How To Handle Holiday Packaging Runs

'Tis the season, the season when all of our favorite products come in festive bottles, with yuletide labels or other unique packaging. In some cases, the original packaging is still used, with holiday cheer simply added in to the normal packaging process. In other cases, completely unique bottles, caps or other package components may be used for holiday packaging. Some packagers may replace normal production with holiday runs, while others may fill, cap and label holiday packaging in addition to their normal production. So how can holiday runs be accomplished in the latter cases without completely upsetting the production schedule?

Foo special products or flavors, where a packager may simply run the holiday products on the same packaging equipment, there are a couple of features built in to LPS packaging equipment, and specifically the filling machine, that will help save some time on preparing these products. Where flavors are concerned, a liquid filler can be manufactured to include a Clean-In-Place, or CIP, system. The CIP system allows for quick and easy cleaning of the product pathway in between running different products or flavors on the line. Rather than disassemble and clean the various parts of the filler, a cleaning solution is run through the plumbing, tubing, tank and nozzles to rinse away residue from the previous product run. If the holiday product is simply a shelf replacement for regular product, production will likely not slow down. If the holiday product is run in addition to the regular product, the amount of time necessary to prepare and run the special product is limited by keeping the process efficient!

All packaging machinery from LPS is also designed for quick changeover where product may not change but special bottles, caps or other components are used for the holiday runs. Guiderails on conveyors, adjustments to filling nozzles, capping heads and other machinery can all usually be achieved without the use of tools. Again, the ability to quickly changeover from one bottle, cap or label to another in a quick and efficient manner allows a packager to prepare holiday packaging without too much change to the normal production schedule.

In some cases, however, normal production simply cannot be interrupted to prepare the special products. In this case, some packagers may opt for a semi-automatic packaging system to handle short runs such as holiday items. Semi-automatic rinsing machines, filling equipment and capping machinery are all available from LPS to handle special projects without taking away from the normal production run. These items can be used for special products, holidays or other limited runs throughout the year.

Of course, LPS also offers custom solutions for special packaging projects as well. To learn more about the packaging process for projects both large and small, browse the website or call the LPS offices to discuss your project with a Packaging Representative.