Kraton

Michael Osborne

1. What are some of the major challenges   and trends that have been impacting the   manufacturing industry lately?  
Supply Chain has been the biggest challenge in manufacturing,  including problems with procuring necessary raw materials   resulting from heavy demand and logistics constraints. We, like   many, also experienced issues procuring materials and capital   projects due to worldwide inflationary pressures. Additionally,   with the current global logistics issues, on-time delivery to   customers has also been challenging.  

2. What keeps you up at night when it   comes to some of the major predicaments   in the manufacturing industry?
The manufacturing section is the backbone of the economy, and   there are many great employment opportunities in our industry.   The labor pool is getting tighter, affecting hiring employers’   ability to find qualified and capable employees, especially in   roles requiring specialized skills. Kraton continues to look for   new ways to attract and retain key talent, including programs to   connect with and build education programs at the high school   level to prepare them to become the next generation workforce.

“Advances in wireless measurement technology have provided improved efficiency. These technologies allow manufacturers to work with increased precision, speed, and effectiveness.”    

3. 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? 
We have recently completed a yield improvement project. We identified the improvement opportunity using modeling software to map a process and to understand where we   can efficiently improve our yields. This modeling effort provided a pathway to enhance productivity through technical advancement, requiring trained and capable engineers to accomplish this task.  

4. Which are some of the technological   trends which excite you for the future of   the manufacturing industry? 
There are significant opportunities for growth by further   utilizing digital technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI),   for process improvement. Kraton expects the use of AI, more   specifically machine learning, to help us make more efficient   use of energy and resources, thus reducing our carbon footprint.   Additionally, advances in wireless measurement technology   have provided improved efficiency. These technologies allow   manufacturers to work with increased precision, speed, and   effectiveness