How To Choose A Packaging Machinery And Materials Supplier:
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When it comes to choosing a supplier for your packaging materials and machinery, it is important to do your homework and ask yourself a few questions. You should investigate at least three different suppliers and learn about several important dynamics from each of them.
Location
It is a good idea to choose a packaging machinery supplier who is relatively close to your geographical location or can easily travel to you. This will have an impact on your business when there is a need for repairs or emergency service for your equipment. Pick a supplier who is in another country and you may find yourself dead in the water for days on end. Choosing a supplier with technicians who are local is always a smart idea. When it comes to your materials, you don't have to be as worried about the physical location as most supplies can be shipped timely.
Technicians
It is important to choose a packaging machine supplier with experienced and certified technicians who are professionally trained to work on your packaging equipment. Without the proper certifications, you are taking a chance with your equipment. You could end up paying big when risking service with non-certified techs.
Customer Service
It may be tempting to source the cheapest packaging materials in an attempt to save money, but if you buy from a company with poor customer service, you may end up losing the anticipated savings anyway. Poor service often means lost dollars. Check out reviews of each vendor and if possible, reach out to current customers and ask about their vendor's customer service and if they would recommend buying from them.
Cost
There is an old saying in the packaging industry and that is "shrink film is shrink film". While there are some brands with flashy marketing and sales gimmicks with a premium price, chances are, there are several less costly alternatives that are of equal quality. If you are looking for comparisons, there are generally low-cost films that have lower clarity and higher-cost films that will shine more and have better clarity. Choosing an inexpensive film may cost you in shelf presence.
Snake oil and elevator pitches can blur the line between reality and illusion. At the end of the day, you will want to purchase from an honest supplier who carries multiple offerings at different price points and provides superior customer service.
Parts
Depending on how often your machinery is running, your downtime due to repair needs or emergency service will vary. As time is money, it is important to ask your machine supplier about lead times, parts availability, and preventative maintenance programs.
Ask each potential vendor what their average response times for emergency calls are. In most cases, it should not be more than 24-48 hours.
Which Packaging Materials Should You Use?
Different types of machinery require different types of materials and utilize different amounts of materials based on the make and model of equipment. For example, while you can save money upfront by purchasing a manual L-Bar Sealer, your cost of goods will likely be higher as a more expensive automatic sealer will generally use less material than the manual machine because the machine will generally be optimized to do so.
That being said, the quantity of product that you will be producing must also be taken into consideration. An automatic sealer won't be the right machine for a small business that is only running a couple of thousand items or less each week.
This is due to the fact that each model is designed to work with specific maximum and minimum capabilities and materials. Every machine is different. Your packaging line's unique needs must be taken into consideration when choosing the appropriate machine for your application. This can result in higher production costs if your choice of machinery cannot run thinner gauge shrink film. Using thinner gauges of shrink film can result in significant cost savings.
Conclusion:
Buying packaging machinery is a major investment. The various dynamics of choosing machinery include; safety, budget, physical layout, electrical supply, materials, and a whole host of considerations that can make your head spin.
When moving forward with the buying process it is important to start by reviewing the appropriate KPIs with an emphasis on safety first. Next, you will want to be sure to complete the packaging machinery pre-investment checklist. After filling out the information in this valuable tool and getting your results back, you will want to move on to getting quotes from at least two or three vendors.
Getting an analysis of your packaging department and collecting data on your current machinery, manual labor, materials, physical footprint, electrical requirements, production levels, types of products and the other important dynamics of running a safe and productive packaging line is key.
Once you have been able to fully analyze every aspect of your packaging line, asking for quotes from each of the vendors you are giving an opportunity to quote will provide you with peace of mind that you are going get the best deal and receive the best of what each vendor has to offer.
In addition to requesting information and pricing on the packaging machinery you are looking to purchase, be sure to also acquire information about the cost of service, installation, any training available, supply, and repairs. Ideally, you should consider getting a quote for a long-term preventative maintenance plan as this type of program will ensure that your machinery is always running at peak performance and that downtime will be limited when it does occur.
Once you have chosen a vendor to buy from, meeting with your representative and reviewing the machinery offerings that they have will allow you to open a conversation about pricing. Here you can ask about special offers, rebates, additional options, leasing versus buying, and other related dynamics that will help you to get the best price and best plan implemented for your specific budgetary restraints and packaging line needs.
