Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1547306
1 8 Pallet C e nt ral • No vem be r-D e cem be r 2 0 26 PLAYBOOK CONT. E quipment and automation topped members' lists. About half named them as their biggest 2027 investment, and most tied that choice directly to the diff icult y of f inding and keeping workers. Brian Schaefer of Troymill Wood Products is investing in "automation equipment to help cope with the labor shortage." A new saw line, nailing system, or facilit y improvement can add capacit y. Automation can offset labor shortages and free employees for higher-value tasks. Training makes that equipment more productive and prepares employees for broader responsibilities. The strongest investments start with a constraint. W here is the operation losing time? W hich process limits throughput? W hat keeps the company from taking on another customer or product line without creating disruption? Technolog y is the other major investment area. Deloitte found that 80% of manufacturing executives planned substantial investment in smart manufacturing, and pallet companies are following. About a third of respondents mentioned A I, mostly for practical work like order entr y, invoice processing, and production data. For some, the bigger shift is cultural. Dan Reardon of Reardon Pallet Company explained, "We are changing from gut feel to data-driven decisions, because growth on a feeling is not sustainable." Still, technolog y should solve an operational problem rather than become a priorit y of its own. Neither A I nor an upgraded ER P system creates much value if the underlying processes remain ineff icient. A company adding automation may need to rethink maintenance, material f low, or scheduling. A business collecting more data needs a process for turning it into decisions. Before approving the next major investment, ask t wo questions: What constraint are we removing, and what needs to change around it for the investment to deliver its full value? Invest: Build An Operation That Can Scale 1 8 Pallet C e nt ral • No vem be r-D e cem be r 2 0 26