Ron Crews, Author at High Performance Packaging - HP-Packaging

Posted on September 2, 2014October 29, 2021 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

How We Keep Our Trainers Trained

At High Performance Packaging, one of our landmark services is offering our clients on-site training on all of our machines. This helps our customers work more efficiently, as it helps them better understand not only how to use the machines but how to troubleshoot them in the event that something goes wrong. This helps our clients save time and money in the long run, since they are able to at least identify problems and weaknesses more easily and without the help of professional technicians. But of course, since we have to teach our clients how to use and operate the machines, our technicians have to have a solid understanding of how the machines work, too. So how do we keep our trainers up to speed on all of our machinery?

High Performance Packaging’s T3 Program

At HP Packaging, our T3 (Training the Trainers) program is designed to continuously develop skills among our technicians so that they are able to not only provide training to customers, but to other trainers as well. Our T3 program consists of several steps:

We develop training material based on what a piece of equipment’s capabilities are, as well as what a business will use it for. We also take into account current skill levels of our technicians or the company we are working with.
Next, we develop focused training manuals based on the technical requirements of each person on staff, what types of equipment are used, and what downtime issues may arise with each machine.
Then, we develop a Train the Trainer course, designed to create skilled trainers within your organization or company.
Finally, we provide a pre-training and post-training test database, which picks random tests and retains answers to tests as well as test scores; this helps you stay up to date on the skill level of your existing employees and helps train new hires as well.

Why Not Just Call a Technician?

If your machinery is not working properly, you could, of course, just call a professional technician to take care of the problem. Unfortunately, that could mean at least a few days of downtime, plus more for obtaining replacement parts if necessary, then another trip for the technician to fix the machine. Overall, this method takes more time and is more costly than simply having the skills existing within your organization. When your employees know how to operate and troubleshoot the machines they use on a daily basis, they’ll be able to assess problems and find solutions faster than calling a technician to your site. Why waste the time and money waiting for someone else to figure out what’s wrong, when you could teach your employees to do the same thing? It’s a no-brainer.

Learn more about our training and T3 programs—contact High Performance Packaging today.

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

Cut Out the Middle Man: Purchase Packaging Materials from Your Machine Vendor

When you work in an industry that requires machinery and packaging materials to get your product onto shelves or into the hands of your customers, you know that there are sometimes unique challenges that you’ll have to face. One of those challenges may someday be not being able to get the proper packaging materials from your regular supplier, being sent the wrong material, or material for your machine being on backorder. This can create a serious snag in your production schedule, since if you can’t get a hold of the packaging, you can’t package or send out your products. This can cost you a lot of money, not to mention it can cause you to miss deadlines, which can leave you with unhappy customers. If this has already happened to you, or you’re afraid of when it might, you’re not helpless—you can start getting your packing materials from the vendor that sold you your machines! That way, the materials will always be compatible with your machines, and you’ll always be able to get it on time.

Saving Time and Money

Aside from saving you the hassle of having to deal with having to find an alternate source of materials, buying directly from your machine vendor can be helpful because you can rest easy knowing they’ll always have the ideal packaging materials for your particular machine. Because machinery vendors know what their clients are packaging (or at least can find out very easily), they’ll be able to keep stock of what materials might be sought after, which can save you time since you won’t have to wait for a third-party supplier to find out what it is you need before ordering it themselves.

A Range of Different materials Available

If you’re interested in finding a newer, perhaps more efficient material for your needs, a third party supplier might not know where to point you—particularly if they are just used to offering up what they’ve got in stock. A machine vendor might have a better idea of what will work best for your particular application, especially if you’ve got a unique product or tricky package to work with. In this instance, a machine vendor will be able to suggest the best type of material, leaving the guesswork out, which can save you the headache of trial and error.

If you’re looking for a way to simplify your packaging line and materials supply chain, purchasing directly from the vendor you bought machines from is a great way to do just that. Contact High Performance Packaging for more information.