Finally, it would do you well to schedule quarterly, bi-annual or annual meetings for review with your chosen vendor's sales representative and one of their maintenance technicians.
This will allow you to review data from one meeting to the next and identify places where your machinery and materials could be improved upon to further reduce your cost of production, increase speed to market, create greater efficiency and produce a superior performance on your packaging lines KPIs.
Once you have purchased your new machinery and have worked with your chosen vendor to install the machinery, train your operators, and all else has been said and done, be sure to schedule your first review before your representative leaves your building.
Kinsun Product Page
If you heed the information in this guide, we assure you that you will make the best possible choice of packaging machinery for your packaging department. Furthermore, you will be able to ensure the purchase and implementation of the best materials for your products and may rest assured that you have done everything in your power to have the best possible packaging line for your business.
Should we not have produced answers to some of your questions or content that is crucial to your particular needs in regard to buying new machinery, contact us directly. Your voice can help others in your position in the future!
Our dedicated packaging professionals can and will answer any questions that have not been answered by this guide. In addition to what you have read here, we invite you to peruse our blog which is absolutely packed to the brim with useful information, free tools, and quality content that will make for a highly useful adjunct to this guide.
Last but not least, you will find a selection of free tools below that will help you on your journey to finding the best packaging machinery for your packaging line.
From all of us here at Industrial Packaging, we wish you well on your quest and again would implore you to contact us if you need anything else that you could not find in this guide.
There are many different factors you should take into account as you are selecting new packaging machinery for your operation. We dive into the important things you should look for and why.
What Are You Packaging?
Chances are you know what you&#;re packaging. But it&#;s important that you have all the information readily available as you&#;ll need to relay all the information to the person you&#;re discussing the machinery with.
What are you packaging, how much are you looking to produce, etc.? This will be important as you are able to take a look at options that are best for your product and business goals.
How Do You Want It Built?
Do you want the new machinery to be modular-built or more complex? Is it important to you that the machine is built for future growth? Be sure to keep long term goals in mind so that you invest in machinery that can grow with you and your company.
Consider versatility - Will the machinery be dedicated to one product line, or a multiple products? There are advanced machines available that can automatically adjust to package different product sizes automatically in the production line but is this important to you? What are you needs?
What&#;s Your Available Space?
You need to have an understanding of what you can fit in your facility. You might find machinery that you feel would be great for your packaging - but then find out it&#;s too large for your actual available floor space.
You also need to take into account your employee&#;s moving around, and what is an optimal amount of space to have. Is there enough space for panels to open for maintenance? Is there space for aisles next to it?
Can you install a mezzanine to take advantage of limited floor space with the area above the machine?
How Fast Can the Machine Run VS. Your Bandwidth?
It&#;s important that you&#;re not only hitting your production numbers for customers, but exceeding them. The more you&#;re able to produce in a shorter period of time, the bigger the contract opportunities will be and the more customers you can take on, but don&#;t forget about being able to handle the growth.
Will your team be able to keep up with growing demand? You don&#;t want to become overloaded and lose business for missed commitments because you can&#;t keep up.
Be strategic in planning for increased volume. When selecting your packaging machinery, you should have a good understanding of how quickly it can turn around packaged products and your plans for future growth. If you are a contract packager, a faster machine like a VFFS (Vertical Form Fill & Seal) machines can run at up to 300 packages per minute.
Have an understanding of the specific features that make it faster, and how you will handle the increased volume, both feeding the machine and taking it away.
Make a sound investment in new machinery that meets your needs for throughput, capital and fastest ROI with our free Packaging Machinery Pre-Investment Checklist!
Will There Need to Be Additional Assembly and Installation?
Some machines might need additional assembly and installation in order to produce what you&#;re looking for. You should have a good understanding of what the machinery setup is like and what/who is required.
Some machines will need to be integrated into your packaging line to produce what you are looking for. This should be taken into account when planning for going live with your newly enhanced packaging line. Consider the time it may take to work out any bugs prior to full production.
Also consider when you need the machinery to be fully functional and what lead times you should anticipate. If there are options available to enhance the machinery for your production, know what they are and if you are also able to upgrade it as your needs change.
What About Service And Support?
When choosing your next addition to your packaging line it&#;s also good to have an understanding of the service and support that will come with it. Will your machine operators require additional training for the new machinery?
Consider setting up time with a certified technician to train your employees on proper use and maintenance. A quality supplier will have options available for service in your local area or will be able to assist you in maintaining and operating properly.
