Tag: 3BL

Kris Constantino
Director, Logistics Operations

Response Efforts After Hurrican Helene

Kris Constantino responded to county leaders’ requests for help with supply logistics after Hurricane Helene, focusing on the hardest-hit areas of North Carolina. Pensacola was largely cut off and relying on air-dropped supplies from the National Guard. The local fire chief sought Kris’s assistance to organize and transport supplies to a more accessible area for long-term housing and critical supply runs to those without road access. Meanwhile, Yancey County had received an overwhelming number of donations stored in schools, fire stations, and churches. Kris coordinated with the Product Remanufacturing Center (PRC), an Amazon partner, to secure part of their warehouse free of charge for consolidating supplies. She then designed a logistics resupply network to distribute essentials through three strategically located storefronts, ensuring that critical items like generators, fuel, warm l weather gear, and medical supplies were accessible.

*The Everyday Heroes Program honors and recognizes employees whose values, actions and behaviors advance inclusion, diversity, justice, and equity.

Mastercard

Doing well by doing good is a powerful principle that helps us build an inclusive future together — and this past year provided plenty of evidence. 

Employees in New York City are approaching corporate volunteerism as professional development by improving their neighbors’ access to crucial social services. In St. Louis, data scientists are on a mission to remove unintended bias from the surveys that assess the level of need for the homeless. And 5,000 miles away, in Warsaw, Poland, women entrepreneurs who fled war-torn Ukraine started rebuilding their lives and livelihoods with the support of a small business development program that included free childcare.

At Mastercard, we’re proud of the small role we play, alongside a laudable cast of public and private partners, in building a society where everyone has the tools and support needed to thrive. Here are some of the ways we’ve made a difference together this year.

Personal mission meets professional perk for New York City volunteers

Alice Halter wants to live in a city where everyone does well. That’s what drove the senior product design specialist at Mastercard’s Tech Hub in Manhattan to volunteer her time and expertise improving user experience on Access HRA, New York City’s Human Resources Administration portal, through which residents in need can access a host of public benefits and assistance, including food benefits, Medicaid and home energy relief.

Halter connected to the project through Unlocked, Mastercard’s AI-driven career development platform, launched in 2021, which matches employees with short-term projects, volunteer opportunities, mentoring and customized educational offerings. When Unlocked announced an innovative public-private partnership with the New York City Mayor’s Office and NYC Service in March, Halter, who spends her work hours designing seamless user experiences for Mastercard’s cybersecurity business, knew right away that she wanted to pitch in.

Her focus for the city’s Department of Social Services is accessibility — and for the two million people NYC DSS serves, there’s a great deal at stake. “Everyone has to be able to use this platform, whether they have just learned how to use a computer, don’t speak English or have an auditory processing or visual impairment,” Halter says. “Ease of use can determine whether or not someone gets benefits that they not only need but have a right to.”

St. Louis leverages data for good to deliver fairer homeless services

Mastercard data scientists were already helping St. Louis police and social services assess their Crisis Response Unit when the city sought solutions for another critical problem: improving services for unhoused people to identify disparities and accelerate inclusion. Since unintended biases came to light in the widely used Vulnerability Index, a questionnaire used across the country to help measure need and allocate housing, the city of St. Louis developed its own survey in hopes of avoiding similar problems and administering a fairer process.

Mastercard experts worked pro bono in partnership with the Institute for Community Alliances, the nonprofit that maintains St. Louis’s homeless management information system, to analyze the anonymized responses of nearly 5,000 clients — and uncovered some unexpected issues the city is now working to address. For example, the findings showed that Black respondents were underrepresented among the survey’s high scorers, who are considered most critically in need.

The volunteers went further to understand how these disparities arose. For instance, lower scores on a section that asks about medical diagnoses and prescriptions may be linked to Black Americans’ greater distrust of the health care system, so the survey creators are revising these questions to account for their experiences. Ensuring that people can access housing services through a system they trust “all starts with this assessment,” says Kathy Connors, executive director of St. Louis emergency shelter Gateway180. “This work is critical for giving fair entry to the people who need it most.”

Ukraine’s unstoppable women entrepreneurs get a new start in Poland

Polina Khlibanovska and her young son were among more than a million Ukrainian women and children who fled to neighboring Poland since Russia began its assault in 2022. With extensive experience in childcare but less knowledge in starting a business — let alone navigating permits and financing in a new country — Khlibanovska could only depend on one thing: She would stop at nothing to provide a better life for herself and her child.

