Is an Automated Packaging Line Worth the Investment?
An automated packaging line is a significant purchase for any business, requiring careful planning and expert advice to ensure the right choices are made. If you’re thinking about investing in a packaging line upgrade, it’s time to weigh up the cost, the value, the challenges and the benefits automation could bring to your operation.
At Jacob White, we’ve been helping clients introduce automation to their packaging lines for more than 100 years. Here’s what you need to know before you decide whether investing in full or partial automation is a good move for your business.
Understanding the packaging line
The packaging line has traditionally been largely manual in manufacturing businesses. Some form part of a production or assembly line that ejects the fully assembled, packaged product, and others also include end-of-line cartoning to accelerate distribution.
Automated packaging lines typically consist of a series of conveyors, some including robotic elements and sensors at each stage. They handle carton erection and product placement, sealing, labelling and all the other key packaging processes automatically.
There are different levels of automation available:
Manual operation – these types of packaging machines rely on manual input of some kind, such as carton erection or product placement.
Semi-automation – partly automated machines typically handle carton erection and sealing, with options for greater manual control, such as product placement, for instance.
Fully automated packaging line – full automation gives a hands-free experience, handling all the packaging processes. These machines can typically be controlled by a single operator or quality controller.
Considerations and benefits – weighing the cost of automation
The initial cost of introducing full automation to the packaging line will vary according to your needs and requirements. For some operations, an off-the-shelf solution may be ideal, but for many, taking a tailored approach will bring greater long-term benefits. This is where a detailed consultation with an experienced machine manufacturer will deliver the most value.
A well-planned project can bring a wider range of benefits, both financial and operational:
- Increased speed and output – a fully automated packaging line increases the speed of output significantly
- Better consistency - consistency is key for today’s manufacturers, especially if they are looking to embrace some of the opportunities
- Reduced labour reliance – operating with an automated line can dramatically reduce the costs associated with manual labour. This also gives the business much greater flexibility, delivering a fully scalable approach, particularly during seasonal operational fluctuations.
Weighing the cost of implementation, training and maintenance with the wider long-term savings, potential for new business and vital scalability is a hugely important part of the planning process. This is how you decide whether an automated packaging line is worth the investment.
Automated packaging line success stories
At Jacob White, we understand the potential challenges of implementation; the impact on the workforce, the technical requirements, compliance and other industry-specific factors. We know that you’ll need to plan implementation down to the final letter to ensure that any transition period results in minimal downtime.
This is why we start every project with a comprehensive consultation, where we take a deep dive into your business. We aim to understand your existing processes and products so that we can pinpoint the areas where you’ll benefit most from automation. We’ve worked with clients in almost every industry sector, helping to streamline, enhance and future proof operations.
Read some of our case studies to see our solutions in action:
- Biscuit brand increases production with automated packaging
- Semi automation speeds pizza packaging
- Pharmaceutical production line modernisation
Let us help automate your packaging line
With more than 100 years’ experience, Jacob White packaging is perfectly placed to support your automated packaging line implementation. Contact us today and let’s get started.
