Most people enjoy a bottle of their favorite beverage at least once a week. The process of obtaining it is simple. They can go to just about any store or restaurant and obtain the drink for a reasonable price with ease. This is all thanks to the work beverage companies perform behind the scenes. Beverages are so popular that there is an entire industry dedicated to creating and distributing them across the world—it’s a large industry that generates billions of dollars each year and touches nearly every American’s life each day. Every can of soda ends up on store shelves to ultimately make their way into the consumers’ homes thanks to the work of the beverage industry. However, one of the main challenges that the industry faces is problems with soft drink packaging. Transporting liquids is not an easy feat which makes the distribution process tricky. Check out the main packaging challenges in the beverage industry and learn about some of the solutions.
Product Damage During the Regular Transport
Product damage during regular transport is one of the leading challenges the beverage industry faces. Most beverage companies transport their goods via freight shipments. This typically requires the beverages to be case packed and then palletized for extra protection during shipment. Freight shipping can be a rough ride, and the packages need to be able to withstand the twists and turns on the road. One of the most common issues that occur is when trucks have to make a sudden stop or an extremely sharp turn. These sudden movements can cause poorly packed cases to fall and, in some cases, breach the truck’s walls, spilling onto the road, hitting other cars, or ending up in ditches. This not only ruins the product and costs the beverage company greatly, but it puts the lives of innocent drivers at risk.
To avoid products becoming damaged during regular transport, which includes emergency stops and sharp turns, beverage companies can wrap their products in more secure secondary packaging.
By utilizing case packer machines that adequately wrap the beverage products tightly, but not so tight that they burst or breach during travel, is key to ensuring safe transport to the destination. Robopac USA exclusively offers Cube technology which reduces project damage. It strategically laces the film to allow it to cover exactly where it will have the most impact on the load’s stability and containment. It ensures the correct containment force is applied to the products to ensure they don’t move during shipment.
Packaging Breaking During Transport
Another common issue that affects the beverage industry is the secondary packaging breaking or tearing during the transportation process. Secondary packaging is meant to protect products during the transportation process, and if it breaks, the products can move about the shipment vehicle, become damaged, and thus not viable for sale. This issue costs the beverage industry a lot of money each year.
Secondary packaging breaks due to wrapping the product with stretch film too tightly or with improper containment force. The containment force on the pack needs to be just right to properly contain the shipment. Stretch film should be applied tightly, but not so tight it bursts open at the first sign of a bumpy road. To accomplish this, beverage distribution centers and manufacturers need to invest in stretch wrappers and case packers that utilize superior technology to help them wrap their products with the perfect amount of containment force. Cube technology from Robopac USA applies the exact correct amount of containment force to your load. It utilizes multi-level variable pre-stretch to ensure the highest containment force and best film economy is used for every single load regardless of the stretch film used.
Containment force is the key to shipments staying safe during transport.
Cost of Packaging
Another packaging challenge the beverage industry faces on a daily basis is the cost. Secondary packaging can be a big expense to companies because the stretch film that’s used to keep products safe during the transportation process can easily break while being applied. Many wrapping specialists know the challenges of trying to guess the perfect containment force that will keep the products safe during the shipment—it can’t be so tight that the stretch film breaks.
Stretch film breaking during the application process can add up to be a costly problem. One way to cut down on packaging costs is by using the right amount of stretch film and containment force without breaking the film. For many warehouses, this can sound like an unobtainable dream, but with Cube Technology, it is a reality.
Cube Technology, exclusively offered by Robopac USA, delivers 30 to 55 percent film savings over any competitor stretch wrapping system. This means companies save up to 55 percent on their current expenses when it comes to stretch film. This savings is huge and can make a big difference in the budgeting process of most companies.
Navigating Changes in Primary Packaging Production
Over the years, primary packaging has changed a lot. Primary packaging refers to the bottle or can itself that the actual product is housed in. Over time, the way beverages are packed has changed to become more sustainable. Primary packaging is now greener and more sustainable than it has ever been before. This does affect secondary packaging more than most companies know. With more sustainable soft drink packaging, bottles are now thinner and easier to crush. This can pose an issue for secondary packagers. The containment force must be lower to avoid crushing the bottles while still being high enough to keep them safely in place during transport.
The multi-level containment force offered by Cube Technology delivers an optimal containment force at each level of the load by allowing the operator to adjust the content force up to nine times per load. This prevents the products from being crushed while keeping them safe during transportation.
If you’re in the beverage industry and you’re ready to start combating your most challenging packaging problems, contact Robopac USA today—learn more about our vast product line and discover what our superior technology can do for your business.
