45 sqm area savings for pet food suppliers

2 SILOS FOR 4 PACKING STATIONS

A distributor of pet food, which has grown very quickly from dealer to wholesaler, commissioned us to design a new air cushion packaging solution for their packing department. Like many aspiring start-ups, the dealer was prompted to make these changes to automate packaging processes and use their current space more efficiently. This was made possible by a special solution from FLOETER.

The problem: little space, a lot to ship

Our customer started as a small distributor. But after a short time, the infrastructure was no longer sufficient for its growth. The storage space was running out and the workflow uneconomical as the old processes no longer met the new challenges. Cushioning materials for their packing was taking up vital space needed for the production. The production space for the cushion materials and the air cushion storage area had become an island that would have grown to 45 square meters as the intended need increases. Valuable space that the customer no longer wanted to waste and for which there had to be a space-saving solution.

It had nothing to do with ergonomics

Whether bags for dog food, litter, dog treats and so on: everything was picked on the assembly line and chaotically packed at packing stations. The packers ran back and forth in the packing area to bring the air cushions from the production area to the packing station. In boxes that were placed under the tables. The number of bend overs increased the number of back problems fast. With the system was not designed with any ergonomics and a professional solution was needed.

The solution: 2 silos over the 4 packing places

The experts at FLOETER recommended to place 2 machines with a lifter basket unit over the conveyor belts in order to pre-produce enough air cushions, even for high peaks times. The overhead equipment was designed with 2 mesh containers, which could hold enough material for the 4 packing places. Without taking more floor space! The material was automatically pre-produced and could be reached with one hand. The packers did not have to worry about anything, the packing times at the packing station were significantly reduced with throughput significantly increased. That's no wonder: the packer is now only where he has to be: at the packing station. He does not walk through the warehouse several times a day!

Time is money

But it was not only the increased area benefits and lower absenteeism that were an economic advantage for the customer. As a distributor the time advantage of picking the goods was the most important asset. Not only was it possible to increase the number of packing stations, but it also increased the efficiency per packing station so that more packages could be processed per hour. In addition, the customer still has space for further growth. And by doubling its machine capacity, it was protected against downtime or disruptions. During film changes or maintenance, other machines are still in use as a "fallback solution", ensuring availability and productivity.