Michael McCallum got his start in the packaging and processing industries while he was studying mechanical engineering technology at Durham College. During that time, he had a unique opportunity to participate in a co-op work term at the Toronto-based packaging OEM, Plexpack. McCallum was quickly intrigued by the use of automation, pneumatics, and motors controlled by electronics and software in Plexpack’s bagging, sealing, and shrink-packaging machinery. The real-world insight McCallum gained at the OEM while still in school was crucial in leading him to his career path in industrial machine design. McCallum was recently promoted to engineering manager where he hopes to make a difference and boost innovation in regard to sustainability, data acquisition, and efficiency. But he’s not done learning. While working at Plexpack for the past 11 years, he has also completed an electrical engineering fundamentals program at Humber College, he’s been involved in PMMI’s Leadership Development Program, PMMI’s risk assessment course, and he is currently completing the robotics and embedded systems program at Ryerson University.
Since you have joined Plexpack, has it been everything you had hoped for in a career?
My time at Plexpack has been quite exciting. I have moved through a few positions starting as a mechanical designer where I was responsible for customizations to standardized equipment. During my time in this position, I found the controls end of machine design to be something I wanted to pursue further. So, I started taking night courses in electrical and software engineering. In a few years, I was the senior controls engineer at Plexpack responsible for all machinery, electrical, and software systems design. It was in this position that I found what I was most interested in as a career, bringing a team of capable engineers together to conceptualize and design automated processes.
Now that you have found your place at Plexpack, what do you love most about your position?
The most fascinating part of my job is speaking with our customers to better understand the real challenges they face in their industries. With this inside knowledge, we can target and improve the processes an entire industry uses to process and package their goods. Being at the forefront of industry-specific innovation and providing value-added solutions to our customers is the best part of my job. And I help Plexpack innovate by staying informed and knowledgeable on new trends we are seeing in our industry as well as the broader automation industry in general. I cannot think of a time in the last 10 years where I have not been involved in some form of continuing education, and this has really allowed me to expand my expertise.
