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Sealed Air's Picture-Perfect Packaging Reduces Damage Rates And Increases Productivity for Framing Success
Framing Success has mastered the art of framing diplomas for the collegiate market. Founded in England nearly 20 years ago, Framing Success established a United States presence in Virginia Beach, Va. in 1989. The company produces frames made specifically to hold important documents such as diplomas and certificates, therefore it is vital for the packaging to provide protection and prevent damage to both the frames and the glass.
"We ship more than 150.000 frames a year and our business is steadily growing. When the company began, we offered 15 custom sized frames and we now offer 40 custom sized frames," Peter Molin, plant manager of Framing Success, stated. "So, we were delighted to discover a packaging solution that increased packaging speed and production while virtually eliminating our damage rate."
Framing Success discovered this picture-perfect packaging solution with the help of Michael Green, sales representative of Sealed Air Corporation. After evaluating and testing packaging options for Framing Success in one of Sealed Air?s packaging design labs, Green recommended the use of Instapak® 40W foam packaging ? a resilient, highly efficient and versatile formulation of Instapak® foam ? to provide protection to the frames. The solution also incorporated the use of Sealed Air?s SpeedyPacker® III foam-in-bag packaging systems.
In September 2002, Framing Success installed the SpeedyPacker® III foam-in-bag system to help with its increased packaging needs. The system dispenses a controlled amount of Instapak® foam into a sealed film bag. Once dispensed from the SpeedyPacker® III system, the bag containing the expanding Instapak® 40W foam is placed into a custom-designed molding enclosure where it expands to form the shape of the image inside. The custom-made wooden molds produce molded cushions of an exact shape and size, offering precise, engineered protection. In less than 35 seconds, the foam finishes expansion within the mold enclosure, and the operator removes the finished cushion and stores it for future use.
Offering the best lead times in the business, Framing Success has steadily increased its standards and offerings to benefit its customers and remain the leading manufacturer of custom, handmade frames. "Seventy-five percent of our business is selling frames to wholesale outlets, mostly college bookstores." Molin stated. "This is a very competitive industry with a lot of time restraints, so we cannot afford any down time.
When orders are received through the customer service department, they are entered into the computer operating system. Once in the operating system, Ken Margetak, scheduling manager of Framing Success, selects the orders to be processed through a specialized computer program that identifies specific shipping dates for all entered orders. The specialized program groups the orders according to the parameters set by the company, such as moulding style, frame design and frame size, which can be as small as 9-inches by 10-inches and as large as 28-inches by 24-inches
Five departments receive a production list two days prior to the frames being assembled. Each department organizes the frame components, arranging them into a sequential order to match the other departments. Every day, the final assembly department takes the staged components off of the five different stacks to assemble the final product.
In the packaging area, the assembly line consists of five people. The wholesale frames are first shrink wrapped using Cryovac® D-966 shrink film, and put inside a red flip-top container with Framing Success?s logo on it. An employee then puts a pre-made custom-foam cushion on the bottom of the carton and places multiple boxed frames on the cushion. A second pre-made custom-foam cushion is then placed on top of the frames, and the carton lid is put in place. Then the package is sent to a staging area for shipping.
"The employees love the SpeedyPacker® III system," Molin stated. "They can package more frames in less time, and the system is easy-to-use. In fact, new employees can learn the basics of the system in less than 30 minutes and all of the system?s components in just one day."
The SpeedyPacker® III system enables Framing Success to package 54 percent more frames per hour, 110 frames compared to 60 frames, prior to the SpeedyPacker® III system installation. Even with increased business growth of 30 percent, the company only needs one employee to pre-make foam cushions for six hours a day, leaving time for the employee to work in other areas of the company. Roughly, the company has saved $35.000 a year in labor alone since it instituted this new packaging method.
In the past, Framing Success used five sizes of large shipping cartons with convoluted foam glued inside the carton to package its 15 frame sizes. The frames were placed in a plastic bag and inserted directly inside the box on top of the convoluted foam. Then the carton was stapled closed.
"The convoluted foam and staple packaging method was difficult for customers to open, and the staples often scratched the person opening the carton or scratched the frame or glass." Molin stated. "So, even if the frame survived shipping, when it was opened by the customer, the frame often was damaged by the staples."
Instapak® foam packaging helped Framing Success decrease its frame damage rates from 10 percent to nearly zero. This has saved the company 50 percent in reshipping costs, including manufacturing new frames, and the labor savings of a customer service representative having to process the reorders. Framing Success also consolidated its carton sizes from five to one allowing for a more streamlined packaging operation.
"Sealed Air did a great job helping us solve our packaging problems. Needless to say we are pleased with the results," Molin stated. "We are in the process of building a 40.000 square foot building, 30 percent larger than our current facility, and we plan to add more Sealed Air packaging systems to our new packaging area."
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