Protecting custom-made neon signs for shipment worldwide and saving on packaging-material costs are of utmost importance to Dave Lytle, shipping manager of Davis Neon Inc. The wholesale neon sign manufacturer occupies a 155,000 sq ft facility in Heath Springs, SC.
"We were using preformed polyethylene foam sheets, which required a lot of storage space and time to unload from the trucks," stated Lytle. "We were keeping our eyes open for an alternative packaging method which would provide comparable protection, yet reduce costs and increase productivity."
Knowing of the success Sealed Air has had using Instapak® foam packaging with neon signs, PakSouth sales representative Ray Hill contacted Davis Neon. Hill met with Lytle to examine the company's current packaging process and address Lytle's concerns about packaging and shipment costs. After discussing possible solutions, Lytle agreed to use Instapak® Continuous Foam Tubes made by the SpeedyPacker Insight® system to package the neon signs.
To produce continuous foam tubes (CFTs), the SpeedyPacker Insight® system dispenses a mixture of A component and B component into a SpeedyPacker® film bag. When mixed, the A and B components react with each other to create high-quality polyurethane packaging foam on demand. The CFT feature allows the SpeedyPacker Insight® system to seal the bag in such a way that it produces small, tube-like shapes that can be placed where product protection is needed. The tubes can be contiguous or produced in series, with or without film spacing between them. The result is a "one-step" engineered package, made by the touch of a button. For even greater efficiency on the packaging line, packagers can make the continuous foam tubes in advance and store them for future use.
"We take great pride in packaging our signs so they arrive at their destinations in the same condition as they left the building," said Lytle. "The SpeedyPacker Insight® system with Instapak® CFTs seemed like it might provide the protection and cost savings we were seeking."
Emerging from the Dark
Before the SpeedyPacker Insight® system was installed at Davis Neon, Sealed Air's local package design and development center provided pre-made Instapak® CFT samples to determine if the packaging method would be the right choice for the neon signs. After using the samples and evaluating the results, Lytle decided to install a system for further testing. The system was installed in September 2006 and, for the next three months, Davis Neon conducted material-handling and cost-analysis testing.
"We not only discovered the Instapak® CFT solution provided more than enough protection to the signs during shipping, but we estimated the materials savings would be quite significant," said Lytle. "As a result, we decided to switch to the SpeedyPacker Insight® system with Instapak® CFT capability."
Turning on the Light
Davis Neon employees create custom-made wood crates for each neon sign with dimensions just large enough to house the sign, allowing for minimal movement.
"The SpeedyPacker Insight® system with CFT capability can create numerous variations of foam bags and tubes, but we most often use 16 in. wide tubes," said Lytle. "Since the Instapak® CFTs can be made and saved for later use, we fill a large, rolling container and transport them wherever they are needed to pack signs."
Once the packaging department receives the neon sign components and creates the wood crate, the packager puts a layer of Instapak® CFTs on the bottom of the crate to form a bottom pad. The first row-of-letters is placed face down onto the foam tubes and Bubble Wrap® cushioning is placed on the backs, in between and around the sides of the letters to provide surface protection and prevent abrasion of the letters against the crate. Then the second row of letters is placed on top of the Bubble Wrap® cushioning face up, so the letters are back-to-back. The packager puts Instapak® CFTs on top of the letters, and ties down boards over the CFTs to keep the letters from moving during shipping. Lastly, the packager attaches the lid to the crate, and the crate is shipped to the customer on dedicated trucks.
Illuminating Results
Before implementing the SpeedyPacker Insight® system, the packagers used preformed polyethylene foam sheets, each of which had to be cut by hand to fit the crate for the bottom pad and top layer, as well as to fit in between and around the letters.
"The preformed polyethylene foam sheets took a long time to cut, were expensive, and produced significant material waste," stated Lytle. "During the testing phase of the new packaging system, we estimated that materials costs would be reduced by one-third. After working with the SpeedyPacker Insight® system with Instapak® CFTs for a few months, the actual savings are 62% in material costs. We also have seen productivity increase by 20%."
Now packagers are able to pack more crates in less time because they no longer spend time cutting polyethylene foam to fit the package or cleaning tiny scraps of foam from the packaging area at the end of the day. The packagers no longer spend several hours per week unloading foam from trucks, resulting in a significant reduction in labor.
"We used to receive one to three truckloads of preformed polyethylene foam sheets per week, and it would take an operator two hours to unload the foam from the truck -- which included transporting it 80 ft for storage," said Lytle. "Now it only takes 5 minutes to change the containers of Instapak® foam and, because we don't have to store truckloads of foam, there is 200 sq ft of available space."