Buying the right packaging equipment will bring numerous benefits to your business. Well-chosen equipment will improve productivity, lessen product rejection, and lower production costs. With globalization and evolving technologies, packaging equipment helps businesses compete and expand new markets.
However, adding new equipment to your production line requires an investment of money and time. Hence, a business must consider its expectations. Making the wrong choice can waste money if the equipment is inconsistent or doesn’t fit your current and future production procedures.
This post highlights some essential considerations for a business when it comes to buying packaging equipment. When you need to spend your money wisely, knowing what you need is essential. It allows you to discuss with your suppliers and give them information about what you want for your production line.
Level of Production
One of the important considerations is the productivity gains that your company can realistically attain. You can purchase huge equipment that fills several containers in a short time. However, if the conveyors, other equipment, and workers can’t handle the higher output, the added efficiency is wasted. Also, purchasing slow equipment will create a tailback, particularly if you want to ramp up production fast.
An important tip is to choose upgradable packaging equipment. For instance, you might convert from semi-automatic to fully automatic or purchase extra filling heads. Of course, you need to make sure that other equipment like labeling systems or cappers can cope. Unsurprisingly, an established packaging equipment maker with vast experience across many industries will offer insights into realistic business projections.
Filling Type
As you all know, different products will need different attributes from packaging equipment. For instance, if you want to invest in liquid filling equipment, pastes and thick creams will use a piston filler mechanism. Standard liquids will use gravity fillings.
All carbonated liquids require bottom-up filling heads to avoid forming, whereas bulk containers can use pump filling. Once you know the characteristics of your product, the packaging equipment maker will offer you the right advice.
Filling Volume
Your container capacity will define which packaging equipment you will buy. For instance, some packaging machines like the AV3 series fill even small containers of 5ml, and the sizable AV5 series fills up to 5 liters.
Filling accuracy is equally an essential variable. Overfilling might lead to wastage without consistent volume, while under-filling will risk your business falling foul of clients and regulators. Some manufactures will guarantee a filling accuracy of -/+5 percent on their equipment.
Customer Support and Durability
When it comes to making long-term investments, you need packaging equipment that lasts and won’t need repair or replacement. Although cheap equipment is tempting, once they break down, you will need to consider repair expenses, money lost during the downtime, and disappointing the clients.
Another aspect is customer support. That is because some overseas manufacturers make it hard to get in touch with client support or make you wait for a long duration for new parts. So, you need to work with a company that offers immediate support.
Adaptability
If you run a company that produces many products, buying adaptable packaging equipment is important. You need equipment that can cope with various container sizes or shapes, while capping equipment may need to handle various sizes and configurations like pump heads and sports caps.
You may need to add additional filling heads to improve productivity or use a range of cardboard packing boxes for packing your products. The equipment provider will also advise you on how to make sure the packaging equipment meets your requirements.
Consistency
Any packaging equipment should be able to provide consistent quality whatever the products and for all kinds of packaging. Misplaced labels, improperly sealed containers, or inconsistent product filling levels all stabilize the productivity gains you make.
Automatic, Semi-Automatic, or Manual
For the majority of small businesses, manual equipment is the ideal option. When using a manual filling machine, the operator physically depresses the lever to add a cap. These machines are durable, easy to maintain, and affordable. The only downside is that they are slower.
For large and mid-sized businesses, semi-automatic equipment, working with human power will free up time for other work. Nevertheless, if your product line generates many units, you should invest in automatic packaging machines.
Generally, packaging equipment provides the best opportunity for companies to invest in the future and work together with a supplier to improve productivity while lessening the risks. So, make sure you invest in a high-quality machine that will meet your production needs.