After seeing it advertised, Khlibanovska was one of 1,500 women to apply for (Re)building Ukrainian Business, a small business program run by Poland’s Impact Foundation and supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. She was one of 80 to be accepted into the yearlong program. Now, thanks to the legal, business and financial support she received through the program, Khlibanovska’s venture, Smart Kindergarten Warsaw, is thriving in her new home, employing other women, and she’s looking to expand.

The women in the program were “full of energy and motivated to start a new life,” said Emilia Borkowska, project manager for the Impact Foundation. To ensure they felt comfortable and safe in their new environment, and to better equip them to succeed in business and beyond, (Re)building Ukrainian Business provided free childcare for families in the program.

Entrepreneurship — like motherhood — can be a tumultuous journey, but it’s one that the women in the program now feel ready to tackle. “Even when you have a bad day,” Khlibanovska says, “the next day, the wings open up again, and you fly.”

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

Mastercard

Doing well by doing good is a powerful principle that helps us build an inclusive future together — and this past year provided plenty of evidence. 

Employees in New York City are approaching corporate volunteerism as professional development by improving their neighbors’ access to crucial social services. In St. Louis, data scientists are on a mission to remove unintended bias from the surveys that assess the level of need for the homeless. And 5,000 miles away, in Warsaw, Poland, women entrepreneurs who fled war-torn Ukraine started rebuilding their lives and livelihoods with the support of a small business development program that included free childcare.

At Mastercard, we’re proud of the small role we play, alongside a laudable cast of public and private partners, in building a society where everyone has the tools and support needed to thrive. Here are some of the ways we’ve made a difference together this year.

Personal mission meets professional perk for New York City volunteers

Alice Halter wants to live in a city where everyone does well. That’s what drove the senior product design specialist at Mastercard’s Tech Hub in Manhattan to volunteer her time and expertise improving user experience on Access HRA, New York City’s Human Resources Administration portal, through which residents in need can access a host of public benefits and assistance, including food benefits, Medicaid and home energy relief.

Halter connected to the project through Unlocked, Mastercard’s AI-driven career development platform, launched in 2021, which matches employees with short-term projects, volunteer opportunities, mentoring and customized educational offerings. When Unlocked announced an innovative public-private partnership with the New York City Mayor’s Office and NYC Service in March, Halter, who spends her work hours designing seamless user experiences for Mastercard’s cybersecurity business, knew right away that she wanted to pitch in.

Her focus for the city’s Department of Social Services is accessibility — and for the two million people NYC DSS serves, there’s a great deal at stake. “Everyone has to be able to use this platform, whether they have just learned how to use a computer, don’t speak English or have an auditory processing or visual impairment,” Halter says. “Ease of use can determine whether or not someone gets benefits that they not only need but have a right to.”

St. Louis leverages data for good to deliver fairer homeless services

Mastercard data scientists were already helping St. Louis police and social services assess their Crisis Response Unit when the city sought solutions for another critical problem: improving services for unhoused people to identify disparities and accelerate inclusion. Since unintended biases came to light in the widely used Vulnerability Index, a questionnaire used across the country to help measure need and allocate housing, the city of St. Louis developed its own survey in hopes of avoiding similar problems and administering a fairer process.

Mastercard experts worked pro bono in partnership with the Institute for Community Alliances, the nonprofit that maintains St. Louis’s homeless management information system, to analyze the anonymized responses of nearly 5,000 clients — and uncovered some unexpected issues the city is now working to address. For example, the findings showed that Black respondents were underrepresented among the survey’s high scorers, who are considered most critically in need.

The volunteers went further to understand how these disparities arose. For instance, lower scores on a section that asks about medical diagnoses and prescriptions may be linked to Black Americans’ greater distrust of the health care system, so the survey creators are revising these questions to account for their experiences. Ensuring that people can access housing services through a system they trust “all starts with this assessment,” says Kathy Connors, executive director of St. Louis emergency shelter Gateway180. “This work is critical for giving fair entry to the people who need it most.”

Ukraine’s unstoppable women entrepreneurs get a new start in Poland

Polina Khlibanovska and her young son were among more than a million Ukrainian women and children who fled to neighboring Poland since Russia began its assault in 2022. With extensive experience in childcare but less knowledge in starting a business — let alone navigating permits and financing in a new country — Khlibanovska could only depend on one thing: She would stop at nothing to provide a better life for herself and her child.

