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Category: Packaging & Labelling

What Influences Retail Manual Pick Rates?

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Ecommerce has become one of the fastest growing sectors within the supply chain, making pick rates key. With this growth each business faces a number of challenges, not just scaling up the operation to cope with demand, but also investing in equipment that can adapt as the process changes and improve the operation to make savings wherever possible.

The right warehouse fulfilment plan will not only improve productivity but will also make the whole operation more efficient. However any plan has to take into account a number of factors. Without the right equipment designed for your applications to help achieve the above, implementing the right WMS, tackling productivity or perhaps outsourcing the picking to a 3PL can’t be looked at until the hands on ‘’Picking’’ operation is defined, yet in many cases businesses will look at ‘’Off the shelf solutions’’ instead of a’’ tailor made solution’’, that’s is not only right for the current process but can adapt as and when the fulfilment process changes in the future. And in many cases, this can also take place towards the end of the planning process.

When we look for IT solutions such as WMS, or even the building we occupy how often is the right solution available without some changes? But more importantly how often are today’s requirements the same as those in two or even three years ago? Obviously one of the most important areas we have to consider is order fulfilment, what impacts our output and how this can it be improved. Can time be saved in areas, and thus reduce waste (time or material) Aside from the equipment used the wellbeing of staff has to be a key consideration after all ‘’A happy worker is a productive worker’’.

Speaking to a wide range of retail companies any improvements are the key to achieving profitability and in some cases saving just 2 seconds on a picking operation can have financial benefits to a business , obviously this is dependent on the number of picks carried out, but how many businesses do not want to grow and increase? So what items of equipment can we identify as the ones that will require the most changes over the years and what are the factors influencing change. Take for instance a picking trolley, how difficult is it to move when fully loaded, how does this impact on pick route times, can the picker load all product onto the trolley, are the shelves at the right height, is the handle to move the trolley at the right height for the operator, does the picker need steps to pick items occasionally?

Picking /Packing stations, how many items are required to complete the process? PC, Label printer, boxes, envelopes, protective packaging, how long will the operator have to stand at station, is the work surface the correct height, and are all the items within easy reach and easy to locate? Custom built solutions designed to take the all the above into account and are the obvious solution to answer many of these questions, ‘’Aren’t they expensive compared to off the shelf?’’ Yes is the quick answer, however when you look at a flexible solution that can adapt as your process/workload changes the ROI is unquestionable with so many businesses having to either ‘’Make do’’ or worse still scrap their equipment and start again it does make custom flexible solutions the unequivocal choice to the issues faced not just in E-procurement order fulfilment, but also the far wider order picking market place.

Flowstore offer a wide range of custom built applications into market sectors looking find the right solution that will stand the test of time and adapt as the demand on the supplier changes with the market place, put simply ‘’Smart solutions that work ‘’ With a dedicated team who will visit site understand your process to offer the best solutions.

Packsize Collaborates with Walmart over Right-Sized Packaging

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Packsize, a market leader in sustainable right-sized packaging on demand, has unveiled the Ultra5, a right-sized, on-demand box machine built around its recently announced X5 technology. The Ultra5 was built exclusively for Walmart and has already been installed in multiple fulfilment centres including the first of Walmart’s next-generation FCs.

As is the case with Packsize’s X5 machine, the Ultra5 can produce up to 600 boxes per hour, and provides the highest packaging throughput in the industry for its class, while contributing to less waste and fewer emissions. The Packsize solution reduces packaging waste caused by oversized boxes, negates void filler like plastic air pillows, reduces shipping emissions, and improves the end-consumer’s overall unboxing experience. By right-sizing boxes, the technology minimises the costs and environmental impact of extraneous and unneeded corrugated boxes. It also improves parcel logistics, enabling retailers to fit up to 33% more boxes on freight and delivery carriers – ultimately getting more orders to customers daily.

