Station 03 of 06

Packaging Technology

Packaging technology is the station where finished product is portioned, filled, sealed and packed for shipping. It turns bulk product into consumer packs and then into cases ready for the pallet. The machines here include multihead weighers that portion product by weight, form-fill-seal machines that make bags from film, filling machines for liquids and pastes, wrapping machines for bars, biscuits and multipacks, cartoning machines that erect and close cartons, and case packers that load packs into shipping cases. Packaging is often where a line's speed limit sits, so buyers look closely at output rate, accuracy, changeover time between pack formats, film and material compatibility, and seal integrity. The pack protects the product, carries its label and legal information, and is the first thing the customer sees, so packaging machines have a direct effect on shelf life, giveaway, waste and brand presentation.