After seeing it advertised, Khlibanovska was one of 1,500 women to apply for (Re)building Ukrainian Business, a small business program run by Poland’s Impact Foundation and supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. She was one of 80 to be accepted into the yearlong program. Now, thanks to the legal, business and financial support she received through the program, Khlibanovska’s venture, Smart Kindergarten Warsaw, is thriving in her new home, employing other women, and she’s looking to expand.

The women in the program were “full of energy and motivated to start a new life,” said Emilia Borkowska, project manager for the Impact Foundation. To ensure they felt comfortable and safe in their new environment, and to better equip them to succeed in business and beyond, (Re)building Ukrainian Business provided free childcare for families in the program.

Entrepreneurship — like motherhood — can be a tumultuous journey, but it’s one that the women in the program now feel ready to tackle. “Even when you have a bad day,” Khlibanovska says, “the next day, the wings open up again, and you fly.”

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

Nasdaq

The Corporate Governance Awards are hosted by Governance Intelligence, a digital content and events company, providing a forum where governance experts and service providers can share experiences, insights, and best practices on a range of topics. The awards celebrate outstanding achievements by governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) professionals across areas such as AGMs, compliance and ethics programs, ESG reporting, entity management, use of technology, proxy statements, investor engagement, corporate transactions, and director education and training.

“We are proud to be recognized for our team’s commitment to integrity and innovation in the boardroom and beyond. Receiving these awards is not only an honor but a testament to our continuous efforts to achieve excellence and harness technology in our corporate governance and sustainability approaches,” said Erika Moore, Corporate Secretary and Deputy General Counsel at Nasdaq, who attended the awards ceremony in New York on November 7, 2024.

Nasdaq’s Office of the Corporate Secretary team was honored to receive the Governance Team of the Year (Large Cap) award, which looked at our team’s structure and training and recognized their achievements in the past 12 months. We are committed to good corporate governance to help promote the long-term interests of our shareholders, strengthen our board and management accountability, and build trust in the organization. Moreover, our governance practices provide a structure that allows our board to set objectives, monitor performance, ensure efficient use of corporate resources, and enhance shareholder value.

Ongoing director training and education is essential for the board to be a strategic asset. The team also received the inaugural Best Director Training and Education Program award, recognizing our program for offering extensive, relevant, timely, and tailored training and education to keep the board informed on necessary issues and best practices. Nasdaq’s director orientation program familiarizes directors with our businesses, strategies, and policies through written materials and meetings with Nasdaq’s business divisions and expert teams. Directors are encouraged to participate in continuing education programs to enhance the skills and knowledge used to perform their duties. Quarterly sessions are also provided on emerging topics and product demonstrations that help them be a strategic asset in the boardroom.

In addition, Nasdaq’s Corporate ESG Strategy and Reporting team was honored at the 2024 Corporate Governance Awards, having received the Best ESG Reporting (Large Cap) award. The team is responsible for executing of our sustainability strategy, communicating our performance, metrics, and ambitions through our annual Sustainability Report and other related reports and disclosures, as well as collaborating with various stakeholders across the organization to ensure a timely and accurate data gathering process. This award recognized the quality and robustness of our ESG-related reporting, including exposure to environmental risk factors, as well as our understanding of our role in local and global communities. At Nasdaq, we are committed to advancing meaningful sustainability efforts to reverse the negative effects of climate change by minimizing our environmental footprint and delivering market-based innovations that support a net-zero future.

“We are also proud to see our clients well-represented at the 2024 Corporate Governance Awards. A big congratulations to this year’s award winners,” said Moore. Nasdaq-listed companies received awards, including Century Aluminum Company, The Kraft Heinz Company, PepsiCo, and Robinhood Markets. We look forward to partnering with our clients and learning from them as they continue to push the GRC profession forward.

Nasdaq’s purpose is to advance economic progress for all. We strive not only to become the trusted fabric of the world’s financial system, but also to power stronger economies, create more equitable opportunities, build a more inclusive capital markets ecosystem, and contribute to a more sustainable world. Our commitment to leadership in governance and sustainability principles and practices is integrated across our operations. And as a financial technology company at the epicenter of capital markets and technology, we are positioned to lead the acceleration of excellence in governance and sustainability in respect of how we operate internally and by empowering our clients with strategic solutions:

Nasdaq Governance Solutions: Boards need reliable solutions to facilitate major decisions, advance strategic vision, and drive stakeholder value. Nasdaq Governance Solutions provides an AI-enabled connected ecosystem of board technologies that empowers boards and leadership teams to work at peak performance. Learn more.Nasdaq ESG Solutions: Nasdaq has solutions to help streamline and enhance ESG operations, as well as communicate these undertakings to stakeholders as key, competitive advantages. We help companies at all maturity levels accelerate sustainability excellence and action their strategies through a combination of differentiated and purpose-built technology, data, and capital market solutions. Learn more.