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

Save Money By Replacing Individual Machine Parts

No matter how much maintenance and preventative measures you perform on machinery, there will most likely come a time when a part fails. If you’re not mechanically savvy to the point of knowing what needs to be replaced, you’re not stuck—particularly if you’ve purchased your machine from a company that refurbishes them. You’ll be able to talk to the professionals there about what your next move should be. They likely know the machines inside and out and can assess what your best course of action would be, and believe it or not, they may not always suggest simply replacing the machine.

Replacement Parts in Used Machinery

Depending on what’s malfunctioning, you might be able to get away with simply replacing the affected part. Over time, regular wear and tear will degrade the quality of the parts, necessitating repairs or replacements, so it’s important to talk to someone who can look at what’s going wrong before you decide to replace the whole machine. At High Performance Packaging, we offer our clients a wide selection of replacement parts that are compatible with the machinery we sell, so whether or not you originally purchased your machine from us, you may be able to upgrade or replace the part you need without issue. We offer brands you know and trust like Ishida, Yamato and many more, and our experts are happy to help you get your machine back up and running.

Troubleshooting and Tech Support

Whether you know what’s wrong and just need the part, or you’re not sure what needs replaced and you need help fixing your machine, it’s easy to find help with us. We know everything about the products, machines, and parts we sell, and are happy to help you learn more about the machinery you use in your packaging line, whether that’s vertical form fill and seal machines, weighers, or any other machine. We can also help you identify places in your line that could be improved, if you are interested in making your line more efficient. Our commitment to offering quality products and service doesn’t stop at simply selling you machinery—we want to see you succeed as much as you want to succeed. If you’re having a problem with your machinery, give us a call—we’re happy to help you determine whether a replacement part will help or if you need to focus on more involved action.

Posted on August 12, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

How Can the Food Packaging Industry Benefit from Used Machinery?

If your business packages and sells food, you’ve probably already built up a packaging line that’s readily efficient for your needs. If you want to upgrade it though, you might feel like you’re hitting a wall when it comes to budget and finding a good supplier for all of the equipment you need. If you’re stuck, it’s time to consider used machinery. Purchasing used machines for your packaging line can greatly benefit businesses in the food packaging industry, for a variety of reasons.

Purchasing Newer or Better Equipment

When you shop for new machinery, you may be limited to what fits into your budget. This might mean getting stuck with older models or machines that don’t quite fit your needs, but come close enough. When you make the decision to buy used, however, you may have the option to buy a newer or better machine—but because it’s been gently used, it’s offered at a lower price than an older, brand-new machine. Being able to purchase better equipment at a lower price—you can’t get much better than that. Whether you package meat products, snacks, or virtually anything else, used machinery can be a great way to boost your productivity. Some of the products that can be packaged with these machines are:

Frozen fruits, vegetables and prepared foods
Bakery products
Grains
Candy, snacks, nuts and chips
Pet food
Pasta and other dried foods
Coffee and tea

Saving Money and Boosting Efficiency

Because used equipment is, in fact, used, it’s generally offered at a lower cost to the next buyer. While used equipment may be cheaper, that doesn’t mean you’re investing in something risky. At High Performance Packaging, we’re proud to offer our clients the best service we can, and that includes offering programs that help optimize their packaging lines’ efficiency. When your line is maintained at optimal efficiency, you’ll reap the benefits—more product packaged in a shorter time means faster shipping and better turnaround, which in turn leads to happier customers. Saving money is always on business owners’ minds, and shopping used equipment inventory can help you do just that. Here, you’ll have options for purchasing used packaging machinery such as:

Combination weighers
Conveyers
Code date printers
Label systems
Hoppers
VFFS and HFFS machines
Metal detectors
Pallet wrappers

Gaining Access to Professional Training and Support

Purchasing used equipment may mean you’ll have access to great customer tech support, as well. At HP Packaging, we want our clients to feel confident in their investment, which is why we offer operator training, tech support, troubleshooting and maintenance, and an OEE program, which monitors your overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). With all of these options available to you, purchasing used machines seems like a no-brainer.

For more information about used machines, contact HP Packaging today.

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

Benefits of Getting Tech Support from Your Machine Supplier

When you purchase machinery for your packaging line, the hope is that everything is smooth sailing—no issues with performance or efficiency. Of course, like most every other piece of machinery in any industry, the time will eventually come when you need maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, or a performance review for better efficiency. In these instances, you have the option to contact a local technician or the manufacturer of the machinery, but there’s a third option for getting the tech support you need—contacting the vendor you purchased the machinery from.