“By working with Packsize to develop the Ultra5 machine, we created an innovative packaging solution that tailors each box to the items we are shipping to customers, eliminating unnecessary waste and improving the unboxing experience once the package arrives,” said Prathibha Rajashekhar, senior vice president, innovation & automation, Walmart US. “In keeping with our commitment to becoming a regenerative company, the Ultra5 solution is a win for our customers, the business and our planet.”

In addition to its environmental benefits, the Ultra5 is also an incredible e-commerce asset for Walmart’s fulfilment network. Its industry-leading speeds contribute to faster throughput, with the ability to have orders packed, labelled, and ready to ship in as little as 30 minutes. The Ultra5 also includes a unique “Flaps Down” feature, allowing boxes to seamlessly flow through the packaging process by placing a paper band around the flaps to secure them to the sides of the box.

“Walmart’s fulfilment network and addition of four next-generation FCs are not just a game-changer, but a testament to the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce,” said Rod Gallaway, CEO of Packsize. “They have embraced cutting-edge and innovative technology, like our Ultra5 machine, and taken bold steps to streamline their fulfilment processes.  Packsize is proud to work with Walmart to help set a new standard for customer convenience, satisfaction, and e-commerce order fulfilment.”

Funding Raised to Capitalize on $128bn Market

Posted on by David Priestman

Plus One Robotics, a provider of advanced AI vision software and solutions for robotic parcel handling, today announced that it has raised $50M in Series C funding. The round was led by Scale Venture Partners, with Partner Rory O’Driscoll joining the board of directors. Top Tier Capital Partners, Tyche Partners, ROBO Global Ventures, Translink, McRock, and Pritzker Group Venture Capital also participated in the round alongside existing investors, which brings the company’s total funding to date to nearly $100 million. Plus One’s technology helps to alleviate the persistent shortage of manual labour through robotic solutions, dramatically streamlining the parcel picking and depalletizing processes. Plus One deployments perform over one million parcel picks each day in production and currently hold an industry-leading metric of more than half a billion parcel picks globally. With these new funds, Plus One can further increase its capacity and rapidly scale deployment, as well as expand its sales and marketing efforts in North America and internationally.

This expansion builds on Plus One Robotics’ existing relationships with customers in the parcel post, logistics, and general merchandise industries, serving customers that include FedEx, MSC Industrial, and many more.

The Labour Problem

“The labour shortage is hitting the shipping industry hard, and parcel picking is an often overlooked yet essential part of the process,” said Scale Partner Rory O’Driscoll. “By automating the parcel handling piece, Plus One Robotics is rapidly modernizing an outdated system that’s no longer sustainable. It is stepping up and leading the way in a $128 billion market, with fundamentals that prove its value.”

Ecommerce has grown to represent 19% of U.S. retail sales, with approximately 20 billion parcels delivered in the U.S. in 2021. Shipping growth is expected to rise by 25% over the next five years resulting in warehouses and distribution centers not having the workforce to keep up.

On the supply side, over 80% of warehouses are manual, and with the demands placed on shipping expected to grow, there will be over 1 million more jobs to fill by 2025 despite the shrinking of available labour sources – and costs are rising. Labour costs average $25 per hour and continue to increase. This creates a perfect storm threatening the supply chain and impeding future e-commerce growth.

“The growth of e-commerce has placed tremendous pressure on shipping responsiveness and scalability that has significantly exacerbated labour and capacity issues,” said Erik Nieves, CEO and co-founder of Plus One Robotics. “Automation is key, but keeping a human-in-the-loop is essential to running a business 24/7 with greater speed and fewer errors. With the ongoing labour shortages, I believe we’ll see an increase in the adoption of Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) to lower capital expenditures and deploy automation on a subscription basis. This new funding will help us scale up and meet the need for these solutions.”

Plus One Robotics’ solutions employ award-winning AI-powered software with unique end-of-arm robot grippers that provide the perception and manipulation necessary to pick and place parcels. Key to Plus One Robotics’ effectiveness is its unparalleled approach to human-in-the-loop software. Employees, remote or on-premises, can supervise multiple robots from any location, speeding the robot’s ability to handle exceptions, enabling 24/7 operations. Users benefit from improved sorting and picking throughput by >30% while decreasing operational costs.