ATLANTA, January 2, 2025 /3BL/ – Georgia-Pacific has completed the upgrades to its Mt. Wolf, Pennsylvania, corrugated facility that began in 2022. The investment totaled more than $18 million and funded new equipment to modernize the plant’s operations.

The upgrades included a new rooftop cyclone, a new corrugator and a state-of-the-art specialty gluer. This new equipment gives the plant improved efficiency, the ability to run digital print, and the capability to handle harder-to-run business.

“This project has been a labor of love for our facility, and we are proud that it is finally complete,” said Mario Williams, area operations leader. “The investment is a testament to the pride our employees have in our plant and in the Mt. Wolf community, and we look forward to sharing that pride with our teams, customers and neighbors for years to come.”

Georgia-Pacific’s Mt. Wolf facility is also continuing their investments in the community. Every year, the plant makes a $5,000 donation to the Eagle Fire Company, $5,000 to the Union Fire Company and $2,500 to Leg Up Farm. These donations help ensure our first responders and those in the community with unique challenges are getting the support they need.

“Part of Georgia-Pacific’s vision is to be good stewards of our communities and help the areas where we operate thrive,” said Daniel Brooks, area general manager. “By contributing to these local organizations, not only are we living up to our vision, but we’re also showing those in the community and surrounding area that we care about what’s happening outside our walls as much as what’s happening inside.”

The Mt. Wolf plant directly employs approximately 100 people. Over the past 10 years, just over $26 million in capital funds has been invested in the facility.

Stay updated on business news from Georgia-Pacific by visiting https://news.gp.com.

Media Contact: 
Lauren Campen 
404-652-8962

# # #

The global supply chain has taken a beating in recent years. From pandemic-induced bottlenecks to geopolitical tensions and climate disasters, supply chains have become a stress test for how businesses adapt—or crumble—under pressure. But as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and supply chains are undergoing a technological glow-up of epic proportions.

Enter advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation—the holy trinity of supply chain transformation. These tools are not just patching up old systems; they’re fundamentally reinventing how organizations manage demand, mitigate risks, and build sustainability into their operations. To investigate the impact of these tools, DP World and Supply Chain Dive co-authored a report, Supply Chains Prepping for a Greener, More Agile Future, in which we found that almost 90% of supply chain leaders are doubling down on sustainable practices, while adopting digital tools that make their networks more agile and efficient.

So, what’s driving this revolution? Let’s break it down.

Advanced Analytics: Turning Data Into a Crystal Ball

If data is the new oil, then advanced analytics is the refinery. Supply chains generate oceans of data, from inventory levels to delivery schedules, but it’s worthless without the tools to make sense of it. Advanced analytics is stepping in to sift through this digital debris, turning raw data into actionable insights that can predict demand shifts, streamline inventory management, and optimize transport routes.

The numbers speak for themselves. Companies using business intelligence report a 80% boost in operational efficiency, according to Edge Delta. For instance, the manufacturing solutions provider Jabil slashed inventory and time-to-market by 50% while trimming lead times and costs by 30% using analytics-driven strategies. And they’re not alone. Retail behemoth Walmart leverages analytics to reduce stockouts by 16%, ensuring shelves stay stocked and customers stay happy.

Beyond inventory, advanced analytics is also playing a crucial role in sustainability. By integrating tools like digital twins—virtual replicas of physical supply chains—companies can simulate scenarios to reduce waste, optimize resource use, and slash emissions. DP World found that nearly 60% of executives are using analytics to consolidate shipments, shorten transportation distances, and cut energy use in warehouses. The result? A supply chain that’s not just faster, but greener too.

AI: The Brain Behind the Operation

Artificial intelligence has officially graduated from sci-fi to supply chain MVP. Its ability to process complex datasets, learn from patterns, and make real-time decisions has made it indispensable for everything from demand forecasting to supplier management.

