Packaging Innovations

Jason Hogue
Southeast Regional Sales Manager
BluePrint Automation (BPA)

1. What do you think are the most promising packaging innovations over the past year for the commercial bakeries and snack makers (AI, AGVs, cobots, predictive maintenance, advanced vision tech or something else)?

Large offline / decoupled packaging systems for variety or standard packs.  These were traditionally done at co-pack facilities with a large human labor force.  The system does not need to be tied directly to a wrapper or bagger.  Products can be made and stored, then pulled out to make these specialty packs with minimal labor.

2. What packaging equipment are bakers and snack makers asking about and spending their money on?

These large decoupled systems are the hottest item for both food producers and co-packers alike.

3. What are the top issues automated packaging is helping them solve?

Labor, labor, and more labor.  Or the lack of.  Systems like these reduce the required labor force from 20 people down to 2 or 3.

4. How are bakers strategically investing in packaging equipment to boost capacity and streamline their operations?

These types of systems are versatile and easy to change over.  They are perfect for a producer that runs multiple sku’s in a shift.

5. How are you building partnerships with your customers in an ever-changing environment, such as with training, equipment flexibility and ease of use?

Partnerships with our customers are what we value the most.  The customer is at the center of everything we do.  We are constantly taking feedback from the customers and improving our designs to meet their needs.

6. How has the rise of e-commerce and direct-to-consumer changed packaging needs of your customers?

With the rise of direct-to-consumer sales, customers are required to have more flexibility in packaging equipment than ever before.  With the rise of e-commerce, simple designs that are easy to run and changeover will be most important in the future.