Packaging is important in any industry, but when it comes to bagging construction materials, there are some specific challenges to overcome.

Whereas in food and drink and other consumer-facing items, packaging needs to look good to build brand awareness and attract attention on the shelf, when packing heavy or bulky materials such as cement or aggregates, different factors come into play.

The challenges of packaging construction materials

Construction materials and the building industry have very practical requirements that need to be met:

• Durability and storage: Bags and sacks are likely to be stored outside or in harsh conditions on construction sites and handled roughly. Packaging must be robust enough to withstand these demanding environmental factors without tearing or punctures.
• Precision measurements: Packaging should be filled accurately to adhere to industry standards – substances such as cement or plaster are mixed according to the assumed weight of the package. Measuring accurately also reduces waste and improves customer satisfaction.
• Dust control and cleanliness: Many construction materials are susceptible to moisture and generate large quantities of dust which can create health hazards and reduce product purity. Packaging materials need to be moisture-resistant and tightly sealed.
• Speed vs. quality: Large-scale projects often require vast quantities of materials like cement and premix powders to be delivered on tight deadlines, and while high-speed production lines are essential for meeting demand, they mustn’t compromise the quality or consistency of the end product.

Addressing these challenges requires innovative packaging machinery tailored to bulky construction materials, such as the equipment manufactured by VAI.

VAI advanced packaging technology

VAI is a manufacturer of specialist packaging machinery renowned for its knowledge and expertise and for producing reliable, high-speed equipment with a long service life. A sister company to palletiser supplier Europack, it’s similarly well-regarded with a wide product portfolio.

The VAI range includes automated solutions for sack filling, weighing and sealing at high speed. Form fill seal baling machines make PE bags from flat foil film reels, which are constructed and filled with product before being sealed closed and delivered to the outfeed conveyor.

VFFS (vertical form fill seal) packing machines bag grains, pellets and aggregates in medium to large sacks and then seal them ready for palletising and transportation. VAI’s Automatic or semi-automatic systems have the capacity to fill up to 1,500 bags per hour.

See a VFFS packing machine in action:

Machines are made bespoke to customer requirements and as such, can integrate devices such as scales, vibrating feeders, conveyors and printers. This removes the need for multiple separate pieces of equipment, simplifying the production line and reducing capital outlay and ongoing maintenance costs.

The benefits of installing advanced bagging machinery

Using bagging machinery designed for the task in hand brings a number of benefits including quality control, productivity and cost-efficiency.

• Automated weighing systems ensure every bag is filled to exact specifications, reducing waste and ensuring consistency. Fewer losses through inaccurate weighing means better management of costs and inventory.
• Dust control is another feature of advanced systems. Integrated dust extraction mechanisms capture fine particles to improve workplace safety, reduce emissions and maintain cleanliness.
• High-speed operation delivers improved productivity – automated systems reduce manual labour and speed up the packaging process. Using an automatic palletiser to move bags to pallets ready for onward transport adds further efficiency.

Bagging construction materials requires heavy-duty packaging and equipment that’s designed to work with dusty, bulky goods. Finding the right automated system is key to keeping operations running smoothly.

Sack-filling machines are a popular addition to manufacturing operations due to their ability to improve efficiency and productivity. By filling bags and sacks automatically, throughput is faster, products are more consistent, and there is less waste.

But all sack-filling machines are not the same and, in this blog, we look at two of the most popular types, VFFS (Vertical Form Fill Seal) and pre-made sack filling, and examine the advantages of each.

What is a sack-filling machine?

A sack-filling machine does what it says on the tin: it fills sacks or bags. Different machines do this in different ways depending on the type of material being used, how the bag is being sealed and what’s inside it.

Regardless of these variables, however, there are always three key steps to filling a bag:

1. Preparing the bag
2. Filling the bag
3. Removing the bag ready for onward storage or transportation

Now let’s look at how some of the machines we supply tackle these steps.

VFFS sack-filling machines

A Vertical Form, Fill, Seal machine makes, fills and seals bags all on the same machine. This makes them extremely efficient – up to 1,500 bags can be made and filled every hour and the operation can be left unattended, allowing thousands of bags to be made and filled automatically.

The bags are made from a flat sheet of plastic which is shaped to create the required size packages. Plastic film is wrapped around a forming tube which heats up and seals the plastic at the back of the bag. Product is then dispensed into the bag, after which heat is used again to seal the top of that bag and the bottom of the next one at the same time.

This method means the bags can only be made from a material which can be heat sealed, such as polythene or paper with a plastic coating inside, and therefore they’re not suitable for all products. Powders such as concrete or flour need to be in breathable packaging, otherwise they’ll react to any moisture present and set, and some foodstuffs which need to be airtight can’t be packaged using a VFFS machine because the gas used to expel the air isn’t compliant with all foods. It’s also more difficult to recycle these types of bags.

