Today, tools for successful learning come in a variety of formats, including textbooks, CD ROMs, online courseware, computer-based courses, and assessment and testing services. As a supplier of educational materials at varied academic levels, Thomson Corp packages and ships an extensive quantity of such items each day. When Thomson realized its packaging procedures were hindering its ability to increase production efficiently because of both the labor involved and the warehouse space the materials occupied, the search for a new packaging solution began.
After meeting with several different companies, Thomson selected Sealed Air Corp's SpeedyPacker® foam-in-bag packaging system. The SpeedyPacker® system dispenses a controlled amount of Instapak® foam into a sealed film bag that expands to conform to the shape of a shipping carton's content, creating a protective cushion. Within seconds, the foam cures (or sets), locking the products in place. Unlike traditional loose fill packaging products, the solid cushions prevent items from shifting during shipment, greatly reducing the risk of damage.
During the packaging evaluation, Sealed Air installed the SpeedyPacker® foam-in-bag packaging system at Thomson, giving the staff a chance to experience it firsthand. Positive employee feedback was one of the factors considered by Mike Ballachino, director of distribution for Thomson, in making the final decision to convert to the SpeedyPacker® system.
Thomson also conducted package testing and solicited customer feedback before committing to the foam-in-bag system. Dick Adams, maintenance manager for Thomson, completed up to 240 hours of testing by shipping corrugated cartons, using Instapak® foam-filled bags as protection, from the company's Independence, KY facility to customers in California and Boston. Reply cards asking for customers' opinions about the new packaging material were included in every carton. Thomson customers gave high marks to the SpeedyPacker® method, and remain satisfied because their orders arrive in better condition. Thomson also has experienced a decrease in product returns due to damage.
"The improved packaging of Thomson educational products leads to higher customer satisfaction. The change to Instapak® foam-in-bag packaging prevents the mess customers previously experienced with cornstarch noodles and provides increased protection to the products," says Ballachino.
Orders are placed through a toll-free number; after a service representative verifies the items are in stock, the order is released to the distribution floor. Educational items are selected and placed in a corrugated shipping carton, which is moved via conveyor down the packaging line. The packaging operator uses the SpeedyPacker® system to dispense a controlled amount of Instapak® foam into a sealed film bag; the bag of rising foam is then placed into the carton to cushion the products and provide void fill.
Thomson uses six different bag sizes depending on the size of the shipping carton and the number of products contained within. To accommodate the large daily volume of shipments, eight SpeedyPacker® systems are used by all three shifts.
"The SpeedyPacker® system is easy to operate and with only a few hours of training the packaging operators learn when to use each size bag with various products and carton sizes," says Ballachino.
The cornstarch noodles Thomson used previously presented many challenges to the packaging operators. The overhead hoppers, where the noodles were stored, had to be refilled three times a day, requiring the operator to stop the packaging line, lower the hopper, fill it with noodles, and raise it back to its overhead position. According to Ballachino, stopping one packaging line for five minutes created a 45-minute backlog in packaging and shipping orders. Also, because of the noodles' small size and tendency to produce static, they were difficult to control and frequently created messes on the packaging floor so that the operators spent valuable time cleaning up noodles from their work areas several times a day.
With the SpeedyPacker® system, Instapak® foam bulk tanks are stored outside of the packaging area, so packaging operators no longer need to replenish packaging materials. This factor also contributed to space savings. Instapak® foam can expand up to 280 times its liquid volume to create firm foam cushions. In fact, a set of Instapak® foam bulk tanks, requiring approximately 30 sq ft of storage space, is equivalent to five tractor-trailer loads of packaging material. Also, the SpeedyPacker® system can deliver up to 21 foam-filled bags per minute. Thus, switching to the foam-in-bag system reduced packaging time by 25% because of the system's speed plus elimination of the need for packaging operators to refill hoppers or clean their work areas repeatedly.
Before switching to the SpeedyPacker® system, Thomson packaging operators could only pack 100 to 120 cartons per day. Now, each packaging line is able to keep up with the 500% increase in volume by packaging 1,000 to 1,500 cartons per day.
"The reduction in packaging time made our packaging operators very happy and, when we factor in the labor savings, our cost per package is reduced by three cents," explains Ballachino. "The new Instapak® foam-in-bag system also enabled Thomson to increase our packaging volume to keep up with the demand for our products."
In addition to increased speed and reduced packaging labor, the SpeedyPacker® foam-in-bag system has increased available space and reduced the amount of packaging materials needed on hand. The cornstarch noodles occupied 5,000 sq ft of warehouse space compared to 200 sq ft used to store the eight bulk tanks for the SpeedyPacker® system. The company now uses the "extra" 4,800 sq ft of warehouse space to store its inventory of educational products.
The unique way Instapak® foam expands to fill any voids between the products and the carton also allows a reduction in carton sizes. Thomson now needs only five carton sizes for its shipments, compared to its previous 24 different corrugated carton sizes.
"We met our goals of reducing labor and mess in our packaging facility, and realized some unexpected savings in storage space," says Ballachino. "We have had a great experience working with the packaging experts at Sealed Air."
To view product videos of the SpeedyPacker® system, click here.
