Rising to the Occasion: How Edson’s Dedication to Innovation has Made Them a Lifelong Partner to Tissue Manufacturers
By Michael Wybenga, Engineering Manager at Edson
A one-size-fits-all mentality was the norm decades ago. Back then, paper mills would run one or two products for weeks at a time. Taking six or more hours to complete a changeover was commonplace and expected. The case packing machines were simplistic in design as they loaded a single product size. In 1960 a “state-of-the-art” automatic case packer could erect, pack, and seal a case of converted paper or tissue goods at 5-10 products/cases per minute. It was the norm for one machine to handle one product and one pack pattern.
Fast forward to today, where the packaging landscape operates very differently. While these distinctions in eras are not exactly breaking news to most industry insiders, what is interesting is the approach that OEMs like Edson are taking to become more responsive to current market trends.
Sixty years later, the converted paper and tissue goods case packing game and expectations have changed dramatically. Expanding consumer needs and preferences has resulted in SKU proliferation. Retailers are requesting a wider range of packaging formats in order to sell products through all the channels – in-store single unit and bulk, and online ship-to-store and direct-to-consumer. Manufacturers’ expectations for machine flexibility have increased to adapt and respond to consumer and retailer demands that require a wide variety of SKUs with diverse pack patterns. With this being the case, it falls on OEMs to develop packaging machines that are capable of running a range of product sizes, weights, and shapes with speedy and hassle-free changeovers.
Flexibility has become a crucial design element in new case packing machinery, thanks in part to the multitude of products and SKUs dominating the tissue, converted paper, and nonwoven industries. A contributing factor is the evolution of just-in-time delivery, which is an inventory and supply chain management strategy that aims to reduce inventory through delivery efficiencies. As the need for warehousing large quantities of products diminishes, manufacturers and retailers are forecasting products and orders based on demand. Having flexible case packing machinery that allows paper manufacturers to quickly pivot and change their machines to run different SKUs is a key attribute to their success.
This begs the question, why choose an Edson case packer? Selecting an Edson case packer is a decision driven by a multitude of compelling reasons. Edson’s legacy of excellence in packaging technology, coupled with their unwavering commitment to innovation, makes them a frontrunner in the industry. Edson’s case packers are meticulously engineered to provide unparalleled reliability and efficiency, ensuring seamless integration into your production line. With a proven track record of optimizing packaging processes across diverse sectors, Edson empowers businesses to streamline operations and enhance output quality. Moreover, the user-centric design of Edson case packers facilitates ease of use and maintenance, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity. From their state-of-the-art technology to their dedicated customer support, choosing an Edson case packer is an investment in precision, performance, and peace of mind. Edson has more than 60 years of case packing experience, and while they’re known primarily in the converted paper and tissue industries, their expertise certainly lends itself well to a plethora of applications.
Modern case packing machinery can do so much more than its early predecessors; the field is constantly evolving – and that is why we see the case as half full.
Michael Wybenga is the Engineering Manager at Edson (www.edson.com). He can be reached at Michael.wybenga@promachbuilt.com.