Recently we were asked to evaluate a consumer product that was flow wrapped for overwrap. We carefully undid the wrapping, so that we could see how much material was being used to flow wrap. We laid that film out flat against what we cut to do the overwrap; then we measured the difference.  The difference in square inches was 14% less for the overwrap. That means a 14% film savings over the life of the machine.

We then went on to look at the case pack. Because the excess film took up so much space in the box, there was an extra inch along one side of the box. We cannot do the calculation of what that might mean over a pallet load but we believe that one inch might be huge when looked at over a truck load, or many truck loads. We see sustainability written all over it.

Flow wrapping is a great choice for airtight sealing. You can use clear or printed film and have a total barrier seal. Some candy companies have switched to flow wrapping their candy bars because the candy lasts longer in vending machines.

So what is flow wrapping? Think of a tight fitting bag that your product is slide into and sealed. That is not quite how it happens but that is the net effect. The product ends up with tails and flap of long seam on the back/bottom. For larger products, there is also a tucking action that makes the flow wrap conform better to the product, like a gusseted bag.

Overwrap, like a neatly wrapped gift, is not as complete a barrier wrap, since it uses a tuck and fold to more tightly hug the product with sealing centered on the bottom seam and the tuck and fold, but it commonly considered to be a more attractive wrap.

Flow wrap and overwrap both use polypropylene film (BOPP) to create the wrap. Both can use printed film. Overwrap offers the versatility of wrapping with other materials such as paper, waxed paper or cellophane.

We cannot be sure that every package would show this difference in film consumption, but we now know that there are opportunities for material savings between flow wrap and overwrap.

The SUSTAINABLE word is now so heavy with meaning that it seems scary to say out loud. So let’s just talk about it as that spot where preserving our planet and making a profit meet.

I don’t think we have a single wrapping customer who does not want to achieve both of those goals but they sometimes feel stymied by the conflicting priorities and the how -
• how to reduce costs,
• how to look at greener processes,
• how to evaluate what their vendors are doing,
• how to keep their customers happy,
• how to get the consumer onboard,
• how to control any of these variables.

It makes herding cats look easy.

After a business has looked at gaining efficiency through Lean techniques and implemented Kaizens, the opportunities are still often ones that involve people and institutions outside the facility gates. Just as looking at the timing of vendors deliveries played into a lean project, looking at what and how those vendors provide to you can play into a life cycle analysis.

Wikipedia defines Life Cycle Analysis or Assessment as “the investigation and valuation of the environmental impacts of a given product or service caused or necessitated by its existence.” It goes on to write, “The goal of LCA is to compare the full range of environmental and social damages assignable to products and services, to be able to choose the least burdensome one.

Most Life cycle analyses are done using cradle to grave. That means looking at a product from the raw material to the post-consumer disposal of all the parts. There are many directories that help with calculations for transportation, energy use, and common metrics but some of the information comes from within your own processes. It is possible to do a life cycle analysis gate to gate that looks only at what happens inside your facility, but logically that is only a baby step toward the bigger goal.

Total Cost Assessment is a newer concept now getting a lot of play. According to Lise Laurin of EarthShift, “Total Cost Assessment is the consideration of all environmental and health (E&H) costs associated with a decision, including direct costs, risks and liabilities, and costs borne by others.” It looks not simply at the cost to produce and deliver a product but the costs born by the business, employees, vendors and by society and tries to quantify all the costs. This notion behind this is that some costs are born by society and some by employees that might at some point be born by the business. Think of the number of environmental clean ups that many companies did not expect to pay for when they made the mess, or the clean water costs of making paper or beer, or the healthcare costs for cigarette users or asbestiosis.

You may think LCA and TCA are the same thing but Total Cost Assessment is not designed to have you change anything simply to recognize all the costs associated with a good regardless of who pays it.

After doing a TCA, the alternative costs of changes that are suggested by an LCA might not look too high.

You might think of the as complements, just as a screwdriver and a wrench are often used together.

Joint Press Release

Econocorp Inc. Randolph, MA and Package Machinery Co. Inc. West Springfield, MA

Two Massachusetts companies, both members of the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, were awarded training grants by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for lean education. Econocorp, Inc and Package Machinery Company, Inc. were recently awarded $50,000 and $20,000 respectively from the State to support a comprehensive lean training program.

“Both our companies will be using the grants for a lean manufacturing training program to eliminate waste in our respective production efforts,” notes Mark Jacobson, vice president of Econocorp Inc. “We’ll have our own tailored training program to meet our unique manufacturing needs.” Katherine Putnam, President of Package Machinery Company Inc of West Springfield adds, “And we can send our employees to each other’s sites since our training will be complementary.

Econocorp and Package Machinery will be working with the Greater Boston Manufacturing Partnership (GBMP), a Massachusetts-based program that is based at U-Mass Boston, to deliver a full array of lean enterprise training to all employees of both companies. “GBMP made the grant application process simple and convenient,” says Jacobson.

“GBMP is walking us through all aspects of lean manufacturing including helping us focus our efforts on areas that will benefit each of us most, as well as training our people,” adds Putnam. “They have a strong process that will keep us on track as we tackle the opportunity of changing how we produce our machines and create cost savings from our current processes.”

To support this effort, both companies applied for grants through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is a matching fund grant. The match is made in terms of the employees’ time and normal compensation and the grant must be used over a period of two years.

“The single most important advice I can impart to any company looking to do something similar is this: DO IT!” exclaims Jacobson.

“I learned about the GBMP from work we’ve done in the past with the New England Trade Adjustment Assistance Center,” adds Putnam. ” I really respect how helpful and thorough GBMP has been throughout the process. Last year, we were approved through NETAAC to receive grant money in support of some product development, process improvement and marketing efforts we needed to help us improve our competitive position. We will be working with the NETAAC grant, which matches every dollar we spend, for the rest of this year and into 2007. This has been a great start for any company looking for both state and Federal programs to help it develop and be more competitive.”

Econocorp Inc of Randolph MA is a recognized worldwide leader in cartoning and casepacking for moderate and lower production volumes.

Package Machinery of West Springfield MA is a manufacturer of custom wrapping machinery for consumer products companies. Having been first to market with an all servo wrapping machine, it is a global leader in wrapping technology and is certified as women-owned by WBENC.

To learn more about these companies, contact:
Mark Jacobson at 781.986.7500 mark@econocorp.com, or
Katherine Putnam at 413.732.4000 kputnam@packagemachinery.com