Nevertheless, VFFS is especially popular for smaller bags of 1 – 25kg, containing dry snacks, aggregates, pet food and other non-reactive goods.

Pre-made sack-filling machines

Pre-made sack-filling machines use pre-made bags which are picked from a magazine using a vacuum. This means the bags can be any material the vacuum can lift, but are commonly paper, making them easily recycled.

There are two main types of bags:

• Open mouth sacks

These are automatically stitched or sealed closed when full.

• Valve sacks

These are filled via a valve formed into the bag, at the point of manufacture, which is sealed when the bag is full, making the package airtight.

Pre-made bags are not only a better choice for certain products and the planet, as discussed earlier, but can use their existing bags, which already have their original artwork, without the need for any changes or new stock of bags needed. Whilst VFFS bags can be printed, but in doing so, can almost double the price of clear polythene, making it an expensive option.

The Futura range of sack fillers, from Technipes can handle pre-made bags of 10 – 50kg and fill up to 600 bags per hour.

Comparison of the VFFS and pre-made sack-filling machines

How to choose a sack-filling machine

Both VFFS and pre-made sack-filling machines bring advantages and each has its place on the factory shopfloor – it can even be possible to have both, used for different products.

Whether throughput, weight capacity or bag material is the primary factor, we can work with you to find the right machine to meet your needs and ensure installation is smooth and hassle-free.

Sack-filling machines are already an increasingly popular addition to manufacturing operations and the next generation of machines, from Italian manufacturer Technipes, can improve the speed and efficiency of this part of the process even further.

The company offers the industry’s largest range of packaging machinery for dry products packaged in bulk, automatically opening, filling, measuring or weighing and stacking larger bags and sacks for storage or transportation. The machinery can also be connected to other equipment such as palletisers to provide a complete solution.

About Technipes

Family-owned, Technipes has been manufacturing high-end sack-filling equipment for almost four decades and supplies hundreds of machines every year to industries as varied as mills, food production, agricultural products, animal feed and chemical and building materials.

With a wide range of experience, the company focuses on creating innovative solutions that both address the current needs of businesses as well as anticipate and tackle future challenges. The resulting equipment is cutting-edge and suits all kinds of manufacturing applications from single machines up to high-capacity, fully-automated turnkey packaging solutions.

The range of machines includes:

• Weighers
• Valve packers
• Open mouth bag packers
• Form fill and seal
• Gig bag packers
• Palletisers
• Conveyors

Let’s look at each of these in turn, to understand more about the features and benefits.

Packaging machinery available from Technipes

Weighers

Technipes scales are controlled by advanced electronic technology and come in sizes from 10kg to 4,000kg, making them suitable for a wide range of materials. Featuring a weighing bucket floated on load cells and equipped with discharge doors, a choice or combination of six feeder types (screw, twin screw, belt, impeller, vibratory and gravity feeder) precisely measures products of various characteristics. Positive product flow shut off helps to ensure accuracy.

Valve packers

A valve packer is a type of packaging machine to efficiently fill and seal valve bags with powdered or granular materials. Once the bag is filled to the correct level, the valve is closed automatically, sealing the bag to prevent spillage. Technipes packers include the Tecno and Optimo series, the latter of which uses a net-weigh scale to measure and dispense the product. Both can fill up to 1,600 bags an hour and can be fully automated with the addition of the Transfer automated bag placer.

Open mouth bag packers

Valued for their ability to handle a wide range of bag sizes and materials quickly and efficiently. This diverse range includes the manual Pura series, and the semi-automated and fully-automated Futura and Advanta series. All are available in gross weigh or net weigh form and with six possible product feeder types for maximum flexibility. Bags from 1kg to 50kg can be accommodated with bagging speeds of up to 1,200 every hour.

Form fill and seal

There are two different machines in the vertical form fill seal range. The Tecno-V is especially versatile with the ability to form pillow, gusseted, flat bottom, 4-cornered stand up pouches and brick-type vacuum packed bags in small or large sizes. Product can be measured by weight or volume.

Gig bag packers

Specifically designed for packaging products into flexible pre-formed bags such as those used for snacks, sweets, powders or other small items. Systems can include scales and conveyors to aid with the accurate filling, sealing and movement for onward transport or storage.

Palletisers

Three different robotic palletisers deliver low, low-medium and medium-high capacity solutions. All boast a unique combination of programming, bag handling, and conditioning features which deliver a superior stack quality.

PALpack and Technipes

Technipes shares our commitment to redefine industry standards through cutting-edge technology. Working together, and in close collaboration with our other manufacturers, we can now supply turnkey packing lines, from filling bags to palletising them.

