# 29 - Robert Champion CEO of Innoflex Solutions Packaging Equipment Specialist

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2020-06-30
- Length: 48m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-ff9

## Summary

Robert Champion, CEO of Innoflex Solutions, discusses his career journey from corporate roles at Nestle and Kellogg's to founding his own company to bridge the gap between OEMs and CPGs. He explains that Innoflex addresses critical failures in packaging equipment projects, such as late shipments and failed factory acceptance tests, by focusing on baseline conditions and system design rather than just selling hardware. Champion highlights the importance of understanding consumer drivers and operational modes to prevent the billions in annual waste caused by misaligned expectations between equipment manufacturers and food companies.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist#t=6) Introduction: Robert Champion and Innoflex Solutions
- [3:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist#t=190) Robert Champion's Early Life and Engineering Education
- [13:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist#t=795) Corporate Career: American National Can, Elopack, and Kellogg's
- [23:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist#t=1408) Leadership at Nestle USA and Identifying Market Gaps
- [30:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist#t=1818) Founding Innoflex Solutions to Fix OEM-CPG Disconnect
- [35:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist#t=2137) The Value of Baseline Conditions and System Design
- [43:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist#t=2625) Solving Packaging Industry Waste and Risk Aversion

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Innoflex Solutions (company)
- Nestle (company)
- Kellogg's (company)
- American National Can (company)
- Elopack (company)
- Tetrapak (company)
- ALPAC (company)
- Evergreen Packaging (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [EMS@C-Level 2022 Season, episode 12 - Chng Boon Huei (BH), CEO, Flexi Versa Group](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2022-09-12-ems-c-level-2022-season-episode-12-chng-boon-huei-bh-ceo-flexi-versa-group) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [An Interview with Scott Miller (2nd)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-07-22-an-interview-with-scott-miller-2nd) (The Amp Hour)
- [Exploring Innovation as a Mindset with Chuck Swoboda](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2020-03-24-exploring-innovation-as-a-mindset-with-chuck-swoboda) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Converting to “Robotics-as-a-Service” with Michael Senske, Chairman & CEO of Pearson Packaging Systems](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2022-10-13-converting-to-robotics-as-a-service-with-michael-senske-chairman-ceo-of-pearson) (Over the Air)
- [8 Silent Business Killers For Manufacturers w/ Steve Blue](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-02-28-8-silent-business-killers-for-manufacturers-w-steve-blue) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2020-06-30-29-robert-champion-ceo-of-innoflex-solutions-packaging-equipment-specialist. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to People of Packaging.