WOMEN IN THE PET PACKAGING INDUSTRY - Part 2

“Striking the right balance is an ongoing, delicate process”

CC: Do you have a technical background?

Anna: Yes. I studied engineering, so I’ve been used to male-dominated technical environments since my university days. Female students were in the minority back then, and I see a similar proportion here at SIPA.

Roberta: Yes and no: My 37 years of experience working in this sector have shaped me and honed my understanding of technology and technological developments. Thirty years ago, I would have said that my focus was marketing. However, looking back, I would say that I do have a technical background.

CC: What excites you about the technical side of your work?

Roberta: The tangible product! We’re creating packaging! I’m absolutely delighted when I see our products on the shelf. It’s a cycle, so to speak. We consider the entire process from the perspectives of production, design and technology. Seeing it become a reality is so satisfying. From a technical standpoint, I really appreciate working with objective, measurable data. Every improvement can be proven, which grounds our work in facts rather than just subjective opinion. 

Anna: As a product manager for a complex preform injection moulding machine, I interact with several technical and non-technical departments every day. No two days are the same, so I definitely have a very dynamic job. I really enjoy the variety of aspects that a single technical product encompasses, whether mechanical, electrical, or the creation of a market positioning strategy.

CC: Anna, when I picture your daily routine, I see two areas or two groups: on the one hand, you work with technicians, and on the other, you’re involved in strategic or creative marketing. When you compare these two areas, do you see a difference between them?

Yes, definitely. It’s very different in terms of both communication and people’s mindset. Designers are used to seeing their product for nine hours a day, whereas salespeople are talking to customers and trying to promote the product to people who are not so technically familiar with it. So it’s two very different approaches, and I definitely love the duality of my job.
 

Technical knowledge & soft skills

CC: What skills would you like to continue developing?

Anna: Aside from deepening my technical knowledge, which is an ongoing process given the complexity of injection machines and the constant innovations we are working on, I would also like to develop my soft skills. Given that I will be working with different people on many topics, it is essential that I can coordinate and incentivise effectively. There is definitely more than one way to communicate. You need to be like a chameleon. 

Martina: I want to translate complex technical packaging concepts into clear, engaging messages for global audiences and media platforms. As an industry insider, I have technical knowledge that the average consumer rarely sees, and as a mother to a ten-year-old girl, I feel a deep responsibility to pass environmental awareness on to the next generation. Communicating about plastic is undoubtedly challenging today, yet it remains indispensable to modern life. My goal is to raise awareness of its intelligent and respectful use by showcasing SIPA’s innovations that foster true circularity and long-term respect for our planet.

CC: How do you balance your professional and personal life?

Anna: I have a small child that also requires very complex and dedicated soft skills, so I have a good training field at home (laughs). Jokes aside, I am thankful to have family support that enables me to be away on business trips. I also have a kindergarten backed by my company across the street, which allows me to put my child in a safe environment with a flexible timetable. 

Roberta: Striking the right balance is an ongoing, delicate process. For me, balancing my professional goals alongside personal well-being has always been key. I ensure I make room for what fulfills me outside of work, whether that’s exploring new destinations through travel or immersing myself in tango.

Martina: It comes down to managing competing priorities and time constraints across work and home. With demanding schedules on both sides, including business travel, maintaining balance requires conscious choices about where to focus energy. At times, that means stepping back or compromising to support shared family goals and career commitments.
 

“We definitely have to fight harder than men do”

CC: What you have described here raises a point with me. Allow me to explain a little more: Towards the end of the school year in early summer, our local newspaper publishes photos of the top pupils from the various types of school graduating that year. What strikes you? The vast majority are young women. We know that they achieve better school-leaving qualifications and often complete degree programmes more quickly, frequently achieving better results too. However, when you look at industry, medicine or politics, the top positions are clearly dominated by men. What happens along the way? And taking it a step further: are we losing economic and social value too? Here‘s a thought experiment with regard to our industry: we reverse the balance and end up with a female-dominated industry, vertically across all management levels with – as we discussed - more soft skills and more empathy. Would our sector be a different one?

Roberta: Wow, that’s a good question! It’s actually a very interesting point. What if women had had a greater say for decades? Perhaps things might have turned out differently. We should meet up again to discuss this idea! As for the first part of your thoughts, I’d say that we definitely have to fight harder than men do. Life is harder for women, that much is certain. We have to balance more things and prove ourselves more. Even though women are now more established in the workplace and pursuing careers, a woman still has to prove herself. Men still dominate politics and industry, so we have to work twice as hard to prove ourselves, yet we still earn less. This is frustrating, but it’s why we strive for excellence, commit ourselves fully, and learn more. For women, the pressure is often too great. Unable to meet all the demands placed on them, they often step back of their own accord. If they switch to part-time work, it becomes much harder for them to progress in their career. Added to this is the pressure to compete. Power struggles become more intense the higher up the career ladder you go. Since women already have to work so hard at the bottom, they are often reluctant to subject themselves to this further up the ladder.

Flexibility - empathy - trust

CC: What could help improve reconciliation between work and family life?

Martina: For me, achieving a work-life balance hinges on operational flexibility and genuine corporate empathy. Flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid models and adaptable working hours, would make it much easier for working parents to fulfil their family responsibilities. In my case, for example: I can meet my daughter’s strict school pick-up times while still delivering 100 per cent in my professional role. The fact that I have the trust and flexibility to organise my own schedule at SIPA makes a world of difference. I appreciate the genuinely supportive working culture, which goes beyond formal guidelines. Even so, it isn’t always possible to build a demanding career, but if someone really wants to, they need precisely this kind of support.

CC: What role do sustainability and the circular economy play in your work?