Plus One has experienced nearly three-times year-over-year growth from expanded business with existing customers and new deployments. Additionally, it has increased its adoption of the human-in-the-loop capability and RaaS offering among its parcel and post, third-party logistics (3PL), and general merchandise customers. Plus One deployments perform over one million parcel picks each day in production and currently hold an industry-leading metric of more than half a billion parcel picks globally.

Kite Launches Ventilated Pallet Wrap

Posted on by David Priestman

Leading UK packaging supplier, Kite Packaging, has launched an innovative ventilated pallet wrap ideal for packaging products that require ventilation to maintain their quality in storage and transit. This includes fresh produce, dairy products, meat, fish, beverages, and refrigerated and frozen goods. It is also intended for pharmaceutical and chemical products, animal feed and horticulture. The film is BRC certified, making it ideal for food products.

Small holes in the film’s surface stops condensation from forming and becoming trapped within stretch wrap layers. It does this by allowing air to escape via the holes, preventing any moisture from forming and spoiling packaged goods. Ventilated pallet wrap is 100% recyclable and uses less material due to its perforated surface, offering a cost saving when compared to other films.

Pallet Wrap Film

Manufactured from blown film, it offers great puncture resistance and strength, keeping goods stable and well-protected on a pallet during handling and transport. It comes pre-stretched to the optimum elastic point to ensure high quality adherence to products and pallets, further strengthening its protective qualities. Ventilated pallet wrap is compatible with all machine and hand dispensers.

To learn more about the products and services available at Kite Packaging, please visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk

Turnkey Solution de-palletizing Pallets to Trays

Posted on by David Priestman

With the launch of a new de-palletization system, Körber Supply Chain claims to be the first supplier of automated logistics solutions to offer a total turnkey solution for the separation of goods from pallet to tray. The goal is to fully automate and eliminate risks and sudden downtime in the sorting process.

New research shows that sudden stops and interruptions in the supply chain are the biggest concern for almost 90% of the companies surveyed within among others retail trade, consumer goods, and industrial production. This is one of the reasons why close to half of these companies expect to increase investments in strengthening their supply chain – including technology that ensures increased flexibility, transparency, and an overview.

To meet the market’s challenges, Körber Supply Chain has now, as the first supplier in the industry, developed a total solution to manage the sorting of products from pallets to trays. The solution is called Downstream. It is a de-palletizing system that separates each pallet layer into individual items, which can be turned and tilted to fit into trays and prepared for further distribution through a conveyor belt.

It is not straightforward to break down pallets into trays in a fully automated solution with the large variety of products handled by many companies. The overview is lost, when one mistake results in sudden downtime, creating an inefficient sorting process. Therefore, a reliable and durable automated logistics system was needed, which ensures higher productivity and stability and is future-proof in relation to new products, says René Kahr, Product Manager at Körber Supply Chain.

A complex operation in a simple system

The pallet to tray solution has been part of Körber Supply Chain’s portfolio for a few years, but the new version is a natural development by the tech company. The latest version is more intuitive and adaptable, thus decreasing potential downtime in the process. De-palletizing from pallet to tray is not affected by unique product packaging designs, slip sheets, or changes in the assortment, which are otherwise the classic culprits for errors and downtime.

When there are changes in packaging and assortments, problems arise in automated logistics. We now make the complex easy, and our system effortlessly sorts a pallet into smaller packages for distribution. In addition, the system can be integrated into other integrator solutions, while our software can be adapted to the individual distribution center’s quantities and sizes, explains René Kahr.

He explains that Downstream is estimated to be able to sort up to 2,400 items per hour, with sorted packages being redistributed and loaded onto a tray with one to six items on each tray.

The new solution builds on digital enablement

At Körber Supply Chain, one of the main goals is “digital enablement”. The goal is to help companies improve productivity and operations by implementing digital solutions. The pallet to tray solution is an AI-based solution that, with data tracking of the individual products throughout the entire process, 100% automatically transforms whole pallets into separate items on trays without manual intervention. The objective is to help to move companies towards a much more efficient operation.

