Andy Karel, hot melt equipment manager for the northern region at Valco Melton, had no idea he would have a career in the packaging and processing industries when he studied finance at a small liberal arts college in Kentucky. But after connecting with the hot melt equipment manufacturer, Karel has since seen the value and opportunity that the industry has to offer—especially for younger generations. That’s one reason he has gone beyond his job duties of overseeing hot melt applications for the international company, which has more than 500 employees in 90 countries, to join PMMI’s Future Workforce Committee.
What does your day-to-day look like normally, and how has that changed during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Usually, my position requires me to travel 60% to 70% of the time. I typically travel three days during the week. A lot of times I will attend an installation going on or I will travel out for sales meetings. When I am in the office, I interact with all of our different departments. So that way I can have conversations when I’m out in the field about things that are going on within our facility. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed how we conduct day-to-day business just like everyone else in the packaging/processing industry. Customers have limited visits and travel of their corporate personnel, and as a result, we are only making visits to customers who consider us as an essential or critical visitor. The majority of meetings/installations have been canceled and those are difficult to reschedule given the uncertainty surrounding the direction of the pandemic. Valco Melton has taken several steps to both answer demand while keeping our employees safe. I have been working out of my home office and many others are as well to minimize the number of employees who are working out of the corporate office at one time. We now have two production shifts to limit the number of workers on the production floor at one time. Valco has also expanded our Zoom capability as we have seen an increase in the number of video meetings since the outbreak. Our customers are busier now than they’ve ever been, so it is important that Valco Melton is able to meet their needs while also keeping employees and their families safe.
What has the time at your company been like? Have you had any promotions or had the opportunity to learn a different side of the business?
I’d say it’s been constantly changing and evolving. I had a full year of training when I first started, which included a month at our European headquarters in Pamplona, Spain. I went into my current role after that, but there was a learning curve. I had so much to learn about—not only about our company and solutions, but the industry as a whole. It took a good two to three years to start to feel comfortable with what I was doing in my role. There’s always been a clear path and plan moving forward as the company continues to grow with new opportunities both domestic and abroad. I’m thankful to be based out of the corporate office, which allows me the opportunity to interact with all departments while continuing to learn about all aspects of our business.
How does your company support you as an emerging leader?
Valco Melton supports me as an emerging leader in many ways. One of the first things they did was get me involved in PMMI where I am currently a member of the Future Workforce Committee. This has allowed me to network and connect with colleagues who have many years of experience in the industry. I am able to take this knowledge and experience and bring a new perspective or idea back to my company. Role and title changes and increased responsibility has also helped me emerge as a leader within Valco.
