H.B. Fuller

Every business has experienced the impact of the global supply chain crisis in 2021 and 2022. Whether this has simply delayed goods or created a raw material shortage for suppliers, who then were unable to fulfil orders, it has been a year like no other for manufacturers. What it really highlighted is the importance of a robust and secure supply chain. At H.B. Fuller, we are proud of how our teams continue to work together with our global and regional supplier partners to keep serving our customers. In addition, our range of adhesives with global formulations targeting more than 30 end markets really proved their worth in providing manufacturing and sourcing flexibility. Our company ethics, innovation and expertise make us a trusted partner for customers and communities everywhere.

What are some of the major challenges and trends that have been impacting the Manufacturing Industry lately?

• Challenging supply chains where delays are experienced due to upstream manufacturing capacity issues and logistics or raw material constraints.

• Shortage of reliable, high quality shop floor labor and front-line supervision.

• Market shifts and dynamic changes in customer demand caused by many different factors, like sustainability drivers and public opinion pressure.

What keeps you up at night when it comes to some of the major predicaments in the Manufacturing Industry?

• Challenges with balancing inventories effectively in an environment of constant changes in demand while improving service levels, complemented by the above supply chain comments.

• Rest assured that we are continuously monitoring and responding appropriately to secure supply of our raw materials, adhesives and packaging to minimize potential disruption in our delivery to customers, leveraging the advantage of our network of production locations around the world.

Can you tell us about the latest project that you have been working on, and what are some of the technological and process elements that you leveraged to make the project successful?

• Localizing manufacturing from other regions, expanding market reach, and shortening supply chains. H.B. Fuller transferred core technologies from Europe and Asia into North America, as well as from Europe to Asia to shorten supply chains and make them more flexible.

• With this, we also benefit from reduced logistics costs and lower working capital. Note that our 69 global network of production sites gives us an advantage over our smaller, local, in-market competitors without alternate facilities.

What are some of the technological trends which excite you for the future of the Manufacturing Industry?

• Digitalization of the manufacturing environment, yielding such benefits as:

• Automating routine transactions to increase efficiencies and reduce errors.

• Capturing valuable data to aid in improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

• Establishing real-time, asset condition monitoring to enable shop floor personnel to more quickly and effectively resolve issues, correct operational performance deviations and return processes to optimum performance.

How can bud and evolving companies reach you for suggestions to streamline their business?

If you’d like to use a generic quote about Operations Excellency:

“We want to maintain the level of flexibility and agility that is required by customers in all of our different market segments while improving our business through cross learning. At the heart of The H.B. Fuller Way, our recent global platform of excellence, is an understanding that our work to improve is never done — we will continuously seek ways to be better in all aspects of our business. As we seek to make measurable progress on this front, we are fortunate to have this program as our driving force. And as we put more and more emphasis on a culture of performance and quality, we keep our commitment to ethical behaviour top-of-mind.”

About H.B. Fuller:

Since 1887, H.B. Fuller has been a leading global adhesives provider focusing on perfecting adhesives, sealants and other specialty chemical products to improve products and lives. With fiscal 2021 net revenue of $3.3 billion, H.B. Fuller’s commitment to innovation and sustainable adhesive solutions brings together people, products and processes that answer and solve some of the world's biggest challenges. Our reliable, responsive service creates lasting, rewarding connections with customers in electronics, disposable hygiene, medical, transportation, aerospace, clean energy, packaging, construction, woodworking, general industries and other consumer businesses. And, our promise to our people connects them with opportunities to innovate and thrive.