Antalis Packaging opened its new Smart Packaging Centre (SPC) in January with a demonstration suite for automation and a design studio to deliver ‘smart’ solutions to customers.
Following the initial launch of the SPC in 2018, the company has seen demand for its services grow. Antalis Packaging’s head of innovation and design John Garner says much of the demand is driven by customers seeking to find solutions to their packaging sustainability and efficiency concerns.
The new SPC has been designed to cater for this growing need. It provides customers with the opportunity to not only discuss their packaging requirements, but to also see packaging automation in action as well as packaging design solutions developed, and samples quickly created on site.
The latest developments in packaging automation, including carton and bag on-demand machinery, are showcased in the new demonstration suite. Customers can also have demonstrations of a full range of in-the-box systems in air cushion and paper technology that wrap, cushion and protect products. Systems on display include those from Lantech, Sealed Air, Ranpak and Pregis.
Providing customers with the opportunity to see automation in action is a huge benefit, says the company. “A lot of our focus at the SPC is on helping customers to understand how they can future-proof their business,” says Garner. “Having the opportunity to see automated packaging machinery working makes it easier for them to understand the features of the different machines and to visualise how it might integrate with their existing set-up.”
The new design studio offers packaging design as well as artwork design. Once a packaging solution has been developed on screen, samples can be created – and printed – in the demonstration suite.
The ability to create fully printed samples is proving very popular with customers, says Garner. “We have had an injection of fresh thinking from our talented university interns, two of whom are now working full time in the studio,” he explains. “They have really wowed us – and our customers – with their fresh ideas and ability to create packaging solutions.”
www.antalispackagingsolutions.co.uk