Fulfillment is a real challenge when your demand is constantly growing but your process remains manual and slow. Automated baggers can increase efficiency, stay on top of the demand, be a useful component in your company’s chain of custody, and aid in the consistency and quality of your company’s packaging and labeling. 

They are also cost-effective which makes their ROI even sweeter.

For a full reading on all the reasons why automating your bagging process will make you money you can click here. But for the purposes of this post, we are talking cost reductions.

COST REDUCTION 1: HUMAN LABOR & ERROR

Depending on the type of error, there could be any number of costs associated: the time it takes to resolve the issue; the replacement of the product if broken or damaged; a redo on the package, label, or other materials; etc. Then, factor in that you’ll be paying your labor for any overtime that is required to keep up with fulfillment. Autobaggers streamline processes with accuracy and efficiency which reduces costs on all fronts.

COST REDUCTION 2: ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Implementing autobaggers may provide you the opportunity to reduce the energy required in creating finished packaged goods. You may decrease greenhouse gas emissions or lower water usage to produce packaging materials – all depending on your models and solutions. But if energy and sustainability are important to your business, this is an added benefit of implementing automated baggers. The lowered energy savings could reduce the expense to your power facility and thus, your bottom line.  Your actual energy cost savings may vary so consult your local expert.

COST REDUCTION 3: SHIPPING & PACKAGING

At 5000 packages per day, it equated to $850 per day in postage savings. Automated baggers can help maintain consistent costs by consistently packaging materials for your products and providing measured data that makes it possible to more accurately predict future expenses. 

The bottom line: Autobaggers help your bottom line by reducing costs associated with manual labor, energy consumption, and packaging/shipping.

The ROI is well worth the improvements these baggers will make to your systems and operations. They are a HUGE win for your business because they 1) save you costs while they 2) also increase your profits by improving your efficiency and productivity and 3) contribute to sound chain of custody. Plus, they keep your packaging and labeling consistent. Sold? You should be. It’s time to start window shopping for your perfect model. Get in touch with us to learn more about our automated baggers and the perfect solution for your enterprise.

Solutions that automate your operations and reduce human error will be worth the investment and worth investigating now.

Look no further. We have industry solutions we can set you up with.  We work with medical and recreational cannabis industry leaders to provide innovative printing, labeling, and packaging solutions. Our team can help you find the right solution.

AUTOMATED BAGGERS

Our first recommendation would be to consider investing in an automated bagger and sealer. Replace your manual bagging process and increase your productivity and efficiency. Baggers also reduce your costs while making you more money. We have several bagging solutions that could work for you and your products. From tabletop models to semi- and full-automatic bag-on-a-roll systems, there is a solution that will help you automate your packaging systems effectively. Plus, we offer integrated and customizable printing and packaging systems for on-demanding bagging or bag printing.

Lastly, we want to mention that our packaging systems go beyond your typical Styrofoam peanuts or your bubble wrap. Our systems deliver packaging that is visible, safe, and cost effective.

LABEL PRINTERS & APPLICATORS

Consider how this replaces manual hand labeling which can lead to errors. Not to mention how great packaging and labeling benefits your business. Label applicators resolve unnecessary challenges such as unreadable barcodes or interruptions in your process. If you’re producing or selling recreational cannabis, consider distinguishing your brand with a creative prime label. There are also a range of these type of label solutions we can show you. Overall, the right label printer and applicator can improve the quality of your business as you grow.

MOBILE TERMINALS AND COMPUTERS

Our third recommendation is for both growth and distribution centers. Utilizing technology that is available to them is better for product tracking. As we’ve discussed previously, chain of custody and traceability is just as important in the cannabis industry as any other. Having control over product tracking gives you a little extra security. 

These mobile terminals and computers are critical to a wireless infrastructure, allowing employees to take them wherever they go and collect data and customer information as they need to. They also provide the ability to complete business transactions at the point of sales activity.

Know what you need before you grow.

You may not need these solutions yet, but you will as your business and demand grow. Knowing your options for automated solutions ahead of time gives you the advantage of quick and seamless implementation when the time is right; and allows you to budget in advance and create the plan for how to safely set aside those monies so they are there when you need them. Begin here with us. We can show you the solutions we offer, explain how to implement them, and answer any of your questions.

Ready to start that conversation with us?

You’re experiencing an influx in fulfillment orders and everyone’s talking about automation. You know automated baggers can increase efficiency, stay on top of the demand, and be a useful component in your company’s chain of custody. But that’s not all.

