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Overall Equipment Effectiveness | Packaging Machinery & Integration

“Contributing Factors to OEE Loss in CPG and How to Mitigate Them”

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Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Part 2 of 4 Part Blog

by Dion Volk

Now that we understand what OEE is, how do you improve it as it relates to vertical packaging?  The most simplistic way to look at this, is to consider the equation,   OEE = Availability x Productivity x Quality, then break it down from there.

AVAILABILITY, can you produce when you need to?  Maintaining your machine is critical.  Following and exceeding its OEM recommended preventive maintenance plan will go a long way.  An annual or bi annual independent machine assessment will take your machine’s availability to the next level.   Machine assessments are commonly overlooked due to cost and schedule, but are necessary to avoid being blindsided in the middle of a major production run.  The other more obvious contributing factor to availability is inventory.  Film, printer consumables, product, and spare parts levels need to be monitored constantly, with inventory levels adjusted as needed.

PRODUCTIVITY, when you run, are you producing at the desired rate?  Operator training is the single largest contributing factor to productivity.  With high employee turnover, proper training can be a daunting task, but it is manageable.  Through establishing an internal training protocol, bringing in packaging professionals, and employee retention your productivity will increase dramatically. Film quality and run-ability is something that needs to be considered as well.

QUALITY, are your packages consumer friendly?  If the consumer is unhappy with the package it is nearly impossible to sell the product.  Again, operator training and machine maintenance are key.  A well trained operator will be able to immediately identify when the machine is not producing packages of quality and will make the necessary adjustments. Film selection and proper machine setup is the difference between a poor package or an exceptional package.

At FASTechnology Group we have a team of packaging experts that will guide you through the full process.  Whether you need your machine repaired, a new machine, help in the production process, or just want to talk about your application we are ready to help.

In part three of this Blog we will discuss in greater detail “How proper operator training and maintenance improve OEE”.

Here is a Link to Part One “What is OEE and How Can It Be measured?”

Big brands losing consumer trust

Big Brands Losing Consumer Trust

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Once upon a kitchen table, people automatically served up dishes from Big Food brands like Kellogg, General Mills and Kraft without a second thought. But now that consumers are thinking more about health than convenience or brand loyalty, AdvertisingAge reports their shopping baskets are stocked with smaller, upstart brands that are frequently thought of as healthier and more authentic.

And the Big Food brands are scrambling. Trends in the consumer package goods (CPG) industry include a flurry of Read more

Digital Printing - Nutella

Digital Printing Taking Over

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(Image via https://blog.ryerson.ca/)

Digital printing is exploding, and savvy brands are already on it. Digital has been the most rapidly growing area in the print market for years, according to Smithers Pira analysts, averaging an annual growth rate of 9.2 percent in value and 5.9 percent by volume from 2009 to 2015. FoodProductionDaily outlines the top features that ensure digital printing is likely to continue its movement toward domination.

Goes with Anything

Digital is versatile enough to print on everything from traditional cardboard boxes to newfangled fabrics, synthetics and substrates. Advanced digital presses can even print on Read more

Product recalls made much easier with modern track and trace package identification

Why Blue Bell and Sabra Product Recalls are a Massive Hassle

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Retailers are scrambling. Consumers may or may not be getting some type of notification that an item they purchased shouldn’t be eaten. And Blue Bell Creameries and Sabra Dipping Company are posting alerts and probably crossing their fingers that word gets out about their product recalls. None of the scrambling, haphazard notifications or finger-crossing would be necessary for items tracked with PACKprint™.

The Recalls

The recalls in question involve specific varieties of Blue Bell ice cream and Sabra hummus, with the FDA finding samples of the product contain Listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium can cause Read more

Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)

What is a GTIN?

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The CPG industry has a paramount interest in manufacturing food safe products. In order to stay in the game, complying with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires supply chain modifications to meet new track and trace requirement of food source and manufacturing conditions. Most companies are employing an industry code called a GTIN, This identifer, when combined with PACKprint, automates compliance as well as provides additional benefits.

What’s a GTIN?
GTIN stands for Global Trade Item Number, and it refers to a number that distinctly identifies products or items as they travel move through the necessary channels. GTINs can Read more