EDL Packaging’s Kathryn Rowen, vice president and general manager, and Lynn Caruso-Stueck, director of operations join co-hosts Ann Franz of the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance and Kate Bruns of Insight on this week’s episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast, produced by Woodward Community Media.
EDL Packaging, a Massman Company, is a capital equipment manufacturer that custom designs, fabricates and builds equipment for shrink wrapping and shrink bundling. The firm recently relocated from Ashwaubenon into a newly-built De Pere facility that expands the company’s capabilities with enhanced efficiencies and a 25% overall space increase. Rowen says the new building puts EDL in a strong position for growth and talent attraction, but it was important for the company to remain in Greater Green Bay.
“Packaging is a hub in Green Bay, and we have so many partners and suppliers and people who know us,” Rowen tells the hosts on this week’s episode. “It was really important for us to stay there. It’s a … hotbed for us for talent.”
As the episode continues, Rowen and Caruso-Stueck talk about talent and technology, as well as share their personal histories in the manufacturing industry. EDL is known as a strong employer for women in manufacturing, but both guests say being women leaders in the industry has never felt particularly unusual to them.
“Whether you’re male or female, don’t be afraid to get to the table and give your input,” says Caruso-Stueck, who fell into manufacturing when she took a part-time job while pursuing a teaching degree. In her director of operations role, she says, she is definitely teaching. Teaching, both guests add, is a skill that has applications far beyond the classroom.
“Keep your eyes wide open. Just because you want to be an educator doesn’t mean you have to do it in the institution,” Caruso-Stueck shares.
Listen to this week’s episode, including both leaders’ “best leadership insights,” in audio format on Spreaker or anywhere you get podcasts — including Apple, Google and Spotify. New episodes are released on Thursdays.