They also assist in the quality of your company’s professionalism and marketing because the consistency and customization of the packaging and labeling could turn a first-time customer into a loyal one.

We all judge a book by a cover – or a product by its appearance (read: packaging). An automated bagger can help ensure that your end consumer likes what they see.

SECURITY IN THE SEAL AND CONSISTENCY IN THE LABELING

The labels are also a part of the overall presentation of the package and the way the business is marketed and appeals to the customer. 

PRESENTATION, PACKAGING AND BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS

The SidePouch bags that come with one of the baggers, are available in an assortment of materials that can be printed in up to 10 colors with high-resolution graphics, text, and bar codes. This kind of design customization allows the packaging a unique and attractive look that works with a company’s brand and marketing strategy. 

Issues with labeling and packaging can damage the company’s brand and therefore their reputation with distributors, the retail market and others through the supply chain. When someone isn’t happy with the way their product looks – including packaging and labeling – there is a negative long-term impact. or result when someone is not happy with the way their product is packaged and labeled. Automated bagging with labeling helps to elevate the professionalism above the bar.

THE QUALITY OF PROFESSIONALISM RESULTING IN MORE SALES

It may have little to do with the product itself and more about how it appeals to us as a consumer. The way your package comes together as a final product could turn someone into a repeat customer. When you have a labor force in charge of packaging and labeling, the consistency in how those products being packaged and labelled look can quickly become inconsistent. Sloppy, even. But an automated bagger can help maintain the precision and polished look of the final packaged product through its consistent and automated processes.

Autobaggers are good for business even beyond increased productivity and chain of custody requirements. 

They offer added security for the product through placement in a tightly sealed bag or pouch while also having security (think about your chain of custody) created by consistent labelling. Autobaggers aid the overall presentation and marketing of your products by how they’re packaged – branding them to the business. The right packaging, labelling, and marketing together create a quality of professionalism that has them catching the consumers’ eye when arriving in the mail or lined up on the shelves in the store.  That first-time buyer might become a frequent flyer. Get in touch with us to learn more about our automated baggers.

We’ve already made the case that implementing automated baggers increases your productivity and therefore your bottom line. With all kinds of new demands and increased fulfillment quotas to meet, these baggers are more necessity than luxury at this point.  While they are an investment, their ability to increase your productivity is a guaranteed ROI. 

The automated baggers other incredible capability is their ability to keep you compliant by contributing to a secure chain of custody. 

MULTIPLE PROCESSES MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY AND SUPPORT CHAIN OF CUSTODY

Chain of custody is the movement of a product from point of origin to point of sale. Throughout that process the product is prepared for distribution and/or shipping which would require it to be packaged (i.e. bagged), identified appropriately (i.e. tagged or labeled), and appropriately logged (i.e. recorded). An automated bagger can have an eye and hand (so to speak) on each of those processes.

CRITICAL RECORDED DATA AIDS BEST PRACTICES IN CHAIN OF CUSTODY

While it manages those processes, it’s recording all the associated data in quick succession and with accurate results.  No more human error or relying on the labor force to ensure accurate data entry or input. Instead, automated baggers can record the critical data that speaks to how the product moves so that if ever that product needs to be traced all the way back – in instances of recall, for example – there is a recorded digital trail. 

Some of the data that the automated baggers are collecting include date coding, lot coding, what plant it was made in, what facility it then went to, when the product was made, and what line it was made on. 

ADDITIONAL SECURE COMPONENT TO YOUR ROBUST MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Simply stated: automated baggers can increase your productivity while keeping you compliant. 

Automating your bagging process will increase your speed and efficiency and therefore your productivity. It’s ability to perform multiple processes at the same time while also recording critical data along the way gives you an extra level of security that critical pieces of your chain of custody aren’t being overlooked. And, because of their additional features and integrations, auto-baggers are also reliable components of a robust management system.  Get in touch with us to learn more about our automated baggers. 

A unique ecommerce packaging machine that does the heavy lifting for you. 

FEATURES TO LOOK FOR IN CHOOSING YOUR AUTOMATED BAGGERS 

Have a look at these two automated baggers we have to get an idea of the features you should consider in selecting your own. 

FAS SPRINT REVOLUTION SIDE POUCH FOOD BAGGER

AUTOBAG 850

Your industry is demanding increased productivity if you’re going to stay competitive in the market. Now’s the time to choose an automated bagging solution that is going to meet those demands. 