What Can the Vendor Do?

In High Performance Packaging’s case, we don’t just sell the equipment and cut contact with our clients. We strive to ensure each of our clients has a good experience with their machinery and gets the most out of their investment. For that reason, we offer operator training, troubleshooting services, a preventative maintenance program, and a performance improvement program to ensure that your machinery offers you the most benefit. Purchasing from a vendor that has working knowledge of the machinery can mean that any maintenance, problems, or repairs get fixed faster, which can in turn cause less downtime for your business.

At HP Packaging, we also offer an OEE Program, which helps you maximize your overall equipment effectiveness, or OEE. This program helps your business achieve peak performance.

When you purchase from a vendor who has no interest in how the machinery ends up working out for their clients, you may have to settle for dealing with customer service representatives who may not know how to handle your problems. Instead, seek out a vendor who has a lot of knowledge about the products they sell.

More Knowledge from Certain Vendors

At High Performance Packaging, because we sell used equipment and offer training on how to use and troubleshoot the equipment, we’re well-versed in how the machines work. We offer customized maintenance plans for your used machinery, which helps ensure years of reliable service from the machines you purchase from us. Instead of taking a chance on a machine repairman who may not know the inner workings of the brand of machine you’re using, it helps to know that you can seek quality help from the vendor you purchased from. When you buy from HP Packaging, that’s exactly what you can expect. For more information about our services and products, contact us today.

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

Why Do You Need a Used Combination Weigher or Checkweigher?

If you’re in the business of packaging goods, chances are you have a complex line of machinery for getting your product into the appropriate packages and shipped off to your customers. If you manually weigh out each package, or you have to put multiple ingredients into the same package, a combination weigher might be a great help for you and your business. They have the ability to not only streamline the packaging process, but also make it more fast and efficient, thanks to having the functionality to weigh multiple ingredients and ensure consistency in each package.

What Can a Combination Weigher Do For You?

Since vertical form fill sealing machines work by bagging product from a hopper, it makes sense that they’d pair perfectly with used checkweighers—weigh stations that instantly read how much product is in a package to ensure consistency. The combination of the two machines can save your company a significant amount of time and may allow for reallocation of work for employees who manually fill and weigh packages. It may also lead to increased output for your business.

If you package your goods into bags that need to weigh the same amount, combiweighers are a perfect solution for getting consistent results every time. The hoppers can contain the product until it’s ready to be weighed out into packages, and once the packages are prepped, each head of the weigher weighs the proper amount before dispensing into a package. These machines are especially helpful for multiple-ingredient packages—for instance, a cereal that has two kinds of grain flakes, plus almonds and cranberries will need four heads to complete one package. Each head can be set up to weigh out a specific amount so that the more expensive ingredients aren’t overfilled. This can, in turn, save you money by way of ensuring you don’t use too much of the pricier ingredients before running out of the “filler” ingredients.

What Brands are Best?

There are a number of manufacturers that specialize in combination weighers. Some of the more well-known brands include:

Bilwinco
Combi
Ishida
Multipond
Yamato

These are just a few of the brands that offer combination weighers. Some have been in business for several decades, and are dedicated to manufacturing some of the most reliable weighers on the marker.

Should You Consider Used?

If you’re unsure of whether a combination weigher will be worth the investment or are worried about going over your budget for equipment, it’s important to know that you have the option to purchase used machines. Buying used machinery is an easy way to save a significant amount of money without having to sacrifice quality. Many people think that used equipment means they’re inheriting equipment that was returned for defects, but the reality is that used equipment is often simply no longer needed by its original owner for one reason or another, and still have a lot of years of use left in them. Do your company a favor: add efficiency and save time and money by purchasing a used combination weigher.

If you decide to implement this equipment in your company, make sure you take the time to fully train your staff, so that all of your efforts toward efficiency aren’t lost because people don’t know how to operate the machinery. Once your employees know how to work with the new machines, you’ll be able to enjoy a more efficient process for packing, and you may even be able to take on more work because it takes less time to package and ship your goods.

