Foam-filled bags guarantee transport

Thomson Learning, part of the Thomson Group of Companies, is a leading computer education company based in Kentucky, USA. The company specializes in the production of text materials, online courseware and other teaching materials in the computer field, as well as other products that promote effective learning. Recently, Thomson Learning Corps has upgraded its packaging to improve the quality of its packaging. Instead, it switched to Bubbled packaging, produced by Sealed Air, to fill its packaging. The company has introduced a SpeedyPacker(R) to automatically fill the bags with foam and systems at its eight main packaging lines in its new giant plant. There are also two separate packaging areas. With this change, Thomson's space requirement for storing packaging materials was reduced by 4,800 square feet, reducing labor costs and reducing the time required to package products by 25%.

This protective, foam-packed package also increases the productivity and throughput of the packaging area. And, especially important, it also reduces the occurrence of incidents where products are returned due to damage. Because the volume of the foam can expand up to 280 times, the shape is consistent with its contents, forming a protective liner.

Obviously, an important issue for Thomson to consider when looking for high-quality packaging is protection performance. The company packages and transports a large number of items every day, including textbooks, CD-ROMs, evaluation and testing materials, and many other products that must be safe and stable during transportation. Although their previously loosely packed packaging also provided cushioning and protection, it did not achieve the level of cushioning Thomson required. With loose packing material, it is usually necessary to replenish the material to the suspended hopper three times a day. This work required the operator to stop the production line, lower the hopper, add loose filler material, and raise the hopper to return it to its home position. This is a very time-consuming process, and each production line is forced to pause for several minutes during the day.

The company started with three SpeedyPacker systems and now has eight such systems running on its main packaging line, which covers 880,000 square feet of new factory production approximately a year ago.

Their original packing process made the labor intensity very great. Ballachino said that a five-minute stoppage of a production line could cause a 45-minute backlog of packaging and transportation. Moreover, the size of the filler material is small, and it is easy to generate static electricity, making it difficult to control, resulting in a slower processing speed in the packaging plant. This happens several times a day, and the operating staff on the production line must spend time cleaning up the work space.

The foam system filled in the packaging bag immediately shortens the packaging time, or shortens the down time required to add filler material to the suspended hopper.