Selecting packaging is an important decision. Beyond aesthetics it can play a pivotal role in a product’s success, impacting on end-of-line processes, transport costs and customers’ purchasing decisions.

Why packaging matters

Packaging performs two main roles:

1. Protecting your product
The right packaging ensures that items reach the consumer in pristine condition, protecting them from damage during handling and transportation as well as from environmental factors such as dampness or dirt.

2. Promoting your product
Packaging can also be responsible for creating the first impression that either attracts or deters potential buyers. In stores, well-designed packaging builds your brand, makes your product stand out and ultimately entices end users to lift it from the shelves.

Thinking about how you can best achieve these two goals will help you identify the best type of packaging to use.

What to consider in packaging selection

With the advent of new materials and technology pretty much anything is possible when it comes to packaging, but it’s important not to get carried away with aesthetics, branding or clever design ideas before looking at the whole picture. Will your customers be impressed with a quirky box or do they just want something functional? Similarly, if you’re marketing an environmentally friendly product, try to avoid plastic coverings. Consider the following factors before making any major decisions:

• Product compatibility – Will your chosen packaging work for the nature and dimensions of your product? This is crucial for both protection and presentation.
• Storage and distribution – How is your product being delivered to customers or end users? Will the packaging stand up to rough handling or other transportation challenges? Uniformly sized items minimise space requirements and allow for quicker and easier stacking and storage, making the packing process more efficient and reducing associated costs. Using a palletiser increases efficiency further.
• Cost – You don’t want the cost of your packaging to make your products unaffordable but cheap packaging won’t be as durable. Equally, anyone buying a premium product will expect premium presentation. Finding the right balance between cost and quality is vital.
• Sustainability – Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the presence of single-use plastics and other non-recyclable elements in their packaging. Opting for recyclable or biodegradable choices will reduce your environmental footprint and may resonate positively with your audience. Be aware that some materials (e.g. coated cardboard) may not be as sustainable as they seem!
• Compliance – Certain products, for example, foodstuffs or sensitive or dangerous goods must be contained and labelled in a particular way. Make sure the packaging you choose has space for the relevant information to be included.
• Branding and marketing – Your packaging should properly reflect your brand and messaging. Think about your target audience, will it appeal to them?
• Production efficiency – Packaging design and type can impact the whole production process. Intricate or complex designs that need careful handling or more human input may slow things down, increasing costs and causing delays.

What packaging options are there?

Taking the answers to the above into consideration you should have a better idea of your budget and other specific requirements. Now, you can match these to the packaging types and materials available to work out which is going to best suit your needs.

Think about materials as well as format – a box or carton doesn’t have to be cardboard, and exploring the options can lead you to find alternative solutions you might not have considered.

• Boxes and cartons. Easily customised and suitable for a wide range of products. Cardboard is the most commonly used and the most cost-effective, but coated cardboard and plastic are also popular, especially for foodstuffs. Wooden boxes or crates may be used to move particularly heavy items.
• Flexible packaging. Includes pouches, bags and wrappers, usually made from plastic. Different plastics such as PET, PVC and HDPE offer different benefits, so do your research into the options. Consider the advantages of using biodegradable plastics too.
• Rigid packaging. Sturdy and durable, this can be made from plastic, thick cardboard or even wood or glass and is usually reserved for luxury items or particularly fragile products. Glass is used particularly in the food and beverage industry.
• Blister packs. These are generally plastic and used for small items. They provide visibility and protection.

Packaging and manufacturing

Choosing packaging is one of the most important decisions you can make and it has the potential to impact the entire manufacturing process, from filling bags to stacking pallets for distribution. The right choice can improve efficiency, reduce costs and set you apart from the competition.

Investing in automation brings big benefits to manufacturing, so it’s no surprise that more and more businesses are making the decision to introduce robotics such as sack-filling machines into their production lines.

In this blog, we look in more detail at the advantages of these automated pieces of equipment and how they can help boost your business.

What is a sack-filling machine?

At PALpack, we supply and install Vertical Form, Fill, Seal (VFFS) machines, which make, fill and seal bags all on the same machine, making them extremely efficient. Most suited to creating flexible packaging, a roll of film is shaped and sealed to create the required size packages before being filled, sealed closed, and separated ready for storage or onward transportation.

The roll of packaging material is continuous so the operation can be left unattended for hours, allowing thousands of bags to be made and filled automatically, without the need for human intervention.

What are the benefits of sack-filling machines?

VFFS sack-filling machines can be used for anything from aggregates to foods, making them a useful addition to many operations. As we’ve touched on above, it is much faster and more efficient than filling packages by hand, so let’s look at the advantages in more detail:

1. Increased efficiency

Manual packaging is slow and can be prone to errors, which in themselves can be time-consuming to rectify. Automating the process increases your packing rate, making your operations more productive, consistent and reliable.

