# 208 - Brian Van de Water talks EBITDA, Lean efficiencies, and packaging

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2023-08-15
- Length: 35m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda

## Summary

Brian Van de Water, CEO of SPL Consulting LLC, discusses his 30-year career in flexible packaging and labels, including his time at James River and WS Packaging, and his work in robotics and microbiology. He explains how he uses strategic planning, lean enterprise implementation, and leadership development to drive operational efficiency and improve EBITDA for clients. Van de Water details his consulting process, emphasizing the use of Kaizen events to identify waste and cross-functional collaboration to build team cohesion and execute rapid improvements.

## Chapters

- [0:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging#t=9) Introduction and Guest Background
- [3:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging#t=224) Early Career at James River and SPC
- [12:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging#t=759) Leadership Development and Talent Coaching
- [15:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging#t=924) Defining Wide Web vs. Narrow Web and EBITDA
- [18:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging#t=1106) Consulting Methodology: Strategy, Lean, and Kaizen
- [27:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging#t=1623) Cross-Functional Teams and Change Management
- [32:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging#t=1963) Contact Information and Closing

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- SPL Consulting LLC (company)
- James River (company)
- WS Packaging (company)
- ABB (company)
- Mark Andy (company)
- Packaging Peeks (product)
- Supply Caddy (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [225: From Enterprise Engineering to Owning a Small Manufacturing Business Featuring Amorphic Brewing Founder Ron Hockersmith and a BROADcast For Manufacturers, Live from Milwaukee, WI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-02-25-225-from-enterprise-engineering-to-owning-a-small-manufacturing-business-featuri) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [S7E7 Mike Romance | Industry 4.0, Production Transfers, & People-Centric Leadership](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-02-13-s7e7-mike-romance-industry-4-0-production-transfers-people-centric-leadership) (Being an Engineer)
- [Foundation First: Products, Systems, Process & People w/ Bill Kaewert](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-07-25-foundation-first-products-systems-process-people-w-bill-kaewert) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [SOPs , Kaizen Events and Other Keys to Operational Excellence w/ Dave Crysler](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-11-07-sops-kaizen-events-and-other-keys-to-operational-excellence-w-dave-crysler) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [The Brightest Generation: New Leadership in Manufacturing w/ Paul Brauss](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-03-16-the-brightest-generation-new-leadership-in-manufacturing-w-paul-brauss) (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/2023-08-15-208-brian-van-de-water-talks-ebitda-lean-efficiencies-and-packaging. 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.