Steve Marples, Category Manager at Antalis Packaging, explores how the right machinery and consumables can improve packaging performance and deliver a quick return on investment.
Processes that rely on manual labour can consume time, create bottlenecks and lead to inconsistent packaging quality, while excessive material use and damaged goods can add further costs.
Packaging automation offers a way to address these challenges. However, achieving the best results requires understanding where time and materials are being lost, which processes would benefit from automation, and how equipment can work with the right packaging consumables.
Working with users, Antalis Packaging is helping businesses take a more considered approach by identifying opportunities to improve performance across the packaging process.
For businesses, the initial investment can be off-putting. Yet the true cost of a packaging operation extends well beyond equipment or consumables.
Manual carton assembly, inconsistent tape application, excessive stretch film use and pallet wrapping can all affect operational efficiency. Repetitive tasks can also place physical demands on employees, while poorly secured goods increase the risk of damage.
Reviewing these processes can help identify where machinery could deliver realistic benefits and form a basis for deciding where automation makes sense.
For some businesses, a semi-automatic machine targeting a single bottleneck may be the most practical starting point.
Carton erection is one example. Hand-forming boxes can slow packing operations. Antalis offers solutions ranging from semi-automatic equipment to fully automated Lantech systems, helping prepare cartons more efficiently.
Carton sealing: Although tape is a relatively small consumable cost, its usage, application and sealing time can all affect performance. Antalis supplies carton-sealing machinery, including solutions from 3M and Lantech, along with a range of tapes for different requirements.
For businesses handling pallets, stretch wrapping is worth examining. Manual wrapping can be physically demanding. Semi-automatic and fully automated systems from suppliers including Lantech and Robopac can help improve load containment, standardise wrapping and manage film consumption.
Strapping equipment can deliver similar benefits by securing products consistently, while friction-welding tools offer additional options for suitable applications.
Protective packaging: On-demand cushioning and void-fill systems from suppliers including Ranpak, alongside air-cushion solutions from Pregis and Sealed Air, can help businesses produce protective materials as required rather than relying on pre-prepared alternatives.
Mechanising manual processes can reduce physical demands, letting employees focus on other tasks that require their attention.
Material efficiency should also be part of the assessment. Using the right equipment and consumables can help reduce unnecessary packaging.
Antalis Packaging’s Smart Packaging Centre in Leicestershire provides a facility where businesses can explore packaging technologies. Its machinery showroom covers applications including carton sealing, pallet wrapping, and protective packaging, helping customers consider equipment in the context of their wider operations.
Antalis can support customers with financing, rental and maintenance options. For businesses reluctant to commit significant capital upfront, rental may offer an alternative route to introducing machinery.
Whatever the funding approach, the business case should balance the overall cost of the operation, rather than focusing on the initial purchase price.
Antalis works with a range of businesses to understand their requirements and identify solutions. With machinery and consumables available for a wide range of applications and budgets.
With changing legislation and consumer expectations, I would urge businesses not to wait until rising costs, or new requirements force a decision. By reviewing now, businesses can identify opportunities, evaluate technology, and make informed investment decisions that can deliver benefits quickly.
To find out more visit www.antalis.co.uk/packaging or call 0370 241 1466.
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