Downtime means money lost, you want to know that if something goes wrong you can get support quickly. Proper preventative maintenance allows for planned downtime so that you aren&#;t blindsided by issues and you can keep your operation running.
What Are Your Safety Considerations?
Safety is very important as you&#;re designing out your next packaging machine. A trend in machinery is creating Safe Zones, so that when one part of the machine is an a safe state, the rest of the machine is in standby or continues normal operation. Safe zones will increase your up-time and reduce scrap or waste. It&#;s important that you are building in safety components early on and not after the fact.
Consider a lock-out/tag-out process so it is clear when the machine is down and being worked on.
Does the machine need to be Arc-Flash compliant, which is a newer OSHA regulation? According to a report by Convergence Training, electrical wiring methods were in the top 10 citations of , so be sure your on top of training and working within regulation.
Consider a see-through panel outside of your electrical cabinet with a Graceport connector so when making changes to the program, you can see visually that the inputs and outputs are working properly. These types of machinery modifications can be discussed and implemented prior to delivery and installation of your new machines, so be sure to speak with your supplier ahead of time.
Is Multi-Ethernet And Integrated Hardware Important For Your Business?
Many machines have an Ethernet option which allows multiple people to view the machines operation. Additionally, it allows for the capability to send information for generating reports based on the specific metrics you are targeting.
Having software and hardware that is integrated is ideal for the smoothest system functionality and allows you to access information of the production, maintenance. You should have one program per project for each of your machines.
Even if you don&#;t allow outside support technicians to view machinery functions due to firewall security purposes, integrated hardware will help accessing the reports you need. Integrated hardware allows for predictive maintenance, letting you know when work needs to be done and on which parts need it.
Your machines are what gets products packaged, keeps customers happy and what generates new business. It&#;s important that not only are you selecting machinery that is going to work for your current business goals, but that you are building out a packaging line that will support your future growth as well.
If you follow these pointers and questions you should be set up for success in building out your new packaging line.
Want to be certain that a new piece of machinery is the right solution for your business? Download your copy of the Packaging Machinery Pre-Investment Checklist here!
The Complete Guide To Buying Packaging MachinePackaging Machinery
How To Choose A Packaging Machinery And Materials Supplier:
When it comes to choosing a supplier for your packaging materials and machinery, it is important to do your homework and ask yourself a few questions. You should investigate at least three different suppliers and learn about several important dynamics from each of them.
Location
It is a good idea to choose a packaging machinery supplier who is relatively close to your geographical location or can easily travel to you. This will have an impact on your business when there is a need for repairs or emergency service for your equipment. Pick a supplier who is in another country and you may find yourself dead in the water for days on end. Choosing a supplier with technicians who are local is always a smart idea. When it comes to your materials, you don't have to be as worried about the physical location as most supplies can be shipped timely.
Technicians
It is important to choose a packaging machine supplier with experienced and certified technicians who are professionally trained to work on your packaging equipment. Without the proper certifications, you are taking a chance with your equipment. You could end up paying big when risking service with non-certified techs.
Customer Service
It may be tempting to source the cheapest packaging materials in an attempt to save money, but if you buy from a company with poor customer service, you may end up losing the anticipated savings anyway. Poor service often means lost dollars. Check out reviews of each vendor and if possible, reach out to current customers and ask about their vendor's customer service and if they would recommend buying from them.
Cost
There is an old saying in the packaging industry and that is "shrink film is shrink film". While there are some brands with flashy marketing and sales gimmicks with a premium price, chances are, there are several less costly alternatives that are of equal quality. If you are looking for comparisons, there are generally low-cost films that have lower clarity and higher-cost films that will shine more and have better clarity. Choosing an inexpensive film may cost you in shelf presence.
Snake oil and elevator pitches can blur the line between reality and illusion. At the end of the day, you will want to purchase from an honest supplier who carries multiple offerings at different price points and provides superior customer service.
Parts
Depending on how often your machinery is running, your downtime due to repair needs or emergency service will vary. As time is money, it is important to ask your machine supplier about lead times, parts availability, and preventative maintenance programs.
Ask each potential vendor what their average response times for emergency calls are. In most cases, it should not be more than 24-48 hours.
Which Packaging Materials Should You Use?
