The packaging of a croissant, frozen spring rolls, or small spirit bottles is about more than product protection, and the demands of producers and consumers are constantly increasing. Schubert considers the value of supplier collaboration to deliver optimal solutions.
The look, shape and feel of packaged products play a vital role in the sales success of confectionery, dairy products, beverages, and cosmetic goods, as do local consumer habits and packaging materials, the use of which should be minimised in line with sustainability. Moreover, the product needs to be quickly accessible and the packaging easily resealable.
These demands don’t just affect packaging converters, they also put pressure on the manufacturers of packaging lines. They need to ensure that their machines fulfil the wishes of their customers. With the right partner, says machinery manufacturer Schubert, these tasks can be taken on economically and reliably.
The challenges throughout the packaging process are manifold. In order to master them, collaboration between the companies involved is of great benefit. Schubert cites some successful partnerships.
From 2 down to 1: the Innopack TLM
KHS, an international manufacturer of filling and packaging systems, is one of these partners.
Marcel Kiessling, managing director, sales and service at Schubert said the two companies are a good match.
“A strong customer focus, a commitment to innovative solutions and a holistic view are firmly anchored in both company DNAs,” Kiessling said.
Max Schwaiger, product support at KHS, said, “The transfer of decades of experience and sound knowledge has led to an outstanding result: our Innopack TLM. It is compact, very flexible and therefore ideal to meet tomorrow’s requirements already today.”
The blocked packaging system was jointly developed upon an order from Schützengarten brewery. The company wanted to fill and package beer in a variety of bottles and secondary packaging formats.
With the Innopack TLM, the increasing demands of consumers can be met efficiently. The multifunctional block solution consists of a KHS packer and a Schubert TLM packaging line and packs beer, wine and other spirits in different primary and secondary packages – with a performance up to 86,400 containers per hour.
Separately, these versatile possibilities are in line with Rotkäppchen-Mumm Sektkellereien and their extensive beverage assortment. Thirteen sub-machines with a total length of 33 meters package the large and small bottles in different formats: from single gift-wrapped bottles to clusters of four bottle to wrap-around cartons of 24.
KHS and Schubert also support their customers when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint. For example, the Innopack TLM allows shrink-wrap to be replaced by cartons. This reduces the plastic percentage of the packaging significantly. Thus, the benefits of this partnership for beverage manufacturers are significant. They receive a space-saving, flexible and low-maintenance packaging block that delivers sellable products from the very first packaging, even after every format change.
A successful long-distance relationship
As early as in the mid-1980s, Schubert's representatives were looking for a suitable business partner for the Australian market to be able to guarantee customers there the same outstanding quality as in all other countries to which Schubert sells its machines.
The decision was made in favour of Selpak, a company founded in 1948 by a German emigrant. Its experts know the local market inside out and, after just a few years of collaboration, the Schubert technologies as well.
Shane Sipthorp, managing director and owner of Selpak, looks back on the beginnings of the successful business relationship: “In 1985 Schubert was still a relatively small company. However, it didn’t take long for Gerhard Schubert and his visions to convince us to enter into this partnership. An excellent decision!”
The employees support Schubert every time a packaging line is commissioned in Australia and ensure that the machines perform well for years to come with a fully equipped service and spares team.
Helmut Fuchs, sales account manager at Schubert said, “Manufacturers in all sectors, from ice cream to cosmetics to technical articles, benefit from fast commissioning and high machine availability. All our Australian customers trust Selpak when it comes to their Schubert machine.”
Sustainable optimisation of plastic trays
Another partner, esbe plastic, is located just a few kilometres from Schubert’s headquarters. Together, the two companies develop thermoformed packaging that is suited to the respective producer and processing on the Schubert lines.
The focus is on trays for automatic separation, as well as filling and sealing of the packaging. The short distance between the two partners also makes it possible to exchange ideas face to face, and to efficiently and effectively implement customer requirements – from the initial drawings to sampling to series production.
The most recent example is a manufacturer of baked goods for which more than 20 formats had to be standardised. At the same time, the trays had to be optimised in terms of material use.
“Together with esbe plastic and the customer, we implemented a streamlined packaging concept," Kanellos Tzinieris, area sales manager at Schubert said. “The various formats were combined into modules and the wall thicknesses of the trays were optimally reduced.”
Picking up the trays with their thin plastic walls is a challenge. To ensure that only one tray is taken from the stack at a time, they need to be turned slightly, rather than simply pulled off vertically. This works perfectly with Schubert’s unique technology.
The confectionery manufacturer benefits from faster format changes and lower packaging costs. This is a clear demonstration that it is worthwhile for your own company and for customers to enter into partnerships with other market leaders and to become even stronger by working together.
Both Selpak and KHS are members of the Australian Packaging & Processing Machinery Association.