The digital age has created a demand for warehouse automation. Mail-order fulfillment applications are facing mounting pressure to optimize workflows. Add on the challenge of finding manual labor or keeping the employees you do have happy. Vendors are screaming. Employees are screaming. Consumers are screaming. And competitors who are already moving faster than you have the advantage.

Here are five reasons automating your bagging process will keep everyone happy and make you more money:

Automated baggers like this one are designed to be easy to use, sanitize, and maintain. As a food bagging machine, it works diligently to streamline processes by offering a fast, effective way to load and seal food packages. It delivers a conveyor of bags, pre-opened and ready to be easily loaded. Operating at speeds up to 900 inches per minute, it optimizes food packaging workflow. There’s a coordinated-motion seal flattener which optimally positions bags for sealing. This automated bagging solution increases the speed and efficiency to high-productivity environments that require daily washdown procedures.

Not working with food-related items? Then maybe this other bagger is really the right way to go- perfect for single or multi-line mail order fulfillments (think apparel, fashion accessories, sporting goods and more). This automated solution quickly fills and seals bags up to 22 inches wide so you can fill a variety of order sizes. 

2. MEASURED RESULTS

These automated baggers come with a variety of features that make that productivity measurable. You get real-time productivity data as well as the ability to consistently repeat the same output. Consider this example. A company that was predominantly shipping Nutraceuticals was hand loading these products into padded envelopes with up to 10 employees. By switching to an automated packaging solution, they went down to 1 employee and started saving $0.17 per package. Total annual savings: $212,500. With this bagger, the built-in imprinter was used to interface with a database for printing order information, address, and barcodes directly onto the mailbag which replaced the need for separate printing and hand-affixing labels. The point? Implementing an automated bagger while integrating it with the rest of your fulfillment systems allows you the ability to create a reliable and measured result that you can repeat over and over again. 

3. ASSISTANCE WITH CHAIN OF CUSTODY

We all know that chain of custody is a critical part of the process no matter what your industry.  Automated bagging solutions can do multiple processes at one time, so not only are they bagging the product, but they are tagging it for chain of custody and labeling it, too. Date coding, lot coding, what plant, what facility did it come from, when was it made, what line was it made on, this can all be determined and recorded by the bagger. Combine this with password protected systems, flexibility in integrating with third-party systems, on-board diagnostics and data retrieval and you have a supercharged system for checking job storage and record history all imperative to your business’ chain of custody.

4. PROFESSIONALISM IN BRANDING YOUR PACKAGED MATERIALS

The SidePouch bags that come with one of the baggers, are available in an assortment of materials that can be printed in up to 10 colors with high-resolution graphics, text, and bar codes which give the packaging an unique and attractive look that can work with a company’s brand and marketing strategy. Their brand is important to them. Issues with labeling and packaging can damage their brand and therefore their reputation with distributors, the retail market and others through the supply chain. So while this one may seem not that big a deal to you, think of the long term impact or result when someone is not happy with the way their product is packaged and labeled. If it will eventually cost you than that is the opposite of what we want. Automated bagging with labeling helps keep the level of professionalism above the bar.

5. MORE COST EFFECTIVE

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, going with an automated bagger is cost effective. You’ll be saving money while also increasing your revenue. There are three main ways that transitioning to an automated bagging process is more cost effective than what you’re doing now.

First, humans are expensive to employ and cause errors. Simple, repetitive tasks can make people slow and make mistakes because they’re less engaged. This doesn’t get better when you must increase their hours in order to meet demands. And you’ll be paying them even more if you’re paying them overtime. 

Second, energy consumption. With a more efficient and effective machine, you’re reducing the required energy to create finished packaged goods.

And third, you’re going to save money on shipping costs (which we touched on earlier when addressing measured results). With USPS and FedEx moving away from shipping by weight to shipping by dimension, and offering more shipping bags versus boxes, you’ll be saving yourself significantly in the manner of shipping-related costs.

So, do we have you convinced that automating your bagging process can make you more money?  Sounds good, right? Reduce your costs while increasing your revenue?

If not, we encourage you to do more of your own research. We know you’ll come around eventually. If you’re convinced and you feel like there’s no time to waste, we hope you’ll consider contacting us to discover what solutions can work best for your business. This is a long-term purchase and will require budgeting, integration and maintenance, but we are ready and able to have you set up for success. Get in touch with us and we can start the conversation and have you well on your way to money in the bag.