Anna: My bread and butter! I am keen on these topics since my university time – I wrote my final thesis on recycling. I then had the chance to work on sustainable products here at SIPA, such as the ‘Flakes to Preforms - Xtreme RENEW’ project. This allowed me to specialise in concepts such as recycled PET, mechanical decontamination processes, and sustainable PET packaging.

CC: What does sustainable packaging mean to you personally?

Martina: To me, sustainable packaging means accountability and intelligent design. It means using our engineering capabilities to create lightweight preforms, maximise recycled content and reduce energy consumption without compromising on quality. Personally, I aim for every container we design at SIPA to respect global resources, so that we can pass down a cleaner and more responsible world to our children.

CC: Do you experience more opportunities or more challenges in the male-dominated industry?

Roberta: I like to think of challenges as opportunities, so I wouldn’t separate the two. We women shouldn’t be afraid of challenges because they usually open up new opportunities. If you’re open-minded and free from fear and worry, you’ll succeed in turning challenges into opportunities. Think outside the box, keep your eyes and ears open, and recognise the subtle signs that male colleagues might miss. These opportunities can then lead to greater ones.

CC: How would you rate the level of appreciation, work environment, and performance culture for women in your professional setting?

Martina: Building my professional path at SIPA has been very rewarding. Our company gives us In a technical environment such as ours, where technology must be integrated with marketing, media and customers, this creates conditions that allow everyone to work together effectively while building stronger working relationships. 

Roberta: Well, since there are fewer of us and we don’t want to pretend to be men, we have to find our own way of speaking, presenting ourselves and behaving in the workplace. Of course, we also bring a focus on relationships and collaboration, which is more pronounced in women because we tend to build and nurture relationships from an early age, even within the family. It’s usually us who look after our parents as they get older. Generally speaking, however, we prioritise building good relationships, so we tend to be more empathetic and cooperative. Men, on the other hand, tend to focus on figures, results and tasks to be completed. They are also somewhat more hierarchical in their relationships – after all, the boss is the boss. I’ve also noticed that, when women or men reach the top, they tent to share the same attitude. So the role has an influence too. Communication works best when there is no competition at all. This environment has a relaxing effect, particularly on men.

CC: Are technical fields or industries particularly well-suited to helping women advance their careers?

Anna: Our ability to adopt a more “soft” communicative approach helps us to build beneficial relationships for our daily technical work. With fewer women in the industry, there is less competition, so there are better opportunities to advance in their careers.

“I’ve seen it all”

CC: What are you most proud of in your professional life?

Roberta: That’s my career! I’ve been working for the same company for 37 years. That alone speaks volumes! And I’ve seen it all. It’s the same in marriage. And I know what I’m talking about. The beauty of a long-term relationship is that you know everything about each other. You can look back on your shared history to understand why someone behaves in a certain way, and where that behaviour comes from - you just know. I am proud to be part of this incredible journey. When we first started at SIPA, there were just 42 of us. Now, 1,500 people work here. It was great to be part of that development.

CC: Do you consider mentoring programs for women important? Have you benefited from them?

Roberta: Yes, my own situation is a very good example of mentoring. My career path is closely connected to our chairman, who plays a pivotal role in shaping my professional journey. He is a very challenging man, but he is also very generous once he recognises your commitment. He understands perfectly what you are capable of and what you are passionate about. He took me all over the world, which was very special, especially in the early years when SIPA was still small. I once met the CEO of Coca-Cola with him on the top floor of their enormous, awe-inspiring old building in Atlanta. He gave me the opportunity to participate to very important meetings, so he opened doors for me that I could never have imagined. This kind of support was extremely important to me, and I will always be grateful to him for this amazing journey.

From telex to AI

CC: You say that you have developed your technical expertise over the years. Does SIPA technology make you proud, too, and if so, why?

Roberta: Yes, absolutely. I’m very proud of the broad portfolio SIPA has built over the years, especially given our scale and the evolving competition. I remember starting back when plastic bottles all looked identical and relied on base cups. Looking at where we are today, I’m proud of SIPA’s contribution to the evolution of both the containers themselves and the technology used to make them. Here at SIPA, we tackled the most challenging method right from the start: one-step technology. We pushed output higher by exploring unconventional solutions, moving from serving just converters to welcoming bottlers who started buying complete production lines and machinery. Over time, our focus shifted toward performance, speed, energy efficiency, and flexibility. Today, we even integrate AI that communicates directly with machine operators in clear, accessible language. It’s remarkable how far we’ve come in 37 years - my first piece of office tech was a telex machine (laughs), and now we’re working with AI.

CC: Why is a career in the packaging industry worthwhile?

Anna: I see three points: Firstly, this industry offers a wide variety of products that are constantly evolving. Secondly, packaging is an integral part of our everyday lives. Last but not least: Packaging is a tangible product, and we can influence its sustainable improvement.

Messages

CC: What message would you share with women who are choosing or planning their careers?

Martina: Never let a non-technical background stop you from entering the world of technology! As Roberta mentioned, she developed her technical background as she progressed in her career. I can only confirm and strongly emphasise that. When I entered this sector, I had no specialist knowledge, but I have since developed a better understanding of complex machine dynamics and technical systems. Curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to learn, you’ll open doors for the next generation of women who will follow in your footsteps. 

Roberta: I think my message comes across loud and clear in my previous answers. In fact, it cannot be emphasised enough. So again: It’s all in your hands! Don’t be afraid of anything. Gain knowledge and make it your own! Every subject is within your grasp, so keep at it! Fight where and when necessary. The beauty of it is that when you win a battle and can put your idea into practice, you get a tremendous sense of satisfaction because you know you’re on the right path.

CC: Ladies, thank you very much for the many wonderful moments we have collectively enjoyed during this conversation. Thank you also for being willing to share your thoughts with our readers. All the best!