Today’s packaging equipment is designed for speed, accuracy and sanitation.
In the midst of scrambling to adapt processing and packaging lines to deliver a growing variety of products, another significant challenge facing CPGs and OEMs is determining the initial equipment purchase price vs. the long-term cost of owning the equipment.
Brian Barr, sales manager at Heat and Control, has seen this trend over the past year among baking and snack manufacturers. “Improving equipment and operational efficiency has been key for many of our customers,” he said. “The common denominators center on efficiency, speed, safety and sanitary design. Reducing labor while achieving optimal equipment performance allows them to maximize their production output.”
A report titled “Total Cost of Ownership, Packaging and Processing Machine Guidelines for CPGs and OEMs,” is a step-by-step guide to help suppliers and their customers make better and more informed investment decisions. Also produced by PMMI’s OpX Leadership Network, the guidebook advises that purchasing decisions should begin by defining the scope of a project and continue with assessing acquisition and operation costs as well as maintenance, setup and changeover requirements.
Equipment suppliers have focused on providing solutions that reduce labor while achieving enhanced performance results. They will also continue to invest in new product development to address market requirements in the areas of speed and accuracy as well as safe and sanitary designs.
Looking at the big picture when it comes to capital equipment investments is a trend that Mr. Barr believes is here to stay. “I think 2017 will be a continuation of renewed focus on reducing total cost of ownership at all levels,” he said.
More than 400 of the world’s top suppliers will display solutions for these challenges to the baking and snack food market at ProFood Tech, bringing together more than 6,000 processing professionals, across 150,000 sq ft of exhibit space while offering more than 45 hours of educational programming.
ProFood Tech is focused exclusively on all food and beverage sectors, including baking and snack, beverage, frozen/prepared foods, dairy and meat/poultry/seafood. This event will offer a full range of processing solutions from both large companies that serve several market segments and smaller niche companies that focus on more specific needs.
