How Tape It Right Reduced Packaging Costs by More Than 50% for an Auto Parts Supplier

Case Study: Auto Parts Supplier

Overview

A national auto parts supplier located in the London Area sought to improve the efficiency of their existing case sealing solution. Currently, the Auto Parts Supplier had multiple stations where Packers would pick and pack an order, add void fill and then seal a carton with water-activated tape. This resulted in high pack time and per pack cost.

A Crawford Packaging Specialist visited the Auto Parts Supplier’s facility to conduct a free packaging consultation. The consultation aimed to assess the Supplier’s existing case sealing solution for areas of improvement and optimization. Following the consultation, the Packaging Specialist recommended the Supplier centralize their case sealing with a semi-automatic, random case sealer. This would help the Supplier to improve efficiency and productivity and reduce tape costs by more than 50%.

Challenge

An Auto Parts Supplier was experiencing high packing times and increased costs with their existing packaging solution. The Supplier used ten packaging stations each equipped with a void fill packaging machine and WAT dispenser. Employees were responsible for packing, filling and closing their cartons for shipping. This method had been previously successful for the Supplier, but one of their U.S. facilities is seeing cost savings with a pressure sensitive tape solution. This prompted the Supplier’s Warehouse Supervisor to search for a similar solution for their facility.

Process

A Crawford Packaging Specialist visited the Supplier’s facility to conduct a free packaging consultation. The consultation was the first step in Crawford Packaging Tape It Right program. During the consultation, the Packaging Specialist and Warehouse Supervisor discussed the U.S. facility’s solution and how they could replicate those improvements. The Packaging Specialist contacted Crawford Packaging’s case sealing partners, Loveshaw, for their support. Our team concluded that an LDX-RTB Semi-Automatic Random Case Sealer was the right fit for the Supplier. This solution would allow the Supplier to centralize their case sealing efforts and replace their water-activated tape with pressure sensitive tape.

 

Solution:

Tape It Right

Tape It Right works with clients to audit and review their existing case sealing practices and equipment. This will improve sealing efficiency and productivity through the identification and standardization of improved case sealing practices. Through this standardization, Tape It Right has helped businesses save up to 30% on their annual carton sealing costs.

 

Loveshaw Little David LDX-RTB

The Little David LDX-RTB Semi-Automatic Random Case Sealer is the latest in a series of industrial grade, high-performance case sealers from Little David®. This case sealer is designed to seal random assortments of case sizes and is unrivalled in its sheer efficiency, ease-of-maintenance, durability, and versatility.

72mm Hot Melt Packaging Tape

This production grade tape is engineered to provide optimal strength in a medium duty packaging tape. The hot melt adhesive forms an instant and permanent bond on a wide range of surfaces. Hot melt tapes are available in a variety of colours for both hand and machine roll lengths.

 

Results

With the addition of the LDX-RTB, the auto parts supplier has been able to streamline their packaging process. The Supplier’s packers now only pick and pack, and then feed into a queue for the LDX-RTB to seal. Once the queue is developed, a Packer uses a centralized void fill machine and then passes through the LDX-RTB for shipping.

This knowledge-based, impactful packaging solution has helped the Auto Parts Supplier to reduce their packaging tape costs by more than 50%.

Increased Productivity and Throughput

A centralized void fill and case sealing station have helped the Supplier increase their packing productivity and throughput levels. Packer’s now spend less time filling and sealing each carton, reducing packaging times. Employees now pick their goods, fill the box and carry on. Only one employee adds the void fill to each carton before passing it through the case sealer. The random case sealer automatically adjusts the mast height to fit the box, eliminating downtime for varied sized cartons.

 

Reduced Labour

The reduced packaging time and the accuracy of the case sealer have helped the Supplier reduce their labour cost per pack. Employees on average spend less time packaging and sealing their cases before beginning their next pack. The accuracy of the LDX-RTB ensures that tape is applied correctly and eliminates the need for employees to reseal improperly sealed cartons.

 

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