Take Microsoft, for example. By embedding AI into its supply chain, the tech giant reduced forecasting errors significantly and optimized operations across the board. According to research from IBM, 50% of companies using AI-powered predictive analytics have cut forecast errors by at least 20%, helping businesses avoid costly overstocking or stockouts. And AI isn’t just about crunching numbers—it’s about action. AI-driven cobots (collaborative robots) are now working alongside humans in warehouses, handling tasks like packing, sorting, and even defect detection.

The impact is staggering. Companies using AI have reported a 15% drop in logistics costs and a 35% improvement in inventory efficiency, according to McKinsey. But perhaps AI’s most exciting application is in risk management. Predictive models can flag potential disruptions—like weather events or supplier delays—before they happen, giving businesses the agility to pivot in real-time. As DP World’s survey highlights, 43% of executives see AI as a game-changer for reducing supply chain risks.

And then there’s the sustainability angle. Generative AI is helping companies track ESG (environmental, social, and governance) metrics, ensuring compliance with carbon reduction goals. In fact, 84% of supply chain leaders now prioritize vendors with strong decarbonization capabilities, cementing AI’s role as both a cost-saver and a planet-saver.

Automation: The Supply Chain’s Silent Workhorse

While AI gets the headlines, automation quietly powers the gears of modern supply chains. From robotic process automation (RPA) in back-office operations to IoT-enabled tracking systems, automation is elevating supply chains to new heights of speed and scalability.

Consider enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, which integrate everything from procurement to logistics into a unified platform. 66% of companies adopting ERP solutions reported improved operational efficiency, according to Oracle. Meanwhile, IoT devices are providing real-time visibility into shipments, inventory, and equipment health. Supply Chain Digital notes that IoT can boost supply chain efficiency, citing the success L’Oréal found managing customer feedback in real time.

But automation isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about resilience. Automated systems can dynamically adapt to demand shocks, reroute shipments, and even preempt equipment failures. Case in point: Business Insider reported how Caterpillar used IoT and predictive maintenance to save costs and cut downtime.

And let’s not forget the environmental benefits. Automated warehouses and fleets powered by electric and hybrid vehicles are slashing carbon footprints while keeping costs in check. DP World’s report found that 38% of supply chain leaders are adopting fuel-efficient driving practices, while 37% are switching to energy-efficient transportation methods like electric trucks. In an era where sustainability is no longer optional, automation is leading the charge toward greener supply chains.

The future of supply chains is bright, fast, and green. Advanced analytics, AI, and automation are rewriting the rules, making supply chains more efficient, resilient, and sustainable than ever before. If you’re ready to dive deeper into how these technologies are shaping the industry, check out DP World’s full report here.

From groundbreaking campaigns to innovative partnerships, in 2024 CARE received accolades that underscore the transformative power of collaboration, storytelling, and purpose-driven work.

CARE has not only impacted communities globally but has also set the standard for excellence in marketing, communications, and partnership-building. As we reflect on the year, CARE has garnered recognition from prestigious awards that celebrate the ingenuity, dedication, and partnerships that promote and fuel our work.

Highlights of our award-winning year include:

Championing Brands That Matter

This year, CARE was named to Fast Company’s Brands that Matter list, placing us in the company of brands including The Female Quotient, Nike, and Sephora. The list highlights companies that demonstrate purpose, are meaningful participants in their communities, and leverage culture to forge a deeper relationship with fans and customers.

This recognition honors our commitment to embedding social impact at the heart of our brand, ensuring that every program, campaign, and partnership reflects our mission.

Fast Company also recognized CARE’s corporate partner Mastercard on the list, in part for their support of Strive Women – a CARE-led program designed to strengthen the financial health and resilience of women-led small businesses in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam.

Pioneering campaigns with creative excellence and collaboration 

In 2024, CARE partnered with P&G and celebrity photographer Nigel Barker to capture portraits, interviews, and videos of women in Sierra Leone working alongside CARE and demonstrating the strength and leadership of women around the world. Our campaign, She Leads The World, broke new ground and secured wins for Best Influencer Collaboration and Best Non-Profit Campaign at the 2024 Anthem Awards.

CARE also gained recognition for our 2023 International Women’s Day campaign, Women Know How, securing the ANA In-House Excellence Award in the socially responsible category. CARE’s focus on equity and representation shone brightly in this campaign which secured the Grand Prize in ANA’s 2024 SeeHer GEM Award – a distinction that honors authentic and accurate portrayals of women and girls in media. At Engage for Good 2024, CARE was awarded the Gold Halo Award for Best Social Impact Creative.

