Choosing LPS as a Business Partner

Most people visiting the Liquid Packaging Solutions website are looking for packaging machinery, be it a filling machine, capping machine, power conveyors or all of the above and more. Very few packagers who first contact LPS probably think about that first contact as the beginning of a partnership. But establishing such a partnership is exactly what LPS strives to accomplish with each and every project that comes our way.

Of course, packagers search for and contact LPS when the time comes to acquire packaging machinery for their own process. Most new packagers are looking for assistance in learning the different options and guidance as to what equipment might work best for their own application. Some packagers might also seek help in designing custom equipment for special projects or in laying out a complete line for a new facility. These, along with manufacturing the equipment, are tasks that LPS employees undertake on a daily basis - finding the best packaging machinery solution for specific businesses and projects and making that machinery come to life. However, at LPS we believe everyone benefits if our Packaging Specialists stay involved with the company and the packaging line long after it has been delivered to the end user.

For starters, though most packaging equipment is relatively simple to use, there will be a learning curve. Simply delivering a complete packaging line, or just a single piece of equipment, to a packagers location and moving on to the next project could be a frustrating experience for the packager. LPS always offers Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) as an introduction to the equipment as well as to insure the equipment performs as expected. The FAT is a test typically performed at the LPS plant using the packagers own product, bottles, caps, labels and other components. In essence, it is a trial run of the equipment before the equipment leaves the factory, allowing for last second tune-ups or modifications that would be much harder to perform in the field and insuring that all customer expectations are met.

But even after an FAT has been performed successfully, LPS offers training and installation on all packaging equipment as a way to jump start production with the equipment and ensure that the equipment is used to its full potential. Often those purchasing the equipment will not be the same people that will also run the equipment once in place on the production floor. Training allows the final operators of the machinery to benefit from the expertise of LPS technicians while installation allows those operating the equipment to see and understand the importance of proper set up to the functioning of the machinery.

Finally, even after equipment is built, tested, installed and running properly, LPS remains as a source of information and components for the packager and the packaging equipment. Our technicians are available to answer questions and assist in troubleshooting when and if issues with performance do arise. Of course, many packaging machines include wear parts that will need to be replaced from time to time as well. Liquid fillers may require new O-rings for nozzles or even new tubing. Spindle capping machines may need new spindle wheels after thousands of bottles of production or power conveyors may need new belting after miles and miles of production. LPS keeps wear and replacement parts in stock at the La Porte, Indiana plant to ensure that downtime remains at a minimum even in emergency situations.

In the end, the success of our own business depends completely on the success of those businesses that trust us to provide working, reliable packaging equipment. For this reason, LPS always strives to be more than just a supplier to our customers, but a business partner as well.