2. Improved accuracy

Sack-filling machines are precision-engineered, making them far more accurate than a human operative. Each sack or bag is filled with the exact quantity of material required which not only prevents wastage but ensures the final product meets the required production and regulatory standards.

3. Greater consistency

Removing human variability results in a more consistent product – the hallmark of a successful manufacturing operation. A sack-filling machine isn’t affected by illness or holidays, tiredness or a drop in concentration, so you can guarantee the same quality product to your customers every time.

4. Enhanced customer satisfaction

You’re only as good as your last delivery: your customers rely on your ability to deliver a quality product, on time – every time. Sack-filling machines help you to meet these expectations and hit deadlines, improving your customers’ satisfaction and loyalty.

5. Reduced costs

All of the above points translate into savings. Less wasted product = savings. More consistent products = fewer discounts or refunds offered. Greater customer satisfaction = larger orders and repeat business. Higher production volumes = economies of scale and cost savings. In addition, automating this part of the process allows you to redeploy labour to a part of the business where they can add more value, such as sales or product development.

What to consider when investing in a sack-filling machine

If you’re thinking about introducing a sack-filling machine, there are a few things to consider.

• Production capacity. Think about your current capacity requirements as well as any future targets.
• What type of bags or pouches need to be supported by the equipment? A versatile machine that can accommodate different weights and sizes will give you more flexibility.
• Accuracy and precision. Machines with advanced weighing systems and sensors will help you to be more accurate and reduce errors.
• What are the maintenance requirements? Ask your supplier about maintenance regimes, downtime and repair costs.
• Integration with existing systems. Consider how the machine will integrate with your existing systems and processes to avoid disruption.
• Supplier reputation and support. Choose a reliable provider that understands your business and you can trust. Ask for reviews and testimonials.

There are a host of benefits to automating your packaging processes and getting the right machine in place is a big part of that. See our range of sack-filling machines here or to discuss your needs, contact our team.

Production lines are becoming increasingly automated as more manufacturers realise the benefits of investing in automatic and semi-automatic machines. This is especially true of packaging operations, where equipment such as sack-filling machines improve accuracy and efficiency, saving time and money.

Italian supplier VAI has been designing and producing automatic and semi-automatic packaging machines for more than 40 years and in this blog, we find out more about the brand and what sets it apart.

What is packaging automation?

Packaging automation uses industrial production machinery to streamline the packaging process. Machines can handle tasks that would traditionally be carried out manually such as:

• loading and unloading goods
• filling bags and sacks
• measuring and weighing
• labelling

This brings a number of benefits:

1. The equipment is faster and more accurate, improving efficiency and output.
2. Reducing the need for manual labour allows employees to be redeployed to other areas of the business where they can add more value.
3. Risk of injury from heavy lifting or repetitive movement is reduced.
4. More accurate processes reduce waste and improve sustainability.

What makes VAI stand out?

VAI is an associated company to palletiser supplier Europack and is similarly well-regarded in the industry. Renowned for their specialist knowledge and expertise, VAI’s skilled team of experts have decades of experience in improving production lines and specialise in producing reliable, high-speed technology with a long service life.

The manufacturer’s packaging machines are made bespoke to customer requirements and as such can integrate devices such as scales, vibrating feeders, conveyors and printers. This removes the need for multiple separate pieces of equipment, simplifying the production line and reducing capital outlay and ongoing maintenance costs.

The VAI range

The VAI range includes automated solutions for sack filling, weighing and sealing at high speed, including:

• Semiautomatic lines to weigh and fill open mouth bags
  Used for granular and pellet products, these machines range from low-cost solutions to high-end systems capable of filling 1,500 bags per hour.
• Automatic weighing systems
  These ensure packages of all kinds are weighed correctly and accurately, so customers receive a consistent product.
• VFFS packing machines
  VFFS (vertical form fill seal) packing machines bag grains, pellets and aggregates in medium to large sacks and then seal them ready for palletising and transportation. Automatic or semi-automatic systems have the capacity to fill up to 1,500 bags per hour.

• FFS baling machines
  VAI’s form fill seal baling machines make PE-bags from flat foil film reels. Bags are constructed and filled with product before being sealed closed and delivered to the outfeed conveyor.
• Automatic lines for packing and palletising
  Automated packing lines move and pack products before using an automatic palletiser to move them to a pallet ready for storage or transport.
• Special solutions for industrial packaging
  These may include the filling and movement of vacuum packs, drums, canisters, buckets or other industrial packaging.

Used for food and non-food products ranging from flour and pasta to cement, pellets, animal feeds and seeds, sack-filling machinery can also integrate with other automation solutions such as sack palletising.

To see the VAI range or for more information on how it could benefit your operations, contact us.