| | 9 OCTOBER 2024Productivity and Flexibility. Automated packaging machinery is much faster than manual packaging. The speed accelerates throughput and provides much-needed flexibility ­ think quicker changeovers and responsiveness to volatile demand spikes. Packaging lines can be optimized with the right expertise to reduce bottlenecks and improve the flow of packaging and packaged products through manufacturing and distribution facilities.Transportation Costs. Fuel and related transportation costs are increasingly influencing the decision to automate packaging. The right packaging equipment can provide the flexibility needed to downsize materials to reduce dimensional weight. Lighter packages mean lower freight costs. Even as inflation results in higher material costs, businesses can achieve a reasonable or even aggressive rate of return on their automation equipment investments if packaging setups result in more items being able to ship at one time, or when a product goes out the door at higher speeds -- sometimes as much as three times higher.Quality Control. Packaging automation also plays a critical role in quality control. Vision systems are very effective in detecting defects and eliminating waste, considerations that are foundational to companies pursuing sustainability goals and ESG requirements. Automated systems also facilitate traceability and data-driven manufacturing processes.Safety. Manual packaging is repetitive and can cause employee fatigue and repetitive stress injuries. A safer work environment also improves employee satisfaction and retention which helps to mitigate labor shortages. In the food industry, automatic packaging also reduces the risk of food contamination.ROI for Packaging AutomationWhen implementing a packaging automation solution, whether choosing standalone packaging equipment, or installing a complete packaging automation line, the machinery should be ideally suited to the specific application, as well as the company's particular operational, financial, and marketing objectives. For example, a snack producer which sells natural beef jerky to supermarket chains could not keep up with customer demand. Employees manually weighed and bagged the product, then labeled, code-dated each bag, and inserted a desiccant packet, all by hand. The 10-person team could process a maximum of 4000 lbs. per week. This created a dilemma when a large supermarket chain offered a contract to 8000 lbs. per week.After investigating a number of possible solutions, the company called in SupplyOne to provide a complete overhaul of its packaging operations. SupplyOne designed and supplied pre-printed bags and installed an ink jet system to automatically print the freshness date, thereby eliminating several manual steps in the packaging operation, with the side benefit of providing more appealing packaging for the retail consumer. A 10-head combination scale was also installed. It can fill one bag every 3-4 seconds at an accuracy of ± 0.1 gram and automatically insert a desiccant pack. Previously, overfills were as much as a half-ounce per bag at $32 per pound. Two people can now weigh and package jerky three times faster than the 10 people who previously did the work. Production was doubled using one-fifth of the labor, saving $320,000 in direct labor costs annually. The automation solution cost $135,000, paying for itself in five months.Wide Range of Automation SolutionsA wide range of automation solutions are available for each of the three types of packaging: primary, secondary, and end-of-line packaging.Primary packaging, also known as retail packaging or consumer packaging, is directly in contact with the product itself. The primary packaging machinery is located at the beginning of the packaging line. Examples of automated and semi-automated primary machinery include case erectors, orienteers, fillers, bagging machines, shrink wrappers, tray sealers, vacuum sealers, and labelers.Secondary packaging equipment packs multiple individual packages into a larger carton or item bundling. Case packers, stretch wrappers, protective packaging equipment, and shrink wrappers are typical examples of secondary equipment.As the term suggests, end-of-line equipment is used to prepare packages for transportation and storage and includes conveyors and pallet wrappers to name a few. The Bottom LineThe return on investment for packaging automation has become increasingly favorable as companies respond to labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and inflation. Automation enhances profitability in several ways: it can lower expenses by reducing labor, waste, and transportation costs, and it can increase revenues by expanding throughput and providing the flexibility to respond to spikes in demand and new market opportunities. Moreover, packaging automation makes companies more resilient to labor and supply chain challenges, to the benefit of customers and investors. When implementing a packaging automation solution, whether choosing standalone packaging equipment, or installing a complete packaging automation line, the machinery should be ideally suited to the specific application, as well as the company's particular operational, financial, and marketing objectives
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