Baking & Snack - April 2022 - 16

MEET THE IBIE COMMITTEE
Meet
Dave Watson
The IBIE 2022 committee member is focused on a better experience for exhibitors.
by Alex Greenwood
Dave Watson serves on the International
Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 2022
committee and is a subject matter expert
and project manager with The Austin
Co. He has been in the baking industry for
39 years, and IBIE 2022 will be his seventh
Baking Expo as a committee member.
D
What is your favorite part about IBIE? How has
this part of the show been enhanced for 2022?
I have been impressed over the past several IBIE shows
of how the education sessions have grown, remained
relevant and have become a key feature of the show. The
2022 show expands the education sessions even further.
Whether you are new to the industry or a bakery veteran,
there are education sessions for everyone. There
will be sessions focused on workforce challenges, automation,
retail trends, sanitation and " hands on " bakery
skills.
How can exhibitors be best prepared for a
successful IBIE?
Exhibitors can best be prepared for the show by either
attending the in-person exhibitor briefing in May or
through upcoming webinars. Exhibitors who will be in
the new West Hall should become familiar with the layout,
and how it ties into the North Hall, well in advance.
There have been several other changes that exhibitors
should be aware of, including early access to the show
floor for meetings with customers, and improved logistics
for the setup and dismantling of exhibitor displays.
How is IBIE getting ahead of logistics
challenges for exhibitors? What can
exhibitors expect?
The committee listened to the exhibitors' concerns and
issues from IBIE 2019 and understand the need to fix
these challenges to provide a better experience for the
exhibitors. Scheduling of labor and the off-loading and
16 Baking & Snack April 2022 / www.bakingbusiness.com
setup of equipment will be better managed, and exhibitors
can expect improved communication. There is no
greater frustration than having to wait for hours for your
equipment to arrive at your booth. You will see a great
improvement in this area for the 2022 show.
How is the labor crunch impacting the
investment in automation?
Labor challenges that are impacting the industry, from
high turnover to the inability to hire key talent, has
driven the recent push to automate. Automation is now
one of the top priorities for most bakers. Return-oninvestment
hurdle rates, which used to be in the two- to
three-year payback range on capital investment projects,
are now considered a good payback at five years, as bakers
now see labor as a long-term issue.
What new technology holds the most
promise for the baking industry?
IBIE 2022 will showcase the latest in new technology -
from blockchain to artificial intelligence, and from the
latest in robotics to warehouse logistics solutions. The
last area of labor in most bakeries is in packaging. Rising
wage rates and the inability to attract and retain labor
has driven the automation push. Fortunately, equipment
suppliers have continued to improve on solutions
in this area, as robots are easier to install, program and
change over. Warehouse automation is another focus for
many bakers, as they look at automated guided vehicles
to move pallets and basket stacks through the packaging
and shipping areas.
How do you anticipate the current industry
challenges will impact people's goals for IBIE?
Bakers attending the show will see solutions to many of
their challenges, as most are common across the industry.
Whether challenges are focused on labor, sanitation,
sustainability, information technology or how to produce
a new product, the answers can be found at IBIE.
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Baking & Snack - April 2022

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