There doesn’t exist a turnkey solution on the market about the redistribution from pallet to tray. With the new Downstream, we are closing that gap. It will help optimize operations, save resources, and remove uncertainty in an automated logistics process at distribution centers. The solution has already been sold to some of the leading players, so we know there is a need for the solution in several markets. The potential is high, says Ralph Korsbæk, Head of Sales of Product Solutions at Körber Supply Chain.

Schmidt Named CEO of Beumer USA

Posted on by David Priestman

BEUMER Corporation, the wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Beckum, Germany-based BEUMER Group, today named Markus Schmidt as president and chief executive officer. Schmidt joins the company effective immediately. BEUMER Group is pleased to welcome a seasoned leader with a proven track record of collaborative partnerships.

With more than 30 years of industry experience and 18 years of executive experience, Schmidt brings to BEUMER decades of expertise in intralogistics automation, market segment-oriented strategy, understanding of the unique challenges facing operations throughout North America and a dedication to collaboration with both internal and external partners. Schmidt’s leadership style and commitment to excellence align perfectly with the company’s vision and values.

As the new CEO, Schmidt will work closely with the talented team at BEUMER Corporation to build on the company’s strong legacy and drive continued growth and success. The company is committed to delivering innovative solutions and world-class service to customers, while prioritizing safety, quality and sustainability.

“We are pleased to have Markus join BEUMER to lead our North American operations,” said Rudolf Hausladen, CEO of the BEUMER Group. “Markus’ expertise in intralogistics automation coupled with strategic leadership within multinational organizations will enhance our sustainable success by creating valuable solutions for our customers in Canada, the United States and Mexico.”

“I’m honoured to join the BEUMER team at such a crucial time for our industry, said Markus Schmidt, incoming CEO at BEUMER Corporation. “As the industry faces exceptional growth, technological advancements and a continuing e-commerce surge, I look forward to working with the exceptional North American team to provide solutions that enhance productivity, efficiency and create unparalleled customer value across the many markets we serve.”

Schmidt earned his diploma from the University of Cologne (Germany) and has sought advanced education focused on leadership development at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business and the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland).

Keeping Bakery Distribution Fresh

Posted on by David Priestman

Cimcorp helped Kwik Trip automate order fulfilment in its new baking facility with a rapid, scalable solution designed to meet rising demand and guarantee freshness for its bakery products sold at over 700 locations daily.

In order to meet the growing demand for its bakery products and stock its stores throughout the Midwest, Kwik Trip made plans in 2017 to open a brand-new, 200,000-square-foot baking facility in La Crosse, Wisconsin, which would be dedicated to producing bread and buns across three simultaneous lines.

The new facility would need to come online and get up to speed in concert with the repurposing of the previous one – and ultimately produce and distribute four times the volume of output. To meet these requirements, the logical choice was to automate as much as possible and design a state-of-the-art facility where advanced systems would handle the majority of production, packaging, warehousing, and outbound distribution in a well-orchestrated, integrated fashion.

Opened in the fall of 2018, the La Crosse baking facility produces and distributes 19 types of bread and buns. On the production side, Kwik Trip has been able to automate everything from raw ingredient mixing down to the sprinkling of seeds on buns. Managing these automated operations are Kwik Trip’s plant operators, who have full visibility and control over the processes via touchscreen monitors.

From production, finished products are then sent to the packaging department, where different automated systems take care of bread slicing, bagging and bag tying. Once these goods are packaged, they enter one of the most critical points in the end-to-end process – the warehouse.

The La Crosse baking facility includes an 87,000-square-foot warehouse that covers more than one-third of the building’s footprint. When choosing a system to automate product storage and retrieval within the warehouse, Kwik Trip turned to Cimcorp, having heard of its experience and expertise in automating order fulfilment within the bakery industry.

