PACKAGING ROUNDTABLE: Leaders of the pack(aging)

Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PACKAGING AUTOMATION INDUSTRY?

William Nelson – E80: The industry is moving very quickly from stand-alone automation toward fully integrated systems. For years, manufacturers often automated one process at a time: a palletizer here, a wrapper there, an AGV [automated guided vehicle] fleet somewhere else. Today, particularly in the CPG [consumer packaged goods] industry, companies are looking at the entire material flow and asking how all those operations can work together as one system.

This is why we are seeing more customers look for long-term technology partners rather than individual equipment suppliers. The conversation increasingly starts with the overall process: What does the plant or distribution center need to accomplish today, what will it need to accomplish five or 10 years from now, and how can automation provide the flexibility and scalability to support that growth?

J Welch – Regal Rexnord: Packaging automation continues to evolve as manufacturers adapt to e-commerce growth, faster fulfillment expectations, and more dynamic product portfolios. As a result, companies are prioritizing flexible, scalable automation that can quickly accommodate changing packaging formats, production demands, and distribution models.

This story was originally published by DC Velocity. Read the full story at DC Velocity →