There are a wide number of issues that can drive interest and change in the packaging equipment industry. From coding issues to production improvements, the varying factors in the market can be wide, but all of them have the same intention of improving overall production ability.
According to Food Production Daily, one change seen in the market is a support program launched by a prominent food packaging company. Videojet Technology's Project Management Services is designed to make it easier to guide packaging and processing operations, helping operators more effectively use their equipment without any major production interruptions or issues.
This program employs trained project managers to regularly step in, aiming to help improve overall production quality and prevent staffers who are unfamiliar with their equipment and technology from having long-term problems, instead allowing them trouble-free startups and operations.
One company project manager told the news source that packaging and production staff shouldn't get service from coding and marking suppliers that simply ends at the point of equipment purchasing.
"Acquisition is just the beginning of any large project; deployment is the key," Randy Kaiser of Videojet told the news source. "Complex installations require hands-on expertise in system integration and project execution."
Having access to a large hands-on project manager tool can be a huge boon for many companies, especially when a project is notably intensive, the company believes. This program is also designed to minimize in-house employees needed to integrate such packaging equipment into modern processes and improve the speed it takes these efforts to get into full quality.
The project service itself has a project manager that can keep staff fully briefed on management, operations, maintenance, quality and safety, also including a cloud-based portal that allows customer to tap into a number of relevant resources over time. It can even provide in-depth onsite training, helping operators better get up to speed about their new equipment installations.
Modular systems going strong, getting stronger
Packaging Digest reported that modular systems continue to become driving factors throughout the industry itself. The drive to develop more budget-friendly systems is leading to the creation of innovations specific to company needs. As a result, modular setups continue to drive more market interest than otherwise seen. In other words, this equipment allows producers to put different levels of volume in their production markets depending on the scale and size of the specific business.
"You need to be able to adapt to that changing market with price, pack, with new designs, with new pieces," said Denise LeFebvre, the vice president of global packaging and engineering technology at PepsiCo, at the recent Packaging Digest 2014 Global Food & Beverage Packaging Summit. "You need to have lower, ongoing capital costs. You need pieces that you can freight around,"
As a result, more and more companies in the market are pushing closer toward modular packaging procedures. Engineers everywhere from food and beverage companies like PepsiCo to consumer goods company Procter & Gamble are increasingly pushing their efforts toward new lines that can reconfigure themselves for business whether it's needed for a day, week or even just an hour.
New equipment add-ons make production stronger
A recent press release has found even more improvements are currently being seen in the marketplace. Accent Packaging Equipment recently released a new weigh filler for its products, designed specifically to weigh and package granular products like coffee with more precision and efficiency. Companies within the packaging industry have found that weigh filler products need to not only be more efficient, but they will also need to be durable to make sure they can last for extended periods of time with limited downtime.
This new weighing system is designed specifically to offer new levels of accuracy within a relatively compact design, coming complete with socketed circuit boards and components to make sure any system repairs can be made quickly no matter what turnaround needs or expectations may be.
Cabinet-free packaging machines
Packaging World noted that some packaging machines may turn further away from traditional industry expectations, as a recently-displayed system was found to do away with traditional and sometimes unwieldy electrical and pneumatic control cabinets. Instead, in the future, many of the current needs in the equipment market - sensors, motors, drives, cylinders and various similar components - will likely become needs of the past. Instead, it's likely that the future of these designs will merely require a number of cables connecting different components throughout their builds, which will allow for a better modular design, a smaller footprint and easier, more detailed engineering and designs. While it's likely that this could lead to issues in the future - most likely, more cable complications that can cause dirt to gather - the effects will be largely positive.
