Author: Sam Goldberg, COO
In my experience working with customers from various industries, choosing the right cartoner can seem daunting, whether you’re a mom-and-pop operation or a larger company. But it doesn’t have to be. At Econocorp, we understand the complexities involved in selecting the perfect cartoning solution to meet your unique needs. Our experienced team is dedicated to guiding you through every step of the process, ensuring you make an informed decision that improves your production efficiencies and meets your specific requirements.
I wanted to take a moment to share how our team assists you in navigating the various cartoning solutions and options available, like evaluating key factors such as product characteristics, desired speed, and more. Whether you’re packaging pharmaceuticals, food products, or consumer goods, our approach ensures you find the ideal cartoner that aligns with your operational goals. Read on to explore some of the considerations we evaluate when working with you.
Understanding Product & Primary Package Characteristics
We start by understanding the nature of the product you’ll be running on your cartoner. Is it firm, like a thermoformed tray or bottle, which maintains its shape, or is it a softer product in a bag that needs support to keep its shape? This distinction is crucial, as it influences the type of infeed we recommend for your cartoning machine equipment.
Identifying Your Challenges
Many of our customers face labor challenges, such as high labor costs from manual processes or difficulties in finding reliable staff, leading to decreased production volumes. Some smaller companies lack trained maintenance personnel as well, making our EconoCore line an ideal solution due to its simplicity and affordability.
Picking Manual or Automatic Loading
The decision between manual and automatic loading is often tied to your budget and their ability to find personnel to load the machine. Even with a semi-automatic or fully automatic infeed, some machines may still require manual loading onto the conveyor.
Targeting a Desired Output Speed
We cater to a range of output speeds, with a sweet spot of 4,000-30,000 cartons per 8-hour shift. Many customers are aware of their speed requirements, which is why they approach us, knowing we have multiple options available.
Considering Integration with Upstream or Downstream Equipment
We always inquire about any existing equipment up or downstream from our cartoners. Without this key piece of information, it would be difficult to guarantee these pieces of equipment would integrate properly. But ensuring a seamless handshake between our machine and your existing equipment is essential for smooth operations.
Discussing Budget and Lead Time
Another thing that we take into consideration is your budget and lead time for delivering your cartoner. Our simpler EconoCore machines can be shipped much faster than a full machine with an automatic infeed or other special features. For customers who purchase a full system with a longer lead time, we can loan them a Twinseal or hand-load E-2000 during the build phase to help them get started sooner.
Taking Packaging Materials into Account
Our cartoning machine equipment is designed to run both corrugate and paperboard materials. While we do not dictate the materials, we can offer recommendations to help design a carton or case that runs efficiently on our machines. But at the end of the day, it’s your requirements that matter most.
Exploring Customization Needs
At Econocorp, we can build custom equipment, including washdown options. We review custom requests on a case-by-case basis to determine feasibility. Some custom requests have even led to the development of new machines, such as the Argo Sealer, which was created for our partners at Bon Bon Bon Chocolate in Detroit, Michigan.
Choosing the Appropriate Controls
When matching a cartoner to your production needs, we consider the precision required for fitting the product into the carton. Tighter fits necessitate higher precision, and faster speeds often require upgrades to servos and actuators.
Regardless of your application’s needs, we’re dedicated to matching you with the right cartoner to reach your goals.
Ready to explore the cartoner that’s right for you?