“Cimcorp’s automation is central to enabling this efficient product movement and is therefore pivotal to our bakery business. Cimcorp worked closely with us to develop an ideal solution that would make optimal use of our warehouse space and meet our present and future business needs.” Eric Fonstad, Facility Director, Kwik Trip

Working closely with Kwik Trip, Cimcorp designed an ideal layout and custom automated solution based on the facility’s expected throughput and business needs. Namely, Cimcorp determined high-density storage would enable the optimal use of storage space for Kwik Trip’s fast-moving inventory with bagged products stored in around 80,000 plastic trays stacked up to 20 high across the warehouse floor.

Order picking is managed by Cimcorp’s MultiPick system that features six overhead gantry robots inside three cells that can rapidly receive products in trays, place them onto a stack and assemble the required product quantities per order. Kwik Trip also uses a “pick-by-light” system for picking less-than-full trays in outbound orders. The Warehouse Control Software (WCS) controls and directs the MultiPick to pick the orders based on store and route. Such computer control helps Kwik Trip ensure that orders are picked with 100-percent accuracy before being sent for dispatch.

The automated warehousing solution allows Kwik Trip to effectively manage all 80,000 trays and keep up with the fast-paced nature of its growing bakery business, where inventory is held no more than 48 hours before being sent to all stores.

Cimcorp developed Kwik Trip’s system to meet the company’s five-year growth plan, with the ability to receive all daily production from both the bread and bun lines, as well as process orders for 53,000 outbound trays in 20 hours. Since the MultiPick is a modular system, Kwik Trip can scale its levels of automation based on production output and consumer demand.

Whereas Kwik Trip’s previous facilities required manual picking, automated handling has eliminated that need – and the ergonomic risks for warehouse workers that come with it. For additional safety measures, the picking area is completely fenced off with built-in safeguards. Cimcorp’s WCS ensures a true first-in-first-out (FIFO) model, and complete product traceability. Moreover, the system allows Kwik Trip to manage a surge capacity that manual picking couldn’t.

Ultimately, Kwik Trip has enhanced productivity and efficiency with fully integrated automation between its manufacturing, packaging, warehousing and distribution processes. This has presented not only an operational benefit, but also a customer satisfaction one, where stores are well-stocked each day with only the best and freshest bakery products that the company has to offer.

Print Engine Offers Trouble-free Automatic Labelling

Posted on by David Priestman

To meet the increasing demand in logistics, healthcare and manufacturing for print and apply labelling automation systems, TSC Printronix Auto ID has just launched the powerful yet compact, 6-inch PEX-2000 print engine, delivering easy integration, maximum uptime and lasting reliability. It allows automatic labelling builders to configure preferences for speed, accuracy and synchronisation.

The PEX-2000 is a system integrator’s dream in that its highly compatible hardware and software enables it to be easily and quickly integrated into any print and apply system thereby shortening time-to-market for automatic labellers. The device supports DB15 and DB25 interfaces and major printer brands’ GPIO emulations. Its customisable firmware also supports major printer languages meaning template commands and print files can remain the same.

Being 14% smaller than comparative print engines, the PEX-2000 is ideally suited to compact spaces. Its full metal chassis is built to withstand harsh environments and demanding 24/7 operation. TSC Printronix Auto ID has cleverly engineered in a magnetic lock to ensure the media door remains firmly shut in any orientation. It has also allowed a generous 55mm aperture to simplify media handling and parts changes. Printheads can be removed and replaced in seconds while the rear chassis just requires two steps to be lifted and pulled out, enabling easy manoeuvrability for repairs, maintenance or component replacement.

“We considered everything while developing the PEX-2000; maximising uptime, combating space constraints and improving users’ daily operations,” says Victoria Grobushkina, Sales Director, TSC Printronix Auto ID EMEA. “Its advanced performance is suited to diverse applications, including optional RFID encoding and top black mark sensors to support pre-printed labels. But the real industry-first is an innovative adjustable module that allows labels to be peeled-off in angles ranging from minus 18° to minus 3°, all without reinventing or redesigning peelers or application arms.”

