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Packaging strategies guide AFP through
stormy economic seas
By modifying used packaging machinery and combining
production runs, American FlexPack cost-effectively produces single-use
packs for its customers.
By Jim Butschli, Editor
Long before the current economic downturn, American
FlexPack, Inc. (AFP) opened its doors with some guiding philosophies
that still serve the Green Bay, WI-based contract manufacturer/packager
(CP) well nine years later. Among them are the following:
- Bring quality and innovation to customers, and help them quickly
deliver their personal and skin care, cosmeceutical, and/or household
cleaning products, towelettes and wipes to market in flexible
packaging.
- Employ primarily used equipment and modify the machinery as
necessary, as this tack provides economic, parts and maintenance,
and customer benefits.
- Rely on similar equipment from one or two select suppliers so
employees can easily learn how to operate and maintain the machinery.
- Utilize minimal material vendors in an effort to gain favorable
pricing through larger quantities.
AFP runs 22 horizontal form/fill/seal lines at its warehousing,
production, and headquarters plant, which expanded by 45,000 sq
ft in 2007 to 84,000 sq ft. Why only hf/f/s machinery? "We
have standardized our lines to decrease any downtime relating to
parts availability, maintain consistency in operating technology,
and provide consistent quality," says Michael J. Mackey, the
company's president and general manager. "While flow
wrappers and vertical equipment have their benefits, we find the
benefits and the ease of converting to different pouch sizes to
be a major factor in owning all standardized horizontal lines."
He also points to "interchangeability in parts, sealing dies,
towel heads, pump systems, and the like" as a driving force
in keeping with the same family of machines, and in employing hf/f/s
equipment exclusively.
"Committing to used machinery was an economic decision we
made back in 2000 when we started the business, and it stuck,"
he says. "We have purchased new and near-new machines and
ended up modifying them in some way to meet our customers'
needs, so we went back to building customized lines from the frame
up."
Mackey says the company relies primarily on two machine vendors:
HMC Products, Inc. and
KHS. "We rely heavily on
these machine manufacturers to supply us with the parts and expertise
to accomplish the ground-up rebuild and have our in-house engineers
constantly improving on the true and proven [machine] designs."
The machines, which include Klöckner Bartelt pouch equipment,
run at 120- to 150-cycles/min speeds, although pouch size and product
viscosities determine specific speeds. The 22 lines can run virtually
any of the products/packages required by AFP's customers,
providing the versatility the CP needs. It's also changeover-friendly.
Mackey says, "There may be up to three changeovers per day
on any given line in our facility. One thing about custom-building
our lines is that each of our operators and mechanics have in-depth
knowledge of the horizontal form/fill/seal machines we have."
Materials, cosmeceuticals considerations
On the materials side, AFP works primarily with four key film suppliers
and printers: Glenroy, Castle
Pierce, Pro Label, and
Valley Label. Pouches range
in size from 2 x 2 in. to 9 x 12 in. Mackey says purchasing larger
volumes of rollstock from fewer suppliers yields economic benefits.
Most, but not all products are sold in single-use pouches, with
zippers available to provide resealability if the customer requires
it.
Colleen Smits, vice president of sales and marketing, explains,
"AFP's core business is in household, personal care,
and cosmetics, with each category representing about 25 percent
of manufacturing share, but we're seeing substantial growth
in cosmeceuticals and developing that market further."
Mackey elaborates: "Cosmeceutical creams and lotions are
a growing portion of the single-use market, and we continue to work
with major brand marketers to promote their products through trial
single-use doses and retail items packed for single-use convenience."
Recently, AFP has added the capability to fill pouches with capsules
or pills, with one size per pouch or various sizes and quantities
up to six per single-use pouch.
Addressing sustainability and economics
Single-use packs provide consumer convenience, but as the packaging
community focuses more on sustainable packaging, how can AFP and
its customers tout single-use packages?
"As a contract manufacturer and packager, we ultimately follow
our customers' lead on sustainability," Mackey explains.
First, he points out AFP's single-use packaging helps keep
products fresh longer as compared to the bulk packaging that has
been the standard for years. He also says there's virtually
no chance for product contamination with single-use packs.
"The integrity of products is important when we package OTC
items such as sunscreens, or any product that requires high performance,"
he says. "Also, we are part of a sustainability initiative
being taken by Converting
Influence, an industry group that is assembling the latest in
sustainable resources and approaches to converters."
In today's volatile financial environment, perhaps no issue
is as paramount to a business as economics. Addressing the issue,
Mackey says, "We have seen a trend toward leaner purchasing
decisions being made by our customers. Single-item promotions have
become multiple-item promotions in a single-use format, providing
our customers with substantial savings by combining monthly production
quantities into quarterly runs. In doing so, the size of the production
run increases, making the unit price much more attractive. We are
working diligently with our packaging suppliers to provide our customers
with the most affordable ways to address their packaging needs and
will continue to source economical solutions while keeping close
attention to the quality products and packaging our customers demand.
And we must continue to pursue the packaging equipment strategy
that we've followed since our inception. It's more important
to us now than ever."
E-pedigree, OEE,
sustainability presentations highlight open house
A March 12 to 13 "E-Pedigree
& Pharmaceutical Technology Forum" at Körber
Medipak North America's Clearwater, FL, facility will
address the latest technological developments in the packaging sector.
Presentations will examine e-pedigree, compliance, child-resistant
packaging, sustainable packaging, improving overall equipment effectiveness
in pharmaceutical packaging, and automated packaging of prefilled
syringes and vials.
Körber Medipak company MediSeal GmbH will present the new
CP500-P1600 blister line with syringe feed system, and the P1600
standalone cartoner with integrated DoD printing system. Körber
Medipak company Dividella AG will showcase the NT804 TopLoad line
for syringes, vials, and pens, while the company's American
subsidiary, Rondo-Pak Inc., will demonstrate its range of pharmaceutical
products.
The event will also include the following exhibitors and demonstrations:
- Atlantic Zeiser: The latest DoD print system integrated into
the MediSeal P1600 cartoner.
- Groninger: The DFVN 1000 V filling and sealing machine for presterilized
single-use syringes in nests.
- HAPA: The "EasyFlex" UV flexiprint unit.
- Pester: The integrated PEWO Pack 250 compact stretch-wrapping
machine and the PEWO Fold C 120 overwrapper.
- Seidenader Vision: E-pedigree trends.
Healthcare Packaging
job/economy survey
Rising unemployment and a declining economy are being felt throughout
industry, yet there's polarizing news regarding the health of the
healthcare sector. On one hand, reports say the healthcare/life
sciences industry is among the best prepared to weather the current
economic storm. On the other hand, layoffs and consolidation continue.
What is your perspective on the situation? How secure is your job?
Are job layoffs affecting packaging positions within your company?
Your can confidentially weigh in on these crucial economic issues
by responding to our brief survey. Take
the survey >>
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