Hayley Windsor on UK Packaging Machinery and Sustainability

This interview originally appeared on Interlock Adhesives. Read the full version on their site.

In her recent conversation with Interlock Adhesives, T Freemantle’s National Sales Executive Hayley Windsor discusses the changing landscape of UK packaging machinery, the rising demand for automation and robotics, and how the partnership between T Freemantle and Henkel adhesives keeps UK-built machines running reliably.

You recently joined Freemantle. What interested you in T Freemantle and what does your role entail?

My interest in Freemantle really came about in my first telephone conversation with Richard Kitchen, our company MD, followed by my meeting with Simon Holt, our Sales Director. Sometimes you just know when a company and the people in that company are the right cultural fit for you. I was looking for an established business closely related to the food and drink industry, of which I have been a part for over 30 years. The role had to give me the opportunity to drive sales in a food-focused but relaxed environment, free from corporate nonsense, with room to grow professionally and learn from those around me.
Primarily my role is focused on relationship management and how we can best maximise an existing customer base and the traction we have with it. I work closely with Simon supporting him with the development of our new business pipelines. We are constantly striving to expand our UK-based customers and overseas distribution channels, currently a 60/40 split. I also dedicate some of my time to our marketing efforts. It is a sales and marketing role essentially, but it is also a role that allows me to share new ideas and ways in which we can become stronger as a brand and as a team.

When you look ahead, what do you think are the biggest opportunities for machinery manufacturers over the next ten years?

The economic unrest and cost of living crisis have really impacted businesses all over the world. Manufacturers are therefore on a quest to reduce costs and increase precision as retailers drive prices down whilst demanding the kind of consistency only automation provides. This is a clear opportunity for end-of-line packing machinery like ours to grow market presence and educate companies on how upscaling can be supported by the kind of sleeving and cartoning solutions we offer.
There is an opportunity for incremental growth within this sector as wages climb and temporary agency staff can cause instability within businesses. Robotics, AI and sustainability will drive opportunity. Where NPD departments for major retailers want more SKUs rather than fewer, there will be more need for automated capability to replace the time-consuming, labour-intensive manual handling businesses have struggled with in the past.

Manufacturing technology moves quickly. How do you personally stay on top of new trends and innovations to keep T Freemantle ahead of the curve?

Technological advancement has never been more ever-changing, but it is still about staying true to what you manufacture. T Freemantle are never going to offer the most advanced machine on the market, but we build robust, reliable solutions that are built to last. We also remain flexible and open to the changes and pain points food manufacturing sites have to deal with every day.
Our wraparound sleever, for example, illustrates the innovation behind our ever-evolving machine designs with new fully accessible acrylic doors. The doors increase ease of access, maximise visibility for maintenance and cleaning, and allow operators to visually monitor the machine effortlessly.
Simplicity can be a strength in its own right, because many of the environments our machines end up in need an easy-to-maintain solution. They have unskilled operators using the machines daily. We stay true to who we are but always look to improve.

Sustainability is such a hot topic across industries. How does T Freemantle bring green practices into its machine design and manufacturing?

T Freemantle was bought by Lifco in 2021, a global acquisition model with over 240 companies worldwide. Lifco operates under strict sustainability policies, and as a company within their group we adhere to those guidelines.
Our machines use materials that are all CE approved, and we keep our supply chain local. We have gone paperless and are investing in electric vehicles for our sales team. It is all about the small sustainable changes we can make every day. Do not boil the kettle twice. Make a brew for your colleague while you are at it.

In your view, what makes T Freemantle stand out compared to other machinery manufacturers?

We offer a solidly made, quality machine that is simple but highly effective, at a price point that is right. Industries need a trustworthy machine that delivers the solution it says it will deliver on.
All our new machines use our ultra-hygienic open-framed design, which makes them four times easier to clean down than most equivalents on the market. The open frame also makes the machine fully accessible from almost every angle, which makes maintenance easy.
Our project management is highly attentive and our customer sales and service support is rated excellent. When we sell a machine, we offer lifetime after-sales care through our preventative maintenance contracts. The majority of our customers feel reassured by the capabilities of our machines and the engineering support they receive from us post-sale.

How does Henkel adhesive help you provide the best solution?

One, they have the best glue on the market. Two, they have a responsive team who are always collaborative when it comes to servicing our customers with their adhesives. As our local industry partners, that reliability and efficiency matter when a project is nearly over the line. They have never let us down, and we do not hesitate to recommend them to our customers.

Outside of work, what are some of your favourite ways to unwind or recharge?

I like being active and hit the gym most nights. On a weekend I love getting out in nature for a good muddy hike or mountain climb. One of my favourite ways to unwind is a Friday night cook off with a load of delicious ingredients, a good glass of wine and some good tunes. I am also a little obsessed with interiors and making things look like the kind of home you can have, rather than the one you have to have.

If you could invent any kind of packaging machinery, no matter how futuristic, what would it be and why?

Richard Kitchen, our MD at Freemantle, wants to believe that one day there will be a market for a green machine where every kind of packaging is completely edible or biodegradable, with zero waste. Sustainability heaven. Finding a natural material that keeps contents as fresh as a cherry skin keeps a cherry, or a tomato skin keeps a tomato, would be an ideology worth striving for. Sincere apologies to the carton board and corrugate people of the world, however.