Dave Collins was appointed vice president and general manager of Avery Dennison Performance Tapes North America in July 2022. He brings to Performance Tapes an impressive background in business development, marketing, product and supply chain management. In his most recent role, Dave served as general manager of Avery Dennison Fastener Solutions — a position he held for five years. He’s also held various positions in Label and Packaging Materials.
Dave recently shared his thoughts about his new role and Performance Tapes North America with the OnCore Live team. See what Dave has to say in the Q&A below about how Avery Dennison can help converters and manufacturers grow their businesses with pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tapes.
Avery Dennison Performance Tapes (ADPT): What are your key responsibilities in your new role?
Dave Collins (DC): My first responsibility is to support the Performance Tapes North America team, empowering individuals and giving them the tools they need to succeed. Part of the team’s success depends upon our working together to meet our customers’ needs.
Equally important is working with corporate leadership to ensure resources are in place to deliver for our customers.
ADPT: How will Avery Dennison help converters grow in the next few years?
DC: We'll help converters grow by providing high-quality products and being a consistent and reliable supplier. These are key tenets of our value proposition.
We’re committed to listening and spending time with customers to understand their needs while expanding our ability to develop and deliver solutions. We want converters to know we have the right products, the right portfolios and the custom solutions that can help them grow and respond to opportunities in the industries they serve.
ADPT: What converter growth opportunities excite you the most?
DC: There’s exciting growth in Automotive, especially around electrification. Electric Vehicle Battery (EV) is a primary example. There are also PSA tape opportunities as an assembly aid and as critical parts of functional materials that prevent flammability and provide dielectric insulation.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems — or ADAS — is also interesting. ADAS is the collective term for the sensors and other electronics at the heart of many new safety, comfort and infotainment systems in modern vehicles. Again, we see many opportunities for PSA tapes.
I’m also excited about what’s happening in the Building and Construction segment. As manufacturers look to trim costs while maintaining quality, and as the construction industry deals with a labor shortage, PSA tapes can be an important new product feature.
ADPT: What are the biggest challenges in our industry, and how is Avery Dennison addressing them?
DC: The supply chain continues to be a major challenge. Of course, this is true for many industries, but we’re particularly affected by shortages of certain chemicals and papers. We closely monitor what's happening and address issues by increasing our stock levels, expanding collaboration with key suppliers and exploring alternative options.
Inflation continues to bounce around, and it’s something we’re watching closely.. Currently, we’re seeing inflation focused on particular “pockets”of materials. Volatility remains high.
ADPT: What is there about yourself that you might like to share with our readers?
DC: Well, I’m originally from Detroit, and I graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Operations Management and Procurement. I have a strong background in product management, but I enjoy thinking broadly about opportunities in various segments. I’m very customer-focused and want Avery Dennison Performance Tapes to be not just a product supplier but a solution provider.
Outside of work, I’m married with four kids — two boys and two girls — ranging in age from five to 14. I enjoy spending time with them and coaching their sports. I’m also a golfer and a Detroit sports fan.
