Bonded Pac Makes Facility Upgrades, Increases Investment in Steam Technology
CHARLOTTE, NC (February 11, 2016) – Bonded Pac, the contract packaging division of Bonded Logistics, announced today that it has made significant upgrades to its facility located in Charlotte, NC, to meet increasing customer demands. These comprise of improved mixing capabilities, the purchase of a second steam tunnel, and remodeling of the facility to improve workflow.
“Our customers are asking us more and more for ways to differentiate their products on the store shelves,” stated Jon Hayward, Vice President of Bonded Pac. “Upgrades like these to our core competencies allow us to do just that, while reaffirming our commitment to get the job done in a cost effective way.”
The most significant upgrade Bonded Pac has made is the additional steam tunnel for flexible film application and sleeving. Purchased from leading shrink sleeve systems manufacturer Tripack, the tunnel and 30-foot conveyor will focus on multi-packs and compliment their current set-up for bottle and can decorative sleeving.
“We realized when we built our first sleeve applicator and tunnel the unique capabilities of steam,” explained Hayward, who’s been at the helm of Bonded Pac since 2012. “It presents a clean, pristine appearance and works well with odd shapes. We have customers with high-end products that deserve the best packaging solution and only steam provides that.”
Bonded Pac has also purchased a stand-alone Paxton air knife and spyder manifold along with the steam tunnel to remove moisture so products are completely dry before packaging. It anticipates making a permanent move from heat to steam sleeving over the coming months. “Our platform going forward is steam vs. heat for any type of flexible film application or sleeving,” added Hayward.
Other upgrades to the facility included the purchase of additional equipment to blend liquid products for filling clients, allowing Pac to put products together faster using raw materials instead of relying on the customer for premade formulations. In addition, an on-site testing lab has been built to ensure the products on the filling lines are kept to strict client standards.
To make all the upgrades come together, Bonded Pac had to remodel part of its 215,000 sq. ft. facility to make room for equipment and allow for better workflow and safety. Improvements started at the beginning of January and will be complete by the end of February.