DC Velocity - September 2016

Brewery packaging machine: In response to the craft brewery industry’s explosive growth, Combi has developed the BrewPack packaging machine to help brewers maintain their hand craftsmanship while reducing labor costs and meeting the demands associated with higher throughput volume. The BrewPack is ideal for craft beers, craft soda pops, wine, and any other beverage sold in four- to six-pack carriers.

One of the most tedious tasks for brewers is hand erecting their four- and six-pack carriers and the master shipping cases. The mechanical BrewPack simultaneously forms RSC corrugated shipping cases and four- or six-pack chipboard carriers. Once the erected case and carriers are staged into a packing head, the carriers are carefully guided into the case. A case conveyor then drives the bot-tle-ready case out of the machine for packing. The BrewPack’s compact inline design takes up less space than a pile of preformed cases sitting on the floor and can be easily integrated with a fully automatic bottle packer.

In addition to the BrewPack, the company offers the Ergopack ergonomic hand packing station customized with a six-pack carrier dispenser and recirculating conveyor for semiautomatic bottle case packing. Both levels of automation will enhance productivity on bottle case packing lines, the company says. (Combi Packaging Systems LLC, www.combi.com/brew)

Labeling software: Systech International has introduced its UniSolve serialization software as a fully integrated turnkey solution with “LSI by ID Technology” labeling hardware. Systech says the launch of its UniSolve Platform and Partner Ecosystem has created a multivendor network of the industry’s top packaging OEMs providing prepackaged UniSolve serialization solutions to the market.

Systech’s UniSolve serialization software integrates with major brands of printers and packaging equipment for accelerated implementation and improved time-to-production. The software allows companies such as drug manufacturers and packagers to maintain compliance with changing global regulations in a cost-effective and minimally disruptive manner, reducing production downtime.

Systech’s configurable software-based solutions were designed to provide flexibility to meet current and future regulatory requirements as well as changing business needs. Further, UniSolve is continuously kept current with changing global regulatory requirements under its maintenance and support program. (Systech International, www.systechone.com)

SPOTLIGHT ON ….

PACKAGING AND LABELING SYSTEMS
NEW LOGISTICS PRODUCTS & SERVICES

EDITED BY DIANE RAND rollouts

Bubble Wrap packaging: Sealed Air Corp. has introduced its “unpoppable” Bubble Wrap IB protective packaging solution. A new version of the company’s iconic brand, Bubble Wrap, Bubble Wrap IB is an ideal cushion packaging material for businesses that want to enhance their e-commerce and supply chain efficiency. It uses specially designed air channels that transfer shock away from products and provide superior cushioning protection.

Bubble Wrap IB is shipped flat and then inflated by the customer as needed. Using a simple-to-operate machine, the NewAir I.B. Express inflatable cushioning system, customers can inflate the flat sheets of patented polymeric film when required. Doing so enables them to inflate only what they need, minimizing material usage and the amount of storage space required.

By creating right-sized packages that deliver exceptional protection, Bubble Wrap IB provides customers with a variety of sustainability-related benefits. One of these benefits is better damage reduction. Sealed Air’s Barrier Bubble technology extends cushioning protection for warehousing or long ship cycles, making Bubble Wrap IB unpoppable. In extensive testing, Bubble Wrap IB’s specially designed bubbles delivered 30 percent more protection power than competitive bubble technologies did.

The Bubble Wrap IB also provides for better cube optimization. It provides protection in compact bubble heights and allows customers to reduce material usage. The larger bubbles minimize box size, helping companies reduce freight costs and resource consumption.

Better fulfillment velocity is an additional benefit. The large bubbles that form Bubble Wrap IB provide maximum protection, enabling companies to minimize the number of packaging layers they need and spend less time wrapping products. This helps companies get packages out the door more efficiently.

Creating right-sized packages that offer exceptional protection, Bubble Wrap IB enables companies to develop consumer-friendly packaging options, helping to enhance brand reputation and the customer experience.

By inflating at the point of use, Bubble Wrap IB can reduce the number of trucks required to supply a customer’s operation by nearly 97 percent. According to Sealed Air Corp., one truckload of uninflated Bubble Wrap IB, requiring two man hours, is the equivalent of 36 truckloads of standard bubble cushioning and 72 man hours. (Sealed Air Corp., www.sealedair.com)