Automated Packaging Systems has been a world leader in designing and manufacturing flexible packaging systems since 1962. We are the original inventor of Autobag® bagging machines and pre-opened bags-on-a-roll. We also manufacture SidePouch® specialty bags and AirPouch® protective packaging.
At Automated Packaging Systems we help customers achieve their productivity goals by providing a total systems approach. We work closely with our customers to understand their key issues and requirements. We evaluate the entire packing operation including machines, materials and services. Then we develop a complete packing solution that increases our customers’ productivity and profitability.
We have been committed to providing the highest quality plastic bags with the shortest lead times in the industry. Our manufacturing process is certified to ISO 9001/2015. With multiple manufacturing facilities in the US and Europe, we offer the largest bags-on-a-roll manufacturing capacity to ensure your supply chain remains constant.
Duncan Hall, UKI APS Commercial Director at Automated Packaging Systems Ltd, speaks to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What are your best-known products/solutions/services?
Automated Packaging Systems has been a world leader in designing and manufacturing flexible packaging systems since 1962. We are the original inventor of Autobag® bagging machines and pre-opened bags-on-a-roll. We also manufacture SidePouch® specialty bags and AirPouch® protective packaging. More recently we have been acquired by Sealed Air who are the original inventors of Bubble Wrap®; our Autobag® brand is now part of Sealed Air’s huge portfolio of packaging products designed to protect our customers products whilst maximising their productivity and profitability.
Our AirPouch® range of products offer void fill and protective wrapping solutions such as our FastWrap range of bubble on demand protective packaging. All our products are available in our GeoTech material which is made from 95% recycled material and is the go to choice for customers who value performance and sustainability.
Which industry sectors are your customers in and which ones are growing fastest?
We service a wide range of customers in a wide range of industries from hardware such as fixings and fasteners and plumbing fittings, to electrical accessories such as light switches etc, we also serve the medical industry, aerospace and automotive. We have helped customers in nearly every industry streamline their packaging process, more recently we have seen huge success with our range of E-Commerce and mail order baggers such as our Autobag 850s and it is the E-commerce and online retail sector where we have seen significant growth.
What are your most recent product innovations?
In 2020 we are welcoming our new Autobag® 650H to our product range which is a horizontal bagger presenting a preformed bag open to the operator for quick and easy loading. The horizontal orientation of the loading area will make the Autobag® 650H ideal for applications such as online returns, allowing for quick and easy repacking of apparel such as T shirts ready to be returned to stock.
What are the major trends and developments affecting your category and your customers, and how are you responding?
Obviously the Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive impact for all business across the world, our Autobag products have proved to be instrumental in allowing businesses to continue their operations in a Covid safe manner. Our Autobag 850s has allowed our online retail customers to deal with a huge increase in online orders, the Autobag 850s has a footprint of roughly one outbound packing bench but delivers the productivity of four benches so outbound packing could continue at a higher capacity with fewer packing benches meaning shipping high volumes of customer orders can still be achieved whilst observing social distancing in the warehouse.
Can you tell us about any recent customer contracts and how you helped the customer meet their challenges?
When the Covid pandemic hit in early March there was a huge demand for large volumes of PPE, we were approached by Alpha Solway part of the Globus group who had won a major contract to supply NHS Scotland with visors. Each visor had to be packed individually with a huge army of staff needed to fulfil the demand. One operator packing by hand could pack around 200 visors per hour, this being increased to around 1400 visors per hour when packing on the Autobag 500 and AL500 inline printer. Alpha Solway have since invested in a second Autobag 500 & AL500 system and continue their vital work to meet the demand of NHS Scotland to keep their staff safe. We have a video detailing the project on our LinkedIn page search for Automated Packaging Systems Ltd.
How does business in 2020 compare to previous years? What’s your strategy for succeeding in the current climate?
Obviously the Covid 19 pandemic has had a huge impact on businesses around the world. Whilst we have seen a decline in some of the sectors that we serve our customers in online retail, medical sectors and businesses supplying PPE have seen a massive surge in demand so this has offset the drop off in demand from other areas. I hope that we are beginning to enter the endgame of this pandemic with Vaccines and treatments on the horizon and I am confident that as life returns to normal that business will see a surge in demand as we return to pre covid levels. We at Automated Packaging Systems, Autobag will be on hand to assist our customers’ needs to deal with this growth whilst also navigating their way through the new protocols that will stay with us for sometime to come.
Are you taking part in any major trade shows? Can you tell us what you’ll be exhibiting there?
Most of our exhibitions were cancelled this year so we are keen for them to return in 2021, at the moment we are booked to exhibit at the Easyfairs, Empack show, Intralogistex, IRX and PPMA. We have lots of new developmets and we can’t wait to introduce them to our customers at these shows.
Automated Packaging Systems Ltd
t: 01684 891 400
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