Different types of machinery require different types of materials and utilize different amounts of materials based on the make and model of equipment. For example, while you can save money upfront by purchasing a manual L-Bar Sealer, your cost of goods will likely be higher as a more expensive automatic sealer will generally use less material than the manual machine because the machine will generally be optimized to do so.
That being said, the quantity of product that you will be producing must also be taken into consideration. An automatic sealer won't be the right machine for a small business that is only running a couple of thousand items or less each week.
This is due to the fact that each model is designed to work with specific maximum and minimum capabilities and materials. Every machine is different. Your packaging line's unique needs must be taken into consideration when choosing the appropriate machine for your application. This can result in higher production costs if your choice of machinery cannot run thinner gauge shrink film. Using thinner gauges of shrink film can result in significant cost savings.
Conclusion:
Buying packaging machinery is a major investment. The various dynamics of choosing machinery include; safety, budget, physical layout, electrical supply, materials, and a whole host of considerations that can make your head spin.
When moving forward with the buying process it is important to start by reviewing the appropriate KPIs with an emphasis on safety first. Next, you will want to be sure to complete the packaging machinery pre-investment checklist. After filling out the information in this valuable tool and getting your results back, you will want to move on to getting quotes from at least two or three vendors.
Getting an analysis of your packaging department and collecting data on your current machinery, manual labor, materials, physical footprint, electrical requirements, production levels, types of products and the other important dynamics of running a safe and productive packaging line is key.
Once you have been able to fully analyze every aspect of your packaging line, asking for quotes from each of the vendors you are giving an opportunity to quote will provide you with peace of mind that you are going get the best deal and receive the best of what each vendor has to offer.
In addition to requesting information and pricing on the packaging machinery you are looking to purchase, be sure to also acquire information about the cost of service, installation, any training available, supply, and repairs. Ideally, you should consider getting a quote for a long-term preventative maintenance plan as this type of program will ensure that your machinery is always running at peak performance and that downtime will be limited when it does occur.
Once you have chosen a vendor to buy from, meeting with your representative and reviewing the machinery offerings that they have will allow you to open a conversation about pricing. Here you can ask about special offers, rebates, additional options, leasing versus buying, and other related dynamics that will help you to get the best price and best plan implemented for your specific budgetary restraints and packaging line needs.
Finally, it would do you well to schedule quarterly, bi-annual or annual meetings for review with your chosen vendor's sales representative and one of their maintenance technicians.
This will allow you to review data from one meeting to the next and identify places where your machinery and materials could be improved upon to further reduce your cost of production, increase speed to market, create greater efficiency and produce a superior performance on your packaging lines KPIs.
Once you have purchased your new machinery and have worked with your chosen vendor to install the machinery, train your operators, and all else has been said and done, be sure to schedule your first review before your representative leaves your building.
If you heed the information in this guide, we assure you that you will make the best possible choice of packaging machinery for your packaging department. Furthermore, you will be able to ensure the purchase and implementation of the best materials for your products and may rest assured that you have done everything in your power to have the best possible packaging line for your business.
Should we not have produced answers to some of your questions or content that is crucial to your particular needs in regard to buying new machinery, contact us directly. Your voice can help others in your position in the future!
Our dedicated packaging professionals can and will answer any questions that have not been answered by this guide. In addition to what you have read here, we invite you to peruse our blog which is absolutely packed to the brim with useful information, free tools, and quality content that will make for a highly useful adjunct to this guide.
Last but not least, you will find a selection of free tools below that will help you on your journey to finding the best packaging machinery for your packaging line.
From all of us here at Industrial Packaging, we wish you well on your quest and again would implore you to contact us if you need anything else that you could not find in this guide.
8 Things You Need To Know Before Buying Your Next ...
There are many different factors you should take into account as you are selecting new packaging machinery for your operation. We dive into the important things you should look for and why.
What Are You Packaging?
Chances are you know what you&#;re packaging. But it&#;s important that you have all the information readily available as you&#;ll need to relay all the information to the person you&#;re discussing the machinery with.
What are you packaging, how much are you looking to produce, etc.? This will be important as you are able to take a look at options that are best for your product and business goals.
How Do You Want It Built?
Do you want the new machinery to be modular-built or more complex? Is it important to you that the machine is built for future growth? Be sure to keep long term goals in mind so that you invest in machinery that can grow with you and your company.
Consider versatility - Will the machinery be dedicated to one product line, or a multiple products? There are advanced machines available that can automatically adjust to package different product sizes automatically in the production line but is this important to you? What are you needs?
