Kite Packaging introduces a new air-cushion system to the UK, designed to make the packing process quicker, easier and more cost effective
Last month marked a special event for UK packaging leaders, Kite Packaging Group Limited, as they released a brand new air cushion system to the UK market. The Mini Air System will be sold through the company’s website – www.kitepackaging.co.uk – and is the lowest priced air cushion unit in the UK, retailing at just £599.
Market Gap
The concept of using air pouches to fill voids, and produce quilted cushioning using plastic films, has been around for a good number of years.
However, a focus has been on large businesses with complex delivery systems and extensive packing operations, making the purchase of an air cushion system an expensive venture. This left a market gap in the industry that meant small and medium sized businesses that required air cushions would need to place significant capital investment in to these machines, something that many organisations could not justify.
Kite Packaging identified this gap back in 2012 and has been working on a long term project since then to launch an air cushion machine that would simplify the packing operation in a cost-effective way. Similar to when “Austin Mini” helped to kick off the 60’s Cultural Revolution by building a great little car for everyone, Kite has come up with a simple cost effective air cushion system that will revolutionise the UK packaging market. The project has been designed to address the issue of the tough economic times many UK businesses are facing, with Kite realising that the need to deliver low cost reliable packaging systems to customers is paramount.
Kite Mini Air
The Mini-Air System has been designed to produce air cushions, which can be used as protective packaging for void fill, block and brace, wrapping, layering and corner protection. As well as the machine itself Kite has developed a range of six different air cushion types, which have been designed to service all types of applications.
The large filler cushions work best for void fill, and just one cushion can fill a relatively large void in a package. The wrapper tube cushions provide excellent cushioning to protect corners, and are a good protection method for fragile items that require extra cushioning. Finally, the quilted cushions provide an excellent alternative to bubble wrap, and are much more cost effective. All cushions can be torn off via a perforated edge, reducing excess waste often experienced in busy packing operations.
Cost Efficiency and Simplicity
The product innovations team at Kite Packaging have worked on this product launch for some time now, and had two key aims in mind to provide an air machine that would service its key demographic. The first would be cost efficiency; the Mini Air System has been sourced from a quality manufacturer, yet retails at £400 less than existing air cushion systems in the market. Since its launch sales have been impressive, with orders coming in from the first day of release. Kite have noted that the purchase of a packaging machine such as this requires regular investment of the raw materials (in this case the rolls of cushion film) and that these also need to be kept at a low price. Not only are the Mini Air pouches at a significantly lower cost than any similar system, but they are also more cost effective than traditional void fill such as polystyrene chips. This means that for existing users there are good savings to be had but more importantly for a large number of businesses it means that for the first time air pouches are an economically viable void fill alternative.
As an example, just 1 roll of the ‘Filler’ type air cushions (one of the six types of air cushion films available from Kite) provides adequate packing material equivalent to 16 bags of polystyrene loose fill chips. This figure could mean up to an 84% saving on void fill material costs, a great incentive for businesses looking to reduce packaging costs where possible in the current economic climate.
To help customers as much as possible with making an informed decision about the Mini Air machine, Kite has developed a price comparison tool feature which allows users to input their void fill usage and material and generate a calculation of the cost savings made when switching to air cushions. This clever tool is part of the usability element of the product launch, something Kite is passionate about on its e-commerce platform.
This leads to the second aim of launching the Mini Air – simplicity. Not only did Kite want to produce a system that was simple to use, it developed the product web page to have as much information as possible so that when the product arrived users would already know how to use it.
The Mini Air comes with a detailed guide which identifies each and every aspect of the product, Kite also tested the product in its own warehouse by giving the machine to employees who had never seen it before and asking them to use it. The result was unanimous, by checking a few points in the guide the machine can be easily set up and used within minutes. Kite has also featured several 60 second videos which show customers how to set-up, produce different types of cushioning and replace the spare parts.
Improving the Packing Operation
Air cushion machines are highly efficient, and the Mini Air in particular produces 7 metres of air cushions per minute. The perforated edge of the cushions allows for a more controlled packing environment, as for each method of packing a select number of cushions can be used per carton. This provides a good basis for working out packaging budgets, and for re-ordering the rolls of film.
The Mini Air machine is no bigger than an average printer, a huge advantage for warehouses where space is at a premium. Bags of void fill and large rolls of bubble wrap tend to take up a huge amount of space in the warehouse and are often left in the way of doors or forklifts, because the rolls of air cushion film arrive flat they take up very little space and can be run without assistance, dispensing air cushions into a bag or box next to it. This also has significant environmental benefits when considering the environmental impact of manufacturing 16 bags of polystyrene and then shipping and storing them prior to use. The equivalent in un-inflated air bags would probably be no bigger than an average shoe box.
Air cushions also produce less waste than other types of void fill and keep the packing operation clean and tidy. Often with traditional void fill, chips end up spilling on to the floor however air cushions can be ripped off one by one and packed straight into a carton with no excess waste. This also provides a more presentable and mess-free experience for the customer, a key way to increase returning orders and maintain a positive brand identity.
Quality and Testing
The Mini Air System is quality guaranteed and testing has been carried out on both the machine and all types of film and comes with a CE certificate (found at the back of the user guide). A 12 month warranty is included from the day of purchase; however the Mini Air has been designed so that much of the maintenance such as changing the belt can be done by the user quickly and easily.
Kite Packaging
Tel: 024 76420088
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