YMC was founded in 2009 with the election and
appointment of the YMC board during the annual Finat congress in Antalya,
Turkey. The board exists of young professionals from Belgium, India, Italy,
Slovakia and Spain representing small
and large companies that are active in the global labeling value chain. Initially, we held a few small conferences to
get a feel of what we wanted to become and achieve. As we saw more and more
members join from India we staged a larger event at Labelexpo India in close collaboration
with Tarsus.
In order to comprehend what is going on in
our industry globally, and align our business to the changing requirements,
young managers (those under 40) are very keen to connect with peers in the
labeling industry from around the world. From that the idea to organize a
global congress originated and we are looking forward to an exciting programme
at Westin Hotel, Berlin, Germany, on 28-30 November 2012. This is being run in
close collaboration with TLMI (US), LMAI (India) and hosting association VskE (Germany).
The future strategy
In just three years we have grown into a
truly global organization and have attracted over 60 members. Currently we have a vast majority - 70% - from
Europe, 20% from Asia, particularly from India and the remainder from US and
Latin-America. Our aim is to expand that number, in geographies, cultures, company
type, and gender. Therefore we plan to organize more networking and learning
events that cater for the needs of these young professionals who are likely to
look for information, solutions and answers that differ from those more experienced
managers have. That is why we envision a more hands-on approach. Through
workshops and presentations we want to provide practical information that helps
develop both personal and managerial skills. Inspires and supports them in
their strategic and operational activities. We are very grateful for the
'heritage' received from our predecessors, but believe we can help fix some of
the 'blind spots' for the younger generation.
Expanding membership important
Recruiting members is an ongoing process and
the board's priority. We deploy our network and make use of social media. But
the best way to attract new members is still by sharing our passion and informing
them of the benefits of becoming a member through personal conversations. Apart
from attracting new members we also aim to making existing ones more active.
With the support of the FINAT board and members, we believe YMC can become a
leading association for young managers. Provide guidance, and develop a social
and global framework. The goal is also to further connect with other associations
and make the global congress a recurring event.
Why become a YMC member
Because we believe it is the best networking
platform for young managers. There are so many interesting young global
citizens and professionals out there. We
are highly educated, ambitious and excited about the future. Being a member and
becoming part of this community is fun, interesting and rewarding. It makes you
grow, in all respects. In order to understand the world, you have to be part of
it. So far, we have only received very
positive feedback.
This generation's
opportunities and challenges
To connect and operate in a global
organization and world, we benefit from the availability of much faster
communication, smarter devices, and people who are multilingual with greater
intercultural experience and empathy. The downside is the 'speed' at which we
live and work. We need to be cautious about not wanting to chase short term
profit, making the wrong decisions through lack of time or long-term vision. There is also the price pressure from both
supplier and customer. And the need for a flexible business model that can
bring more added value to customers.
A challenge, particularly for second and
third generation successors of family run business, is to consolidate their
business. It is often said that the first generation brings the foundation, the
second builds the actual house, but the third one needs to keep it future
proof. Yet, last but not least, there remains the big question on how to
embrace the whole environmental/sustainability issue. This can make or break our
industry.
Finat, founded in Paris in 1958, with
headquarters in The Hague (The Netherlands), is the world-wide association for
manufacturers of self-adhesive labels and related products and services. With 600
members in over 50 countries around the world, FINAT has much to offer to label
converters and all suppliers to the labeling industry in terms of information
exchange and the opportunity to network internationally. www.finat.com
