7 Reasons Why You Should Automate Your Packaging Line

Considering automating your packaging line but not sure if the upfront investment is worth it?

Although the initial cost of automated equipment might deter some businesses from investing in it, what they may not realize is that this initial cost is just a fraction of the amount of money they will save over time due to the benefits that automation offers. 

For businesses that are nervous to take the plunge by purchasing automated equipment, Crawford Packaging’s financing program, Buy It Right, offers businesses the ability to finance their packaging equipment purchase over an extended period of time.

 

However, if you’re on the fence about automation, here are seven reasons why you should invest in automating your packaging line: 

 
 

1. Consumer Demand

If you are noticing an increase in consumer demand and your packaging operation is struggling to keep up, it’s time to consider automation. Automating your packaging line will allow you to produce more products in less time so that you can keep up with demand. 

 
 

2. Labor Costs

In a manual packaging operation, human labour is usually the biggest expense that can impact a business’s bottom line; with wages, high turnover rates, and injury lawsuits being the main contributors to the overall cost. 

Automation reduces labour costs by completing repetitive tasks, allowing you to reallocate that labour into other areas of your business. 

3. Waste

Human error is often a major cause of material waste in a packaging operation due to having to repackage a product with more materials when a mistake has been made. 

Automated equipment, on the other hand, can reduce or eliminate these types of errors due to its high precision and consistency – something that simply cannot be achieved in a manual operation. Reducing waste will also have a positive impact on your business’s carbon footprint, which is a growing concern for today’s consumers. 

4. Quality Assurance

Human error can also have a negative impact on the quality of a product’s packaging. If packaging mistakes aren’t caught by human operators, this can result in inconsistent quality, which in turn can cause damage to your product and harm your brand’s image. 

Automated equipment significantly reduces packaging errors, ensuring your packaging is done right the first time, every time.  

5. Efficiency & Production Speeds

Higher production speeds and increased efficiency is one of the more popular reasons why businesses invest in automated solutions. It’s no secret that automated equipment is significantly faster at completing tasks than manual operators. Moreover, automated equipment can also increase efficiency by multitasking – such as sealing and labeling a pack in one go.  

 
 

6. Health & Safety

In manual packaging operations, repetitive motion injuries are common and require employees to take time off to recover. By introducing automated equipment to your packaging line, you are minimizing the amount of hands-on work, ensuring that the safety of your employees and reducing costs associated with injuries. 

 
 

7. Competition

According to a recent study[1] by Zebra Technologies about trends and challenges that are transforming warehousing operations, 80% of organizations said they were planning to invest in new technologies to be competitive. 

Staying competitive in today’s on-demand economy is crucial to the success of your business. Automated packaging technologies ensure that you are able to improve response times and push out products at higher volumes, which provides you with a competitive edge in an overcrowded marketplace. 

Are you ready to automate your packaging line?

Crawford Packaging will work with you to identify areas in your packaging operation that can be improved with the addition of automated technologies. Contact Crawford Packaging today to get started. 

 

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