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

Promote Safety and Save Money with Used Code Date Printers

When you are in the business of packaging food, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the product you sell is not spoiled or unsafe by the time it reaches distributors and customers. For that reason, printing a use-by or sell-by date on food products is common, standard practice to ensure safety. Code date printers are one commonly used machine for printing these dates, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck paying top dollar if you need them for your products. Instead, consider purchasing used equipment.

Top Brands and Reliable Machines

Many people think that buying used packaging machinery and accessories is a sort of “get what you pay for” situation, by which saving money means you’re getting an inferior, unreliable or damaged machine. That’s not the case when you purchase from High Performance Packaging, however. Our stock of inkjet and thermal transfer code date printers includes top brands that you can trust, such as Videojet, Markem, Norwood and more. These printers can be easily integrated into your packaging line, and work to promote safety. Having clearly printed dates alerts consumers when the products they are purchasing will expire and when it will no longer be considered safe or advisable to consume. Dates are printed on myriad products, from pharmaceuticals to foods and more, so it’s important to have a reliable machine for printing the dates legibly.

Printing directly on the product or product’s packaging has its own set of challenges, and these machines meet those requirements—for instance, some products like eggs need to be code-date printed with food-grade inks. Some other products and packages that code-date printers are compatible with include:

Packaged, prepared food
Pet food
Canned fruits and vegetables
Dairy products
Cosmetics and personal care items

Aside from consumable products, code date printers are also used on industrial packaging, for instance on cables and pipes, chemicals and electrical/electronic components. Regardless of your specific application, when you need a reliable code date printer, purchasing used is a great way to get that quality without overspending.

Why Purchase Used?

Used machinery, when purchased from a reputable seller, can give you the option to get a machine that was previously out of your reach due to budget concerns. Used machinery that’s being resold is often in great condition, lightly used with a lot of years left in it. A common misconception is that purchasing used machines just means inheriting someone else’s problems, but a lot of the time, used machinery is just from a user who needed something else to suit their needs a bit better. Purchasing used machines such as code date printers from High Performance Packaging is a great way to get the machines you’ve been looking at and considering purchasing at a lower cost than you’d spend if you were buying new. An additional benefit is that HP Packaging offers training and technical support, perfect for getting your new machine up and running efficiently. We also offer troubleshooting services, preventative maintenance and performance improvement programs to help enhance your packaging line’s overall efficiency.

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

3 Common Misconceptions About Buying Used Packaging Machinery

If you’re interested in buying packaging equipment, but you’re on a tight budget, you may be considering purchasing used machines to save some money. You may be apprehensive to do so, however—and that’s likely because you’ve heard some of the common misconceptions about purchasing used machinery. Don’t fret—those misconceptions are just that—myths. Buying used machinery is a great way to save some money and get high quality products at the same time. Learn more about three of the common misconceptions about purchasing used machines, and why you don’t need to worry.

1) The machines won’t last as long as new ones.

The most common misconception is that purchasing used machines puts you in the position of potentially needing to replace those machines sooner than you’d need to had you purchased new machinery. That’s simply not true—at High Performance Packaging, you can trust them to last for many years to come—used machinery doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing durability or quality.

2) You won’t be able to find the name brands you trust.

In the same vein, many people believe that discounted machinery will only be available from lesser known, less trustworthy brand names. Again, this is not true. Used machinery isn’t lower quality, nor is it in worse condition than new machinery. When you purchase used machines from High Performance Packaging, you’ll have access to an inventory of machines from the brands you not only know and trust, but the brands you want to use in your packaging line. You’ll be able to purchase high quality equipment at a lower price than new machines—an ideal option for businesses on a tight budget.

3) The sellers can’t help you if the machine has any problems.

While some sellers may not be able to help you once you take the machine off your hands, that’s not true with us. At HP Packaging, our technicians and support staff are not only there to help you install the machinery if you need, but they can also help teach you and your staff how to use the machines, as well as troubleshoot problems should they arise. Our support staff is proud to have a full working knowledge of the products we sell, thanks to their 10 to 25 years of experience within the field. In addition to offering operator training and troubleshooting, we also offer a preventative maintenance program which can help keep your machinery in top shape, and line start-up help, which means you’ll have an easier time building up your packaging line from scratch.