Effortlessly integrated into print and assembly applications

The PEX-2000 is available in 203 or 300 dpi print options with a top print speed of 14 inches/second and 12 inches/second respectively. The print engine can be remotely configured, updated, monitored and troubleshot through either TSC Console or SOTI Connect software tools. Printhead health status can also be monitored in real time, reducing the risk of downtime and preventing bad quality barcodes entering the supply chain and jeopardising missions. Learn more about the new PEX-2000 or request a test-drive at sales@tscprinters.eu

TSC Printronix Auto ID is a leading provider of innovative thermal label printing solutions. Founded in 1991, the company owns and operates ISO certified production facilities and has offices around the world, serving customers in more than 100 countries.

The company offers a wide range of barcode label printing solutions including mobile, desktop, industrial, and enterprise-grade barcode label printers, RFID printers, integrated barcode label inspection systems, print engines, advanced printer software, standard and custom labels, and ribbons. The company’s products are used in nearly every industry including transportation and logistics, retail, manufacturing, warehousing, food and beverage, healthcare, and automotive. The company specializes in providing reliable, high quality label printing solutions to move products through the supply chain efficiently.

Mosca Showcases TechCenter at LogiMAT

Posted on by David Priestman

The main focus of Mosca’s appearance at this year’s LogiMAT from 25 to 27 April is on digitalisation and innovative service solutions. Stand 4D21 in Hall 4 is where the company will be using a tilt testing tool to offer insight into its newly opened TechCenter, in which customers can put their transport security systems to the test. Trade show visitors can also see live demonstrations of the new SoniXs TR-Connect, Mosca’s strapping machine designed for Industry 4.0.

“Mosca is much more than a machine manufacturer. We serve as professional partners for our customers’ sustainability and digitalisation projects,” explains Johannes Wieder, Sales Manager Logistics at Mosca. “And this is precisely what we want to demonstrate with our exhibit at LogiMAT.”

Mosca will not only be presenting its own machines at the trade show this year. Live demonstrations using a tilt testing tool will enable visitors to see quality checks on strapped products first-hand. Although the special machine is not part of the Mosca portfolio, it has been integrated into the company’s new TechCenter. This high-tech test lab in Waldbrunn enables customers to subject their cargo units and transport security systems to various stress tests and optimise them for sustainability as well as resource efficiency.

Wieder explains: “Many companies don’t notice that their transport security isn’t capable of withstanding high loads until the worst-case scenario occurs. This is why we developed the Mosca TechCenter as a service solution. Our customers can check a wide variety of load units and influencing factors to make adjustments to their packaging before the worst case occurs. Our display at LogiMAT gives customers initial insight into how the Mosca TechCenter operates.”

Strapped product pallets are placed in the tilt testing tool at the Mosca stand and tested for transport security. The machine tips the pallets to a predefined angle to test the stability of the bundled load when it is tilted. “Customers can run a full range of tests in our TechCenter: from acceleration and vibration to impact and crushing force testing,” Johannes Wieder explains. “The Mosca TechCenter is fully equipped to ensure customers can conduct tests that are most relevant to their transport processes.”

SoniXs TR-Connect introduced as Mosca’s new Industry 4.0 machine

Along with the introduction of the Mosca TechCenter, the market launch of the new SoniXs TR-Connect will also take place at LogiMAT. The basic principle of this high-tech machine is well established: Mosca is combining two previous models, the SoniXs TR-6 Base and TR-6 Pro, into the TR-Connect. Mosca innovation manager Andreas Ding explains the changes: “The new TR-Connect gives our customers more flexibility when it comes to further developing and networking their packaging lines. In the past, users who opted for a SoniXs TR-6 Base but later needed the functions of the Pro version had to replace the entire machine. The new TR-Connect can be easily adapted at any time and comes with all the functions that users need for Industry 4.0 applications.”

Key features include an integrated WebHMI that enables users to view all performance-related machine data, like availability and quality, at any time. The interface also makes commissioning and operating the SoniXs TR-Connect much easier because the machine can be remotely monitored at all times. An optional OPC/UA interface enables even greater flexibility. Thanks to compliance with the communication standard, the TR-Connect can be easily connected to a wide variety of interfaces to share information. Other options include the Mosca Digital Package, which makes it possible to use a tablet computer for easier machine adjustments.

