FMH Featured Solutions: Packaging Applications

Packaging Industry Overview:

Changing consumer behaviors, including smaller households and environmental consciousness, are forcing a shift in the packaging industry. Additionally, supply chain challenges are encouraging product innovation in the industry. To capture a larger market share, brands are getting creative on their packaging solutions to evolve and better serve customers.

A potential cost-effective solution that companies are investing in is flexible packaging. A quickly growing section is the beverage industry. This is due to a shift in consumer lifestyles including rising levels of urbanization, changing dietary habits, and increasing levels of e-commerce.

Packaging solutions are used across food and beverage, cosmetics, consumer products, and healthcare industries, among others. Along with improving shelf-life and durability, proper packaging can protect against counterfeit goods. With substitutes lacking, demand is projected to continue to surge. However, groups are concerned with the long-term environmental effects of current packaging solutions.

The manufacturing and distribution industry is facing unique challenges. As companies are looking to boost the omni-channel experience for customers, distributors are having to reconfigure packaging solutions. An omni-channel approach seeks to provide a seamless experience for customers whether shopping via online, by phone, or in a brick-and-mortar store.

For example, hand soap is sold in different sizes. Products must be packaged for different presentations within one facility. Within a single store the product might be offered in different ways such as individuals or a multi-pack. If you go to a wholesale store, it might be offered in larger bottles or by the case.

Ed Sneddon, Key Account Manager for FMH, said this is forcing manufacturing companies to think outside of the box. "How can we use our conveying solutions in different ways? Although the presentation may vary, all products within a facility will end up in cases then on pallets and ship out by the truckload."

Packaging Applications for FMH Products:

When discussing what this looks like in a distribution center, Sneddon described existing FMH applications. For one facility, this means taking dish soap from a carton on a pallet and unpackaging, then shrink wrapping individual product and repackaging. To accomplish this, the DC implemented FMH's BestFlex flexible powered conveyors. BestFlex was used to transport cartons from one end of a shrink wrap tunnel to the other end for repackaging by another associate.

Several FMH product lines are well-suited for packaging applications. NestaFlex gravity conveyors and BestFlex flexible powered conveyors are great for smaller operations or economical solutions for intermediary components of distribution centers.

BestFlex has been successfully implemented for consolidating multiple lines and helping to bridge gaps by allowing the flexibility to move between lines. For more robust applications, our BestConnect and curved belt conveyors are well-suited for a moving cases and packages throughout a facility.

FMH products have also exhibited success with pack stations. These centers exist to provide a location solely for packaging products for specific order needs and shipment to the end user. In e-commerce applications, this would include filling orders for customers by collecting individual components in the warehouse. The necessary components and pack stations include boxes, fill material (air bags or paper), labels. They will go from the pack station onto a transportation conveyor line that transports them to the dock to be loaded at the trailer.

FMH also offers trailer loading equipment such as MaxxReach telescopic belt conveyors and BestReach rigid drive out to fit your applications needs.

Opportunities for FMH:

FMH has historically fit into standard conveying operations. "With a shifting business climate, we are looking at our existing and upcoming product lines to see how we can push the envelope of where our solutions can be used in applications going forward," Sneddon explained.

FMH is excited to be a part of this solution along with Duravant's family of companies!

"Duravant is uniquely positioned to answer this challenge with its family of companies," Sneddon said. The Duravant family of operating companies serve the food processing, packaging, and material handling segments. With each individual company having a niche focus, Duravant can offer customers a complete solution.

FMH is committed to fitting each customer's needs, offering custom engineered solutions. To set up a meeting with our sales team, click here.