Often in industrial processing, everything on a production line slows down to match the slowest piece of equipment. Unfortunately, in many production lines, the slowest piece of equipment is the packaging machine.
When a company uses out of date and inefficient bag filling machines it is fairly obvious where the problem in the production line occurs. However, while this is a glaring issue, there can be more subtle signs that indicate it is time to update your packaging systems.
Drop in Consumer Buying
One key indicator that every business should consider is how consumers are responding to their packaging. Often this is not easy to immediately determine, but by comparing different packaging options your competitors are using, it may be a sign the time has come to update bag filling machines.
For example, moving from a pouch bagger to a vertical bagger allows for different attributes to the bag. Focus groups and marketing analysis can help to determine if your packaging is impacting the sales potential.
Increased Bagging Problems
It is also common to find that when bag filling machines are not updated and upgraded there is a lack of consistency in the bagging. In a best case scenario, this results in a few consumer complaints or a lot of waste material that is not passing quality control.
In a worst case scenario, there is a serious liability issue for the company due to lack of a proper seal or other imperfections in the packaging process.
Problems with Accuracy
In systems where the weighing of the product is part of the bagging process, inaccuracies in the measurement can also lead to significant regulatory and consumer problems. Not only does this impact the business, but it can also result in fines and penalties.
Avoiding these issues means keeping packaging systems on any line updated and upgraded. Considering performance, efficiency and ability to meet industry standards are always critical.
