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Benefits of Automating Your Packaging Operation

In the face of ever stiffer competition, business must find new means of achieving competitive advantages. Automation is a possible solution to these challenging obstacles. The following summarizes some of the reasons for companies to automate.

Labour costs are one of the largest expenditures in most companies. Expenses required in finding, training and keeping high quality staff can be very expensive. Many industries find it very difficult to locate enough skilled and reliable workers. Automating can alleviate some of these difficulties by reducing the number of skilled workers needed, as well as allowing the reassignment of staff to more critical tasks such as quality control. Automation can allow companies to maximize their labour resources while lowering labour costs.

In many industries, increasing the throughput of the packaging line, in order to reach the very demanding requirements of a just in time operation, is a critical operational necessity. High speed automated packaging machines can produce astonishing throughput results that even the most skilled and motivated labour force could never hope to achieve.

Even the most reliable work force can make mistakes. To error is human. However, automated packaging systems when properly setup and maintained can be relied upon for outstanding quality control.

Factory/warehouse space is expensive. In the face of business expansion it is beneficial to delay as long as possible a move to a larger facility. Automation can achieve this goal by increasing packaging throughput while using less real estate. Thereby postponing, a costly capital outlay for a new facility, while keeping up with production demands.

The benefits of automating are numerous. The following are a few product suggestions that many companies will find well suited to their requirements while still within the budget considerations of moderately sized packaging operations.

Automated Case Erectors — Like the Loveshaw CF-20T Automatic Case Erector provides on demand box making solutions that can save your packaging operation money. An automatic case erector can be economically beneficial to packaging lines with volumes as low as 500 cases per day. Some of the principal benefits are:

1. Reduced staffing and associated costs
2. Eliminating carpal tunnel syndrome in box making workforce due to the repetitive nature of the task.
3. Saves precious warehouse real-estate by providing boxes only when needed. You only need to store flat boxes instead of fully erected units.

Automatic Case Sealers – Fully automated case sealers like the a Loveshaw LD-16A, a uniform top and bottom case sealer or the Loveshaw LD-16R, a random sized top and bottom case sealer, are suitable for operations with large runs of corrugated boxes, cases or cartons. Some of the principal benefits include:

1. Fully automated case sealing solution does not require an operator thereby reducing labour and associated costs (health benefits, insurance, sick days etc) and increased productivity over manual sealing processes.
2. Consistent high quality box sealing provides consistent containment results.
3. Higher throughput performance.
4. Uniform automatic case sealer LD-16A also provides automatic sequencing without an operator

Automatic Labelling Systems - Labelling Technologies Model UT2seLLS print and apply labelling system is a valuable addition to any automated packaging operation. The UT2seLLS’s versatility allows it to apply labels to diverse surfaces such as cases, pallets or directly on the product. It is capable of printing and applying high quality graphics and text as well as bar codes.

Automatic Stretch Wrappers — Lantech Model Q-300XT simple automated turntable style stretch wrapper can be an invaluable addition to your packaging operation. You can benefit from the following advantages by automating your stretch wrapping.

1. Lower labour and associated costs (health benefits, insurance, sick days etc) and increased productivity over hand wrapping
2. Lower packaging material costs
3. Consistent load containment results in lower cost due to shipping damages
4. Higher throughput especially when deadlines need to be met.

Automatic Shrink Wrapping — RBS Equipment Designs offers the fully automatic Model IABLS L-Bar sealer for higher speed requirements. This sealer uses a belt to belt transfer system with a synchronized film advance system for a smooth and efficient movement of product through the sealing area. It is especially good for wrapping loose paper and other similar products that tend to be difficult to wrap at high speeds automatically.

For many companies the decision to automate will become obvious when the all benefits are analysed. It must be emphasized that many automated systems are even in the price range of smaller businesses.

To learn more about the benefit of automating your packaging operation or to find an automated packaging solution right for your application, consult with a packaging equipment professional, such as Star Packaging Equipment today.

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