3 Keys to Unlock the Full Potential of Your Packaging Line Upgrade
Across the industry, packaging line upgrades are increasingly becoming a priority for CPG companies. These types of investments are helping to meet the driving global market demand and enabling business of all sizes to harness the opportunities.
Optimising the packaging line requires careful planning to make sure that integrations are seamless. Often a significant investment, it is critical to work with the right people from the very start. This can often make the planning much easier, as an experienced company will take the time to truly understand your business practices and processes before they recommend a system to suit your needs. Choose machine integration specialists wisely to unlock the full potential of any upgrade.
Here are three key areas to work through when selecting and talking to potential machine manufacturers:
1. Where to find the right machine manufacturer
It can be useful to join industry groups online and seek recommendations for a supplier. Also, industry shows can be an excellent way to find packaging machine providers. Many will showcase machinery and be happy to show it in action. Shows and expos also offer unique opportunities for networking, where you can gain valuable insights and recommendations.
When you’re just beginning your journey towards a successful packaging line upgrade, be prepared to conduct in-depth research into the reputation of any potential partner. You are not just looking for a manufacturer; you’re also looking for an integration specialist.
- Review Case Studies
- Ask for testimonials
- Search for online reviews
- Review after sales service and maintenance protocols
2. Ask the right questions
During the course of any consultations, pay attention to how closely the team are prepared to collaborate with you. For a successful packaging line upgrade, you’ll need to ensure that the right boxes are ticked in the right order.
Expect to cover the following points with any potential integrator:
- Current working practices and processes
- Existing product lines and new potential markets
- Existing machinery
- Budget
- Physical space and energy capabilities
- Workforce resources
- Future plans or potential for expansion
- Compliance requirements
- Optimised packaging line design expectation
3. Timing
Once you’ve selected an integration specialist you know you can work with, there will be some important conversations to have about timing. It will be critical to get the timing right for your upgrade project. You will need to set clear timescales and understand the impact of any downtime to enable advance planning.
Raise the following points with your OEM and ensure the agreement is formalised within the contract:
- Consultation to installation timeline
- Be clear about your deadlines
- Discuss maximum operational downtime potential
- Negotiate penalties
- Training requirements
- After sales service – options and average timing
Can we help?
At Jacob White, we understand the complexity of ticking all the right boxes for a packaging line upgrade. With more than 100 years of experience working with businesses of all sizes in almost every industry sector, we can offer expert advice from the very start of your journey.
We have developed packaging line upgrades to suit precise requirements and offer both fully automated and semi-automatic integrations. Let us help you design a scalable, cost efficient upgrade and unlock its full potential to future-proof operations and embrace the opportunities.