What&#;s Your Available Space?
You need to have an understanding of what you can fit in your facility. You might find machinery that you feel would be great for your packaging - but then find out it&#;s too large for your actual available floor space.
You also need to take into account your employee&#;s moving around, and what is an optimal amount of space to have. Is there enough space for panels to open for maintenance? Is there space for aisles next to it?
Can you install a mezzanine to take advantage of limited floor space with the area above the machine?
How Fast Can the Machine Run VS. Your Bandwidth?
It&#;s important that you&#;re not only hitting your production numbers for customers, but exceeding them. The more you&#;re able to produce in a shorter period of time, the bigger the contract opportunities will be and the more customers you can take on, but don&#;t forget about being able to handle the growth.
Will your team be able to keep up with growing demand? You don&#;t want to become overloaded and lose business for missed commitments because you can&#;t keep up.
Be strategic in planning for increased volume. When selecting your packaging machinery, you should have a good understanding of how quickly it can turn around packaged products and your plans for future growth. If you are a contract packager, a faster machine like a VFFS (Vertical Form Fill & Seal) machines can run at up to 300 packages per minute.
Have an understanding of the specific features that make it faster, and how you will handle the increased volume, both feeding the machine and taking it away.
Make a sound investment in new machinery that meets your needs for throughput, capital and fastest ROI with our free Packaging Machinery Pre-Investment Checklist!
Will There Need to Be Additional Assembly and Installation?
Some machines might need additional assembly and installation in order to produce what you&#;re looking for. You should have a good understanding of what the machinery setup is like and what/who is required.
Some machines will need to be integrated into your packaging line to produce what you are looking for. This should be taken into account when planning for going live with your newly enhanced packaging line. Consider the time it may take to work out any bugs prior to full production.
Also consider when you need the machinery to be fully functional and what lead times you should anticipate. If there are options available to enhance the machinery for your production, know what they are and if you are also able to upgrade it as your needs change.
What About Service And Support?
When choosing your next addition to your packaging line it&#;s also good to have an understanding of the service and support that will come with it. Will your machine operators require additional training for the new machinery?
Consider setting up time with a certified technician to train your employees on proper use and maintenance. A quality supplier will have options available for service in your local area or will be able to assist you in maintaining and operating properly.
Downtime means money lost, you want to know that if something goes wrong you can get support quickly. Proper preventative maintenance allows for planned downtime so that you aren&#;t blindsided by issues and you can keep your operation running.
What Are Your Safety Considerations?
Safety is very important as you&#;re designing out your next packaging machine. A trend in machinery is creating Safe Zones, so that when one part of the machine is an a safe state, the rest of the machine is in standby or continues normal operation. Safe zones will increase your up-time and reduce scrap or waste. It&#;s important that you are building in safety components early on and not after the fact.
Consider a lock-out/tag-out process so it is clear when the machine is down and being worked on.
Does the machine need to be Arc-Flash compliant, which is a newer OSHA regulation? According to a report by Convergence Training, electrical wiring methods were in the top 10 citations of , so be sure your on top of training and working within regulation.
Consider a see-through panel outside of your electrical cabinet with a Graceport connector so when making changes to the program, you can see visually that the inputs and outputs are working properly. These types of machinery modifications can be discussed and implemented prior to delivery and installation of your new machines, so be sure to speak with your supplier ahead of time.
Is Multi-Ethernet And Integrated Hardware Important For Your Business?
Many machines have an Ethernet option which allows multiple people to view the machines operation. Additionally, it allows for the capability to send information for generating reports based on the specific metrics you are targeting.
Having software and hardware that is integrated is ideal for the smoothest system functionality and allows you to access information of the production, maintenance. You should have one program per project for each of your machines.
Even if you don&#;t allow outside support technicians to view machinery functions due to firewall security purposes, integrated hardware will help accessing the reports you need. Integrated hardware allows for predictive maintenance, letting you know when work needs to be done and on which parts need it.
Your machines are what gets products packaged, keeps customers happy and what generates new business. It&#;s important that not only are you selecting machinery that is going to work for your current business goals, but that you are building out a packaging line that will support your future growth as well.
If you follow these pointers and questions you should be set up for success in building out your new packaging line.
Want to be certain that a new piece of machinery is the right solution for your business? Download your copy of the Packaging Machinery Pre-Investment Checklist here!