Packaging Consumables

How Does Manual Packaging Provide Flexibility for Packaging?

Be it cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, consumer goods or the retail industry, the use of packaging has seen continuous growth in the last few decades. The packaging industry registered a CAGR of 26.7% during the period of 2020-2025.

Packaging can be largely divided into three types; primary packaging, secondary packaging and tertiary packaging. While primary packaging is any type of packing that comes in close contact with the product, secondary packaging is a layer of packaging outside of the primary packaging, like a cardboard box, which is mainly aimed at putting a set of products together. Tertiary packaging, on the other hand, consists of packaging that groups larger quantities, like a bunch of cardboard boxes, to facilitate transport.

A tertiary industry activity, packaging is done either manually or with the help of automation. Automatic packaging equipment can be further divided into semi-automatic and fully automatic machines. While manual packaging makes use of a handheld device requiring human intervention to operate it, a fully automatic strapping machine is often integrated with the production line and the whole process of packaging requires minimal human input.

Despite manual packing avoiding the utilisation of warehouse management programs and automation that involves the use of robotics, it can still focus on labour-free devices like bulk storage racks and gravity flow racks, but it is still considered the old-fashioned way of packing equipment, wherein workers handle everything, right from tracking inventory and product movement to hand-packing a product. Despite the fact that manual packaging involves the use of workers, it has its own set of benefits that make the process of packaging a fairly flexible one.

Powered by batteries, manual strapping machines are portable and easy-to-use. A manual strapping machine is cost-effective and ideal for small businesses that have a strapping rate of less than or equal to 50 straps an hour. Manual packaging allows higher flexibility in cases where products of different sizes need to be packed, since automation offers standardised packing. Automatic machines are also more suitable for businesses that pack larger quantities. Hand application is deemed unsuitable or unmanageable in this case.

Manual packaging is also highly apt for industries that deal with fast-moving consumer goods. Owing to the rapid movement of products and a high SKU count, retail outlets and direct-to-consumer-sales benefit from manual packing, since both the factors are better defined by fully refined picking methods and a rather large human workforce. Due to the involvement of humans, manual packaging lends a higher degree of verifiable accuracy. This results in saving a significant amount of money on technology and money.

If automation in the packaging industry reduces the reliance on an expensive labour force in a large business setup, given that there is otherwise be a need for a higher number of workers, manual packaging offers a cost reduction in the area of technology, since there is big upfront cost when it comes to systems and installation.

Global Packaging is a supplier of high-grade Industrial Packaging Machines and Consumables. Specializing in supplying integrated packaging solutions and cutting-edge technologies.