COVER STORY
WAREHOUSING, HANDLING & STORAGE
FOUR CRITICAL SIGNS YOUR PACKAGING OPERATION NEEDS AUTOMATING F
or ecommerce businesses, the packaging process is one of the most crucial steps in order fulfilment. A fast, efficient despatch operation that delivers timely, well packaged items never fails to impresses customers and leads to repeat orders. However, manual packaging processes can become challenged when trying to keep up with market demand, particularly at peak – speed, accuracy, and efficiency can suffer, resulting in late orders, poorly packed goods and disappointed customers. Flexibility, too, is increasingly important when it comes to packaging, as order profiles frequently change and new products are introduced with different dimensions. And labour is increasingly difficult to find. Just how do you flex for peak if labour isn’t readily available?
There is a way forward, but it’s important to recognise the symptoms of a challenged packing process early, so that action can be taken before it impacts the customer experience, and ultimately sales.
Advanced fit-to-size packaging automation allows businesses to significantly scale up capacity in their packaging operations – helping to build in operational resilience and enhance overall performance.
Here are four signs that indicate it might be time for your business to consider automating its packaging process.
1. ARE SPEED, ACCURACY, AND EFFICIENCY BEING COMPROMISED?
Manual packaging can slow down the overall order fulfilment process, as workers can only move so fast. This is particularly acute at peak. In a fast-paced environment, mistakes can be made, such as using the wrong-sized box – the right sized box might not be available. An oversized box wastes resources in terms of material use, fillers and space within the trailer. Consistent use of oversized boxes can negatively impact transport costs and leads to customer dismay – an
increasingly important factor with a growing base of environmentally aware consumers. Automated right-sized packaging means that each and every order is packed optimally. It allows for consistent throughput and helps ensure your customers receive their packages on-time and in the right condition. What’s more, these systems can create a right-sized box in just a matter of seconds. In addition to helping maintain consistency and speed, automating your packaging process will allow your operations to scale with consumer demand.
2. EXPERIENCING LABOUR PROBLEMS?
Hiring and retaining reliable talent is now a major challenge across every industry, and ecommerce is no exception. These operations rely heavily on manual labour and are especially vulnerable to constraints in the labour market and the rising costs of the minimum wage. During peak season, this reliance is exaggerated and no one can predict exactly what the labour market will look like in the near to mid-term. One automated fit-to-size packaging machine like Sparck’s CVP Everest may have one, or possibly two operators, but replaces up to 20 manual packaging desks, giving you consistent throughput, no matter the situation.
3. DO YOU HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF WASTE?
The World Economic Forum predicts plastic pollution will triple from 353 million tons of waste to 1,014 million tons by 2060, with packaging being one of the biggest contributors. While your organisation cannot control if or how much your customers recycle, you can control how much plastic and cardboard you send them. With each online order, a certain amount of material is used to pack the item. The amount of material used depends on the packaging process itself. Automated packaging machines perform a 3D scan of each single- or multi-item order and
create a right-sized box requiring little to no void fill. In addition to saving money, this reduction in material use will help your business achieve its environmental targets and, importantly, will appeal to eco-conscious customers. Smaller parcels will also allow you to fit more orders on to trucks, reducing costs and your carbon footprint.
4. ARE OPERATING COSTS TOO HIGH?
Through switching to fit-to-size, automated packaging your organisation stands to save on labour, material, and shipping costs. Companies who switch to Sparck’s automated right-sized packaging have the potential save up to 20 manual packaging stations and realise up to 30% decrease in material costs, and a full return on investment within 24 months.
It’s not always easy to know when to make changes to your operations. From reducing labour costs to increasing speed and efficiency, automating your packaging process can have a significant positive impact on your business’s success. For years, Sparck Technologies has helped numerous customers enhance their packaging process with its fit-to-size auto-boxing technology. If you’re experiencing any of these issues, it may be time to consider automating your packaging process.
Jo Bradley, Business Development Manager at Sparck Technologies
www.sparcktechnologies.com
6 MARCH 2023 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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