Automated Bagging System for Totes

Posted on by David Priestman

An automated packaging solution – provided by distribution partner Yorkshire Packaging Systems (YPS) using Hugo Beck’s flexo e-com machine – has helped totes ISOTONER (UK) to fulfil five times its previous daily order capacity in the run up to Christmas.

totes ISOTONER is a large fashion accessory company, with operations in North America, the UK, Scandinavia and throughout Europe. With a product range featuring the original totes toastie slipper-sox (socks with slip-resistant soles) plus gloves, scarves, slippers, umbrellas, wellies and sheepskin boots, the well-known accessory, gift and footwear brand is stocked in stores across the UK and also runs a B2C e-commerce service, shipping daily online orders out direct to customers’ homes.

The run-up to Christmas 2021 was a particularly busy season for totes’ warehouse and office facility in Billericay, Essex, prompting the company to automate its packaging processes. Prior to the recent investment, totes’ dispatch of orders involved a manual pick and pack process whereby goods were loaded by hand into a choice of three different sized, pre-formed, loose mailing bags. This process often proved problematic, particularly during peak periods, when demand would outstrip physical capacity.

In the first quarter of 2022, totes approached YPS in need of an automated machine, capable of achieving target speeds of 720 packed bags per hour – equating to 12 packs per minute. In addition, the solution proposed needed to sync with their existing ERP systems and allow totes to reduce their reliance on Royal Mail’s data system by including high-speed and GDPR compliant courier label printing.

“To measure up to totes’ needs, YPS recommended the horizontal Hugo Beck flexo e-commerce automatic bagging unit, with an internally mounted VULCAN direct apply labeller from Clearmark,” says Tom Hill, Sales Manager at Yorkshire Packaging Systems. “Hugo Beck’s solution is tailored specifically to coping with the demands of a busy e-commerce packaging line, with its high-speeds, high volume and data security. Replacing totes’ original grey mailing bags with precise-fitted packaging, the machine is able to accommodate over 95% of totes’ product range, from single pairs of socks right up to boxed pairs of wellies. It is this responsiveness to product dimensions which makes the flexo e-com system ideal for totes’ dynamic, busy warehouse. The production does not need to be batched,” explains Hill.

Furthermore, to maintain totes’ brand consistency, YPS were able to replicate the plastic film used on the new line with the original preformed bags by colour matching the shrink film, thus creating durable, 525mm 50mu polythene which is 100% recyclable with a 50% post-consumer waste blend.

The machine scans each order’s unique printed barcode and the correct customer address label is seamlessly recalled by the VULCAN. The length of each product is also detected and the flexo e-com machine then tailors the bag length to precisely match, resulting in a snug finished pack and minimised material usage. The bag width can also be adjusted on the fly with a simple wheel winding mechanism. Before destroying the data in a one in, one out method, translating to complete security and GDPR compliance for totes, the label is applied to each bag via an all-electric system using continuous motion of the VULCAN – significantly increasing the line speed compared to stop-start application models. Furthermore, there is no need for compressed air supply and pneumatic parts which can both require regular maintenance.

Since installation, totes reports that the new e-commerce line has entirely overhauled its UK operation. Far outstripping the target speeds of 12 packs per minute, at sign off the solution achieved an impressive speed of 18 packs per minute and 1080 packs per hour – a daily order output five times greater than pre-install.

“Investing in this equipment from YPS has proven to be a gamechanger,” commented Karl Blackburn, Operations Director at totes ISOTONER (UK). “We’ve radically increased our throughput, allowing us to complete more online order despatches in a faster timeframe and please more of our customers,” concluded Karl Blackburn. “The support offered by the team at YPS has been second to none; every technical query has been answered and resolved quickly and professionally, allowing us to run at peak performance.” Based in the United Kingdom, YPS is part of Hugo Beck’s extensive global sales partner network with dedicated sales representatives all over the world.

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