The Cost of Downtime in the Food Packaging Sector
In the highly competitive food packaging industry, keeping production lines running smoothly is critical. Any downtime—whether due to mechanical failures or routine maintenance—can disrupt operations, delay shipments, and lead to significant financial losses.
As demand for faster and more efficient production grows, manufacturers are increasingly seeking smarter ways to reduce downtime and boost productivity. From predictive maintenance to streamlined changeovers, let’s find out more about how our customers are doing it.
Just how costly is downtime for the food packaging industry?
Downtime in the food packaging sector can be particularly damaging to both products and profits. Unlike other industries, where downtime may only delay production, in food packaging, even short delays can result in wasted perishable goods and increased operational costs.
Studies have shown that unplanned downtime costs manufacturers about $50 billion annually, with 82% of companies experiencing unplanned downtime. In the food industry, unplanned downtime can represent a loss of 1-10% of annual revenue, depending on how long it lasts and how critical the production line is.
The importance of minimising downtime
Whether through machine failure, maintenance or packaging line changeovers, making sure downtime is kept to an absolute minimum is critical. It not only halts the packaging line but may also force entire batches of food to be discarded due to spoilage or contamination risks.
Traditional approaches to equipment maintenance, such as scheduled checks or reactive maintenance after a breakdown, are often inefficient. Preventive maintenance can take machinery offline unnecessarily, while reactive maintenance results in extended downtime and higher repair costs.
As regulatory mandates demand seamless compliance across the food sector, it has never been more important to ensure that manufacturers are doing all they can to minimise downtime, yet not compromise quality control.
How to minimise downtime for food packagers
Predictive maintenance
Predictive maintenance leverages real-time data and advanced analytics to monitor equipment, identify potential failures, and schedule maintenance before issues become costly breakdowns.
For food packaging machinery, which often operates at high speeds with strict hygiene and safety standards, predictive maintenance is helping manufacturers avoid disruptions and ensure their machinery is always running at optimal performance.
By identifying issues before they cause failure, predictive maintenance allows manufacturers to plan maintenance activities around production schedules, ensuring that the machinery remains operational for longer periods and is only serviced when necessary.
Instead of adhering to rigid maintenance schedules, predictive maintenance allows food packaging machinery to be serviced exactly when needed. This reduces unnecessary downtime caused by routine maintenance and ensures equipment is functioning optimally during peak production periods.
Accelerate changeovers with a digital interface
In production lines that package a variety of food products, there comes a time when changeovers are necessary, particularly for small to medium sized operations handling several lines.
Some of the latest food packaging technologies incorporate an innovative, hands free approach to changeovers. This type of automated machine, such as the NS-X 6 cartoner, has a facility to adjust both size and speed variations with no parts change required.
This effectively minimises downtime, as the system uses adjustment points fitted with hand wheels and has digital interface to assist and support the changeover. This brings overall flexibility to the production line and offers manufacturers an opportunity to diversify further.
Implementing your solution
Many automatic food packaging machines are already equipped with sensors and smart technology that support predictive maintenance, while streamlining the changeover process.
With the food industry facing increasing pressure to meet consumer demand while maintaining quality and safety, implementing the right packaging solution offers a clear path forward. By adopting specific technology, right where it is needed, food packaging manufacturers can stay competitive, reduce operational costs, and ensure their production lines remain running at full capacity.
Can we help you reduce downtime?
Downtime is a significant challenge in the fast-paced world of food packaging, but we’re here to help streamline your operation and minimise downtime. For food packaging manufacturers, it isn’t just a strategy—it’s a necessity. In an industry where efficiency, safety, and reliability are paramount, adopting food packaging technology can revolutionise operations and ensure long-term success.
At Jacob White, we offer you all the support you need. Through close consultation and unique tailoring, we provide food packaging machinery that can immediately reduce downtime and accelerate production on your line. Contact us today.