Exceptional partnerships with global leaders

Our work with corporate partners including Cargill, P&G, and PepsiCo demonstrates the power of shared purpose and strategic collaboration.

With PepsiCo, CARE earned multiple accolades, including the AMCham Thailand Award, Silver in the Global Good Awards (UK) Partnership of the Year, and Ragan’s 2024 Global CSP and ESG Initiative Award.Our partnership with Cargill also received recognition at the U.S. Chamber Awards, showcasing how aligned visions can drive global change.Both of CARE’s award-winning 2023 and 2024 International Women’s Day campaigns were brought to life with support from P&G.

Excellence in digital storytelling

Finally, CARE News reached new heights with these awards:

2023 Eppy Award for Best Magazine Website, a tribute to our team’s dedication to creating compelling, user-centered platforms that engage and inspire.Communicator Award for Excellence in Writing: This award celebrated the powerful narrative of Mary Kate Wilson’s story, “Lebanon today: seeking a path through years of loss”.

Behind every award is the tireless effort of CARE’s teams who continuously push the boundaries of what’s possible.

As we celebrate this year’s achievements, we remain focused on the road ahead. The recognition we’ve received fuels our resolve to continue delivering impactful work that inspires change. Here’s to another year of CARE, Always There.

Earlier this year, ScottsMiracle-Gro, our Ortho brand, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and the Central Ohio Beekeepers Association (COBA) opened a new bee yard on our Marysville, Ohio campus to reinforce our commitment to pollinators. To continue our support for pollinators beyond our own backyard, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in partnership with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation and additional partners announced grants to conserve monarch butterflies and other insect pollinators in 24 states.

According to NFWF, the projects supported by 17 grants will increase the quality and quantity of pollinator habitat for monarch butterflies, rusty patched bumble bees and other native pollinators. The projects will also enhance outreach and support voluntary conservation efforts on private working lands.

“Pollinators are critical for the success of gardeners and we are proud to partner with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on these grants to protect and restore their habitats,” said Brian Herrington, president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. “Aligned with our Pollinator Promise to help establish and enhance pollinator gardens, we look forward to the continued efforts in conserving and recovering pollinators through the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund.”

This is the third year of the partnership between NFWF and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, supporting the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund. Learn more about the ways we GroMoreGood in the world through our Foundation.

About ScottsMiracle-Gro

With approximately $3.6 billion in sales, the Company is the world’s largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company’s brands are among the most recognized in the industry. The Company’s Scotts®, Miracle-Gro®, and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories. The Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, The Hawthorne Gardening Company, is a leading provider of nutrients, lighting, and other materials used in the indoor and hydroponic growing segment. For additional information, visit us at www.scottsmiraclegro.com.

View original content here.

Luuna® Mattresses is a Mexican startup that offers a pioneering 100% foam mattress that can be vacuum compressed into a compact box. The brand’s disruptive omnichannel marketing model and vertically integrated production process have made it one of the fastest growing brands in Latin America.

The exceptional quality of the brand’s polyurethane foam mattresses has been endorsed by a Notary Public as the Best Rated Mattress in Mexico.

BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Developing a quality product to support business expansion

As it ramped up its ambitious expansion plans, Luuna® intended to establish the most vertically integrated model in Mexico which would enable it to develop new foams quickly in response to market demand. To achieve this – it required the brand to find reliable suppliers who would be capable of efficiently delivering high-quality polyurethane formulations.

The reliability and stability of the collaboration was crucial to support Luuna® during a rapid growth phase.

“We are grateful to work with Dow and to rely on Predictive Intelligence. Thanks to Dow, we have the confidence to pursue an aggressive expansion plan, whilst ensuring that we deliver quality and reliability to our customers.”

– William Kasstan, Co-Founder and CMO, Luuna® Mattresses

SOLUTION

Generating reliable, precise formulations – thanks to digital innovation

Since working with Dow, Luuna® has benefited from DOW™ Predictive Intelligence, a digital platform that brings together over 120 years of Dow’s polyurethane formulations.

“Predictive Intelligence is a virtual lab, powered by a unified global data platform for artificial intelligence models, which allows our product development scientists to instantly visualize, analyze, and model thousands of ingredients and properties, significantly reducing development times of new polyurethane formulations,” said Sarah Eckersley, Vice President Research and Development, Dow Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure. “It puts the customer at the center of our processes, enabling Dow scientists to search for the right formulation in days or even hours.”

