“I have a lot of customers in New England and I like attending so I can see them in person,” he said. “I like spending time at the show and seeing what’s new and exciting. It’s easier to talk to people sometimes when you don’t have a booth.”
He also loves going up to Boston and seeing the city and enjoy the great food scene.
In the packaging realm, Zuhlke expects to talk a lot about recyclable and reusable containers. Remaining a big proponent of PET products, Zuhlke shared that it’s vital to maintain the circle of recycling in an effort to keep materials out of landfills as much as possible.
Thankfully, he’s seen more customers concerned about the environment and are seeking out better-for-the-planet packaging.
“Our company’s motto is to ‘recycle and reuse’ and taking the product out there, once it’s been used, clean it, grind it and create new product,” Zuhlke said. “Many growers and suppliers use our products to pack according to their customers’ specifications, but many retailers today repack at the store level in order to customize their offerings. This means that all levels of the industry are important to us.”
The company is concentrating on keeping up with the industry and trends, and Zuhlke said one thing it won’t do is bags, which is becoming a bigger challenge to the oceans and environment, as bags float in the ocean negatively impacting marine life.
“Europe is putting a lot of restrictions on bags and packaging in order to reduce the amount of both in the world,” Zuhlke said. “If people went to a rigid container, it would be much better off for the environment.”
Around Kurt Zuhlke & Associates, Zuhlke is seeing a continuing demand for clamshell packaging.
“The visibility of the product is always what the consumer wants when it comes to packaging,” Zuhlke said. “I know I’m not going to buy something unless I can see it. You don’t want to purchase something that’s hidden from view and then you get it home and it’s got a problem.”
This year has been a great one for the company, as it’s up in sales and it’s seeing some expenses come down.
“I can’t complain, things have been good,” Zuhlke said.
