggests:

More than 20% of the manufacturing workforce in developed markets is approaching retirement age.
Up to 2.1 million manufacturing roles in the US could remain unfilled by 2030 due to skills shortages and retirements.
Leadership succession and technical capability are now among the biggest strategic concerns across industrial manufacturing sectors globally. (deloitte.com, themanufacturinginstitute.org)

For Print and Packaging businesses, the challenge is no longer simply replacing individuals. It is ensuring the next generation of leadership can operate effectively in a more technologically advanced, commercially pressured, and globally competitive industry.

What Industry Leaders Are Prioritising

1. Succession Planning for Critical Leadership Roles

Many organisations remain heavily dependent on a relatively small number of highly experienced individuals.

Long-serving operational and commercial leaders nearing retirement.
Limited internal succession pipelines.
Concentration of customer and technical knowledge within key personnel.

What this means:
Succession planning is becoming a strategic priority as businesses look to reduce leadership risk and operational dependency.

2. Protecting Industry Knowledge and Expertise

The industry continues to rely heavily on experience-led operational decision-making.

Deep technical understanding of substrates, machinery, converting, and production environments.
Long-standing customer and supplier relationships.
Practical manufacturing expertise built over decades.

What this means:
Businesses are increasingly focused on knowledge transfer and leadership continuity before experienced leaders exit the workforce.

3. Developing Future-Ready Leaders

Leadership capability requirements are evolving rapidly.

Greater need for commercial agility and strategic thinking.
Increased focus on automation, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
Stronger expectation around communication, workforce engagement, and change management.

What this means:
Tomorrow’s manufacturing leaders will require broader and more adaptable skillsets than previous generations.

4. Balancing Technical Credibility with Leadership Capability

Technical expertise alone is no longer enough.

High-performing technical specialists increasingly moving into leadership positions.
Greater pressure on leaders to manage operational transformation and workforce change.
Increased collaboration required across operations, supply chain, commercial, and sustainability functions.

What this means:
Leadership capability is becoming just as important as technical and operational experience.

5. Competing for International Leadership Talent

Competition for experienced leadership talent continues to intensify globally.

Increased crossover hiring between packaging, FMCG, industrial manufacturing, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
International businesses competing for the same talent pools.
Greater mobility of senior operational and commercial leaders across regions.

What this means:
Businesses are increasingly having to position opportunities strategically to attract and retain leadership talent.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

Increased global demand for:
- Operations Directors.
- Plant Managers.
- Commercial leaders with manufacturing expertise.
- Multi-site operational leadership capability.
Leadership hiring processes becoming more structured and assessment-led.
More businesses externally hiring due to limited internal succession pipelines.

Increased movement of senior talent across:
- Flexible packaging.
- Labels.
- Corrugated manufacturing.
- Industrial packaging.
- Advanced manufacturing sectors.
Greater emphasis being placed on:
- Change management capability.
- Workforce engagement.
- Commercial understanding.
- Leadership adaptability.

Practical Takeaways for Hiring Managers

Identify leadership succession risks before they become operational issues.
Assess where critical customer and operational knowledge currently sits within the business.
Build structured development pathways for emerging leaders.
Evaluate leadership capability alongside technical and operational expertise during hiring processes.
Ensure leadership hiring strategies reflect long-term business direction, not simply immediate operational need.

CHI Insight

The biggest leadership challenge facing Print and Packaging is no longer simply replacing experience. It is developing leaders capable of combining operational credibility, commercial thinking, workforce leadership, and transformation capability within an increasingly complex global manufacturing environment.

How This Applies to Your Team

If your business is reviewing leadership capability or succession planning, it may be worth considering:

Which operational or commercial leaders would be hardest to replace today.
Where future leadership capability gaps are likely to emerge.
Whether your succession pipeline reflects the future direction of the business and wider industry.

If useful, CHI can provide:

Global leadership market mapping across specialist Print and Packaging sectors.
Succession planning insight and competitor benchmarking.
International hiring and leadership movement trends.
Guidance on attracting and retaining operational and commercial leadership talent globally.

Want to know more? Get in touch

The post The Leadership Gap in Print & Packaging appeared first on Chad Harrison International.