The precision of the formulation that DOW™ Predictive Intelligence delivers has enabled Luuna® to successfully develop new foams — allowing the company to offer a greater variety of mattresses — in a single production test. This has drastically reduced development time, while lowering the associated costs. As a result, it enables the company to pursue its expansion goals, such as creating the most advanced production center in Latin America which is expected to produce one mattress every 30 seconds.

Fewer production trials also means avoiding emissions from additional trials. Luuna® has reduced scrap to 1% in all production. These benefits help the company on its sustainability journey.

“At Dow, we are transforming the way we collaborate with our customers – combining our materials science expertise with cutting-edge digital technology to significantly improve product formulation and accelerate time-to-market,” said Aylin Tame, General Manager, Dow Mexico. “The success of our collaboration with Luuna® is evidence of the inherent possibilities of Predictive Intelligence.”

Discover more about DOW™ Predictive Intelligence

About the article

This case study was developed by a cross-discipline team representing materials and market expertise across Dow, Inc. in collaboration with our customer, Luuna® Mattresses. The Predictive Intelligence digital capabilities referenced in it have been developed by a team sponsored by Sarah T. Eckersley, Ph.D., R&D vice president of Dow Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure.

Luuna® is a trademark property of KSMV Capital, S.A.P.I de C.V.

Luuna® Mattresses is a Mexican startup that offers a pioneering 100% foam mattress that can be vacuum compressed into a compact box. The brand’s disruptive omnichannel marketing model and vertically integrated production process have made it one of the fastest growing brands in Latin America.

The exceptional quality of the brand’s polyurethane foam mattresses has been endorsed by a Notary Public as the Best Rated Mattress in Mexico.

BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Developing a quality product to support business expansion

As it ramped up its ambitious expansion plans, Luuna® intended to establish the most vertically integrated model in Mexico which would enable it to develop new foams quickly in response to market demand. To achieve this – it required the brand to find reliable suppliers who would be capable of efficiently delivering high-quality polyurethane formulations.

The reliability and stability of the collaboration was crucial to support Luuna® during a rapid growth phase.

“We are grateful to work with Dow and to rely on Predictive Intelligence. Thanks to Dow, we have the confidence to pursue an aggressive expansion plan, whilst ensuring that we deliver quality and reliability to our customers.”

– William Kasstan, Co-Founder and CMO, Luuna® Mattresses

SOLUTION

Generating reliable, precise formulations – thanks to digital innovation

Since working with Dow, Luuna® has benefited from DOW™ Predictive Intelligence, a digital platform that brings together over 120 years of Dow’s polyurethane formulations.

“Predictive Intelligence is a virtual lab, powered by a unified global data platform for artificial intelligence models, which allows our product development scientists to instantly visualize, analyze, and model thousands of ingredients and properties, significantly reducing development times of new polyurethane formulations,” said Sarah Eckersley, Vice President Research and Development, Dow Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure. “It puts the customer at the center of our processes, enabling Dow scientists to search for the right formulation in days or even hours.”

The precision of the formulation that DOW™ Predictive Intelligence delivers has enabled Luuna® to successfully develop new foams — allowing the company to offer a greater variety of mattresses — in a single production test. This has drastically reduced development time, while lowering the associated costs. As a result, it enables the company to pursue its expansion goals, such as creating the most advanced production center in Latin America which is expected to produce one mattress every 30 seconds.

Fewer production trials also means avoiding emissions from additional trials. Luuna® has reduced scrap to 1% in all production. These benefits help the company on its sustainability journey.

“At Dow, we are transforming the way we collaborate with our customers – combining our materials science expertise with cutting-edge digital technology to significantly improve product formulation and accelerate time-to-market,” said Aylin Tame, General Manager, Dow Mexico. “The success of our collaboration with Luuna® is evidence of the inherent possibilities of Predictive Intelligence.”

Discover more about DOW™ Predictive Intelligence

About the article

This case study was developed by a cross-discipline team representing materials and market expertise across Dow, Inc. in collaboration with our customer, Luuna® Mattresses. The Predictive Intelligence digital capabilities referenced in it have been developed by a team sponsored by Sarah T. Eckersley, Ph.D., R&D vice president of Dow Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure.

Luuna® is a trademark property of KSMV Capital, S.A.P.I de C.V.