Scaling Up End-Of-Line Operations to Meet Today’s Demands

The packaging industry is a cornerstone of modern commerce, ensuring that products reach consumers safely and securely. However, this industry faces a host of challenges, from demographic shifts to increased market demands and complex automation challenges.

Hello, I am Mathieu Tremblay, Managing Director at IMPACK.

Our industry is navigating a challenging landscape and we at IMPACK, are at the forefront of addressing these challenges with innovative solutions.

The Demographic Challenge: 
Common themes for every packaging producer around the world are the aging workforce and labor shortage issues. Manufacturers find it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain technical talent. But even more specifically at the end of folder-gluer lines, where we specialize, the hard physical work required makes it even harder to find and retain labor. Many manufacturers confide that it’s not even simply a question of salary, people just don’t want to do this type of work anymore.

The Market Expectations:  
The printing process is more digital and flexible than ever, and brand owners are increasingly becoming more demanding on packaging producers. They’re expecting more personalization, more complex and intricate packages, faster delivery, lower volume per orders, lower inventory and all this at a lower cost. Add to this the increasing cost of raw materials and energy. This creates a mix that puts a lot of pressure on packaging producers to retain sustainable profit margins.

The Automation Conundrum:
The answer to the demographic challenges and market pressures is naturally automation! In the age of AI and automated warehouses with autonomous robots, it should be easy, right? This is where our answer is usually “yes but”. Automation always comes at the cost of flexibility and especially in the finishing department. The level of complexity and requirement for flexibility is so high that there’s rarely a one-size fits all automation solution.

Meet these Challenges with IMPACK 

In 2001, our company was founded on the realization that even though many parts of the packaging producers’ factories are heavily automated, some parts, like packing at the end of folder-gluers, is stuck in a 1970’s paradigm.  

25 years later, some parts of the factories are impressively run by autonomous robots. But still today, more often than not, the work at the end of folder-gluers is more akin to handcrafting than automation. And why is it so? Because it’s even more complex than 25 years ago. The runs are getting shorter, the box shapes are getting more complex, making them hard to manipulate. The quality requirements and expectations are getting more stringent and so on. 

Automation is an absolute requirement, and we think it must be done in phases to be successful. Like a ladder that must be climbed one step at a time. For example, we suggest starting with a less glamourous semi-automatic solution like the ERGOSA to increase ergonomics AND performance of packing personnel without sacrificing flexibility or quality. 

The emphasis on keeping workers happy is critical in the packaging industry. Happy employees are more productive and innovative, leading to higher-quality products. IMPACK's approach is to listen to the concerns of machine operators and provide solutions that make their lives easier, ultimately contributing to better product quality.