At HP Packaging, we’re dedicated to helping our customers get not only a great deal, but great equipment and great service. Call today for more information.

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

How Can a Vertical Form Fill Sealing Machine Benefit Your Business?

Vertical form fill sealing machines are a ubiquitous fixture in many packaging lines, and it’s not surprising to learn that many companies use them. They are an automatic assembly line product packaging system, and they’re commonly used in the food industry and with many other products. These machines form plastic bags out of a flat roll of plastic film, and simultaneously fill these bags with product and seal the filled bags. VFFS machines are versatile, as they can be used with solids and liquids, making them an ideal machine for many different products. If you’re considering purchasing one for your packaging line, learn more today about how it can benefit your business.

How Do VFFS Machines Work?

VFFS machines offer businesses a fast and efficient way of packaging their products. A roll of plastic film is fed through the machine’s long, hollow conical tube, where the outer edges of are sealed together to form a bag. Then, a horizontal sealing bar clamps across the bottom edge of the plastic, sealing those pieces together. This bag is the lowered onto a weighing table, where the product is filled into the bag, and when the target weight of the bag is reached, the filling stops and the horizontal sealing bar seals the top of the bag, and that bag is cut away from the rest of the roll, ready to advance onward in the packaging line. During the sealing process, the bag may be filled with air from an inert gas supply. This helps protect the product from crushing—take, for instance, a bag of potato chips—and drives out oxygen, which can prevent or slow the growth of bacteria.

How Can They Benefit Your Business?

Vertical form fill seal machines are not only fast and efficient, packaging dozens of packages per minute, but they also maintain consistency with your product – each package will have exactly the same amount of product in it. Many food packages can be filled with nitrogen instead of oxygen, which can extend the product’s shelf life, which is obviously beneficial for your product. The consistency and efficiency of these machines are some of the main reasons that companies purchase them for their packaging lines. Horizontal form fill seal machines are also popular fixtures, and determining which machine is best for your business may depend on what you are packaging. For more information about each type of machine, contact High Performance Packaging today.

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Ron Crews — Leave a comment

What Industries Can Utilize Used Packaging Machinery?

Chances are, if you’re in an industry that uses packaging machinery, you already know it. But if you’re a small business, or are looking for a way to optimize your packaging process, you may not be aware that there are options available to you at a cost that might fit your budget better than brand new machines. Many different industries can benefit from used packaging machines—can yours?

What Industries Benefit from Packaging Machines?

One of the main industries that use packaging machinery is the food industry. Without machines, the packaging process would not only be inconsistent, but it would be much slower. With machines, companies are able to package consistent weights of their product, which is not only good for aesthetic reasons, but it also ensures no money is lost either from overfilling the product or underfilling—which may result in unhappy customers. Aside from weighing, used packaging machines can be used to seal products like frozen pizza, individual condiment packets, and much more.

Other industries that use packaging machines include:
• Automotive
• Cosmetics
• Toys
• Retail

These are just a few of the industries that can use packaging machines to advance their business and productivity. If you’re interested in optimizing your packaging line, but are working with a tight budget, buying used packaging machinery is a great way to do so. We offer high quality machines that will fit into your budget and are restored to be fully functional for years to come.

What Kind of Machines Can These Businesses Use?

Within these industries, different companies can benefit from different types of packaging machines. For instance, combination weighers can be used for weighing out multiple bags of product quickly and easily, which is ideal for the food industry. Shrink bundling machinery, including form fill and seal machines, is ideal for packages that need to be airtight, or need to be sealed with no airspace between the package and product, such as automotive parts. Many industries can benefit from using conveyers, as well – these help speed up the packaging process for virtually any item you’re packaging. No matter what sort of packaging machine you’re interested in, buying refurbished is a great way to build up your line without breaking the bank.

For more information about the different types of machines that High Performance Packaging offers, contact us today—we’re happy to help you find whatever you need to make your business work better.

High Performance Packaging Equipment and Expertise

Author: Ron Crews