Warehouse workers are hand-forming and stacking hundreds of boxes to prepare for the afternoon shipping rush. Your pallets are being wrapped in so much stretch film that the product isn’t even visible through the cloud of polyethylene layers. Packages shipping on the second shift are experiencing significantly more damage than your first shift shipments.
Every day, warehouse teams strive for operational efficiency, but the hidden costs of relying on manual processes are preventing companies from truly optimizing their packaging operation.
When most packaging professionals think of incorporating automation into their end-of-line packaging program, labor savings are the primary—and in some cases, the sole consideration. To capture the real return on investment (ROI) tied to end-of-line packaging automation, we must also account for increased productivity, quality consistency, material usage optimization, and safety.
Here’s how packaging automation can provide value beyond labor savings.
Bottlenecks frequently occur where manual processes1, such as sealing cartons or wrapping pallets, typically take longer to perform. These issues may not raise a red flag during standard production times, but teams can have a difficult time keeping up during seasonal rushes when order volumes spike.
Most packaging operations can benefit from automated or semi-automated equipment that creates more predictable output levels and improves packaging line speed. Even basic, entry-level equipment solutions can multiply throughput many times over.
Most operations will see significant inconsistencies in material usage across individual packers and shifts, making it extremely hard to track. Without a real grasp of how much material is being used per shipment, understanding material costs is nearly impossible. In a world of increasing prices, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation, and global market uncertainty, this can put your operation in a bind.
Reducing unnecessary waste and material cost is a welcome “side effect” of automating your packaging processes. With automation-backed optimization of each packaging material, companies can lower costs by selecting the right box size, using the appropriate amount of void fill, and minimizing excess packaging materials like tape and stretch film.
The leading cause of injuries and missed work in the manufacturing industry is due to repetitive tasks. For packaging operations, the culprits include jobs such as manually erecting cases, hand stacking heavy cases onto pallets for shipment, and wrapping pallet loads by hand. Peak volume times and seasonal labor fluctuations often increase the risks of accidents and fatigue.
Automating these processes protects employees from injury by eliminating most of these safety risks. Keeping workers safe and preventing the unwanted costs associated with potential injuries is another key factor when discussing return on investment for packaging equipment.
Packaging operations teams should track various info before & after automation to calculate ROI:
Before identifying and selecting automated packaging equipment, packaging teams should perform an assessment on their operations. Our packaging specialists can help you evaluate, uncover hidden pain points and risks, and determine the right equipment for your needs.
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