Different than discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing has its own set of challenges. However challenging process manufacturing maybe by itself, many companies have elements of both process, those things that must be made in serial (orange juice, beverages, liquor, cough syrup, lip balm, pancake batter, chemicals, etc.) and discrete, those things that use separated resources and can be made (or not made) in parallel with other manufacturing (appliance parts, automotive sub assemblies, electronic components, etc.).

The March 23rd presentation, Managing Process Manufacturing - The Challenges of a Hybrid Process and Discrete Environment, will discuss those challenges specific to process manufacturing...and those additional challenges present in a hybrid process and discrete environment.

Shawn Batka, CPIM, CSCP, has more than 15 years of Supply Chain and Operations Management experience with companies in the beverage and plastic industries. Mr. Batka is currently Manager of Supply Chain Planning at the Tropicana unit of PepsiCo, with overall planning responsibility for the U.S. Chilled network. Mr. Batka has been heavily involved in PepsiCo’s conversion to an integrated planning system, which includes SAP ERP, SAP APO suite, i2 Supply Chain Planner, and other related planning systems. Previously, Mr. Batka spent six years at Diageo, leading the materials management and production planning functions at the company’s flagship distilling and bottling operation in North America. Mr. Batka's plastic experience includes high speed extrusion blow molding at Consolidated Container Company, and custom injection molding at Armin Molding.

Mr. Batka has been actively involved in APICS for over 10 years, and is currently serving as President for the APICS Fox River Chapter. Shawn has an MBA from DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Management, and a BS in Engineering Technology from Southern Illinois University.

Tropicana Products, Inc. is part of the PepsiCo portfolio of companies, and is the leading producer and marketer of branded fruit juices. Go to www.tropicana.com.for more information on Tropicana. PepsiCo is home to hundreds of brands around the globe. For more information on PepsiCo go to www.pepsico.com.

Join us to pick-up process tips and to learn how to manage some of the most difficult aspects of manufacturing - Sign-up on-line now!
Also on 3/23 at 4:30P - join us for the Nufarm Americas Chicago Heights Plant Tour - click here for info