Packaging Machinery Expectations for 2016
As LPS wraps up production for the year, we always like to take a peek into the future in an attempt to gauge expected work for the coming twelve months. Expectations for 2016 do not currently include major changes to the product line or the work to be performed at LPS, but those expectations can also change quickly. Today we will take a look at the machinery likely to be the most popular in the coming year as well as a couple of the reasons such predictions may not always come true!
FILLING MACHINES AND CAPPING MACHINES
The two most popular pieces of packaging equipment in 2016 are unlikely to change from 2015. Both liquid fillers and capping machines are likely to remain in demand in the coming year for the simple fact that they allow packagers to efficiently complete two of the most needed procedures in any packaging process - getting product into a container and protecting the product with a seal. Filling equipment will run the gamut from simple tabletop machines for lower production processes to automatic machinery for those with high demand for output. These machines can fill containers to a level, by volume or even weight. The type of filling machine used will be matched to the needs and desires of the individual packager.
Capping machinery can also be manufactured from simple handheld or tabletop devices to completely automated and continuous equipment suitable for a turnkey packaging line. The type of capping machine used will depend on the type of closure chosen for any project. Though screw-on type caps are likely to remain the top choice for packagers, other types of closures will be less than rare. The rise of craft distilleries has led to growth in the use of cork type closures, making bartop corking machines more popular in the last few years. Snap on caps and ROPP caps also continue garner a share of the closure market as well. As in previous years, LPS expects to produce more fillers and cappers than any other machine in 2016.
CONTAINER CLEANING EQUIPMENT AND CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
Of course, the two machine types described above are far from the only two pieces of equipment manufactured by LPS. Container cleaning equipment, including air and wet rinsing machines, are almost always on the production schedule for one project or another. The products being packaged will sometimes give rise to the need for container cleaning equipment, as when foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals and other products need to protect against contamination or keep processes as sanitary as possible. But even outside of these industries, the use of rinsing and washing machines seems to be on the rise, simply to clean bottles or other containers that may hold debris from the manufacturing process, shipping or simple storage.
Power conveyors will also almost always be in process on the LPS production floor. Almost every time an automatic machine is manufactured, a power conveyor will make the trip along with the equipment, except for those occasions when the finished non-conveyor machine will be integrated into an already existing line. Conveyor systems will also be included on turnkey projects or projects that require integration to deliver a complete packaging system to a packager. Container cleaning equipment and conveyor systems, coupled with the filling and capping machines noted above, are expected to account for a majority of the manufacturing at LPS in 2016, though still not 100% of the equipment built by the company.
CUSTOM MACHINERY AND TECHNOLOGY
LPS always expects a few custom projects in any given year. These projects may require modification to standard machinery or even a completely new design and machine for the project. Of course, such projects are harder to predict but also a welcome challenge when they do occur. Custom projects not only allow LPS to deliver ideal machinery to the packager, but also allow the LPS Packaging Specialists to innovate and find new ways to package products! And in addition to custom projects, each new year brings new technology and innovation that can help with speed, precision, efficiency, consistency and many other areas. So while we currently predict little change in production from 2015 to 2016, these unknowns in the industry are what can turn expectations and predictions at a rapid pace, and LPS will keep our packagers up to date in the coming year and many after!
To discuss your 2016 projects with a Packaging Specialist, contact the LPS offices toll free at 1-888-393-3693 or browse our website for a sampling of the equipment and services offered by the company.