The added value of automation

The key benefits of packaging automation were the focus of a recent Sealed Air PackForum event; delegates from across Europe learned how automated systems can maximize efficiency, minimize downtime and improve product protection.

Many professionals - active in fast-moving industries including e-commerce, distribution, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment (PPE) - joined Sealed Air's PackForum online event, discussing some of the most pressing packaging issues.

Focusing on automation, the event showcased a number of solutions developed by Sealed Air - such as the Autobag® PS125 bagging machine - and examined how packaging automation can improve consistency, reduce excess packaging and minimize defects. 

As Steve Dougan, EMEA Fulfilment Platform Director at Sealed Air said,

«Recent global events have affected businesses in many different ways. From unpredictable demand trends to labor shortages and social distancing in the workplace, companies have faced challenges that can affect operational performance and productivity.
These issues have been particularly relevant to packaging processes, due to Work-In-Progress (WIP) risks that rapidly slow down entire production lines and supply chains. The automation event looked at how automated and semi-automated packaging systems can overcome these complexities so as to optimize uptime, efficiency and reliability». 

Focusing on repetitive tasks in packaging, which tend to cause fatigue and result in human error and inconsistent results, the manager added: «The accuracy of automated systems avoids this problem, while at the same time defining optimal-fit packaging solutions that better protect products and use less material. This provides additional added value by optimizing transport space, while also reducing costs and carbon emissions. In addition, the improved performance related to footprint reduction provided by automation can help operators address the challenges posed by social spacing, as well as create opportunities to lower overhead costs typically associated with the increased space required by manual packaging lines».

Eight signs of waste. How to tell when a packaging line is ready to be automated? Simple, Sealed Air experts explained during the conference. 

«It's a matter of recognizing the eight signs of waste linked to downtime, clear indicators that manual packaging lines can no longer keep up with broader operational performance or customer demands. Acting sooner and switching to automated packaging solutions can help operators reduce the costs associated with such waste, regardless of whether it's longer wait times for customers or maintaining excess inventory. Implementing an automated system can often prove to be a low-capital change that delivers quick returns in terms of improved productivity and overall performance».