Jacob Resnick, Marketing Manager, Viking Masek Packaging Technologies

Jacob recently told Packaging Strategies about the trends that his company is witnessing in Vertical Fill Form-Fill-Seal Machines and Automated Packaging:

Vertical fill form seal automated packaging equipment has become increasingly popular among customers due to its efficiency, speed, and flexibility. Providing a compact footprint, VFFS machines are ideal for packaging professionals who do not want to compromise valuable floor space as opposed to horizontal machines. This type of equipment is used in a variety of industries, including food and non-food industries. In this article, we will highlight the trends in vertical fill form seal machines related to what customers are using the machines for in new product areas, top features of the machinery, and what customers are looking for in vertical fill form machine equipment.

Customers are using vertical fill form seal machines for new product areas such as pet food, snacks, and coffee. In the pet food industry, vertical fill form seal machines are used to package dry and wet pet food products. In the snacks industry, these machines are used to package chips, nuts, and other snacks. In the coffee industry, vertical fill form seal machines are used to package ground coffee, coffee beans, and coffee pods.

Post-pandemic, there has been a surge in demand for consumer and curable goods. This has helped to regain over 1.7 million lost jobs in manufacturing. Packaged product demand continues to rise steadily and end consumers are continuing to seek convenience. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for high quality, differentiated products, which has continued to drive demand to produce new products that stand out in the marketplace as an attractive option to the target market. In the packaging industry, the food market has seen the largest increase in scheduled projects from the previous year above all other industries.

Contract packaging companies from all sectors report that projects will increase in 2023, with the most optimistic projections coming from the food sector. Comparted to 2022, over two thirds of surveyed contract packagers in the 2023 PMMI Purchasing Plans & Priorities Report stated they are planning more processing and packaging investment projects while only 9% have projected any decreases.

Key Features of Vertical Fill Form Seal Machinery

Customers are looking for vertical fill form seal machinery that is easy to use, has a high production rate, and is cost-effective. The top features of this machinery include:

1. Touchscreen Human Machine Interface (HMI): An easy-to-use touchscreen control panel allows operators to easily adjust settings and monitor production. The market has asked for intuitive HMI’s with simple integration. At Viking Masek, our high performance touch screen HMI allows for easy operator use with availability to store over 100 recipes. Viking Masek also provides single source solutions allowing one control system to manage multiple components of full-line systems.
2. Automatic Film Alignment: Automatic film alignment ensures that the film is properly aligned for accurate sealing. Viking Masek offers unique features such as our state-of-the-art film tracking system to ensure accuracy.
3. Quality: OEMs and CPGs have reported quality as a major determining factor in the machinery they purchase along with the cost of total ownership. Viking Masek provides robust, stainless-steel machinery with vibration-free filling tube and sealing profiles designed to provide extremely smooth operation at all speeds. Product handling is paramount in the food industry. Viking Masek’s R&D Department consistently engages to create innovative and patented solutions for customers to provide the highest quality product without compromising speeds.
4. Quick Changeover: Quick changeover allows operators to easily switch between products and packaging materials. Viking Masek offers a variety of easy-to-use spindle assemblies, including our new cantilevered spindle on the world’s fastest VFFS machine, the Twin Velocity. This allows for quick and easy changeover with dual film rolls. See the Twin Velocity in action!
5. High-Speed Production: High-speed production allows for increased productivity and efficiency. The Twin Velocity allows for speeds up to 540 cycles per minute! With patented rotary jaw motion technology, it allows for incredibly fast speeds with delicate product handling. While speed is important, OEMs are seeking machinery that also operate according to specifications with precise operation and easy maintenance and support.
6. Sanitary Design and Washdown Capabilities: Viking Masek offers various levels of washdown builds, from dry duty wipe down to dairy, ready-to-eat meat and fresh produce specs, gas flush, tear notch, dual or single lane discharge, and more. This is especially important for food products. Viking Masek provides VFFS machines with full washdown IP66 construction.
7. Support: When you are working with Viking Masek, we provide a multitude of options for training, service, and support. When your packaging machine is down, every minute counts. Viking Masek’s experienced service technicians and engineers are here to help with quick response and remote access capabilities. Packaging Machine Support and Maintenance

What Customers are Looking for in Vertical Fill Form Machine Equipment

Customers are looking for vertical fill form machine equipment that is reliable, easy to maintain, and has a low cost of ownership. They also want equipment that is flexible and can handle a variety of packaging materials and product types. In addition, customers are looking for equipment that is easy to integrate into their existing production lines. As a single source provider, Viking Masek strives to make full systems integrations as seamless as possible with extensive operator training and resources along with remote access capabilities.

Total cost of ownership remains the highest priority for packaging companies to decide if automation makes sense. Every project has a set budget with set production costs. Providing full transparency up-front with Viking Masek’s proven partnership process allows customers to purchase with confidence knowing that the machinery will exceed expectations and provide a positive ROI.

Trends in Vertical Fill Form Seal Machines in the Food Industry

In the food industry, vertical fill form seal machines are being used to package a wide variety of products, including snacks, pet food, coffee, and more. One trend in the food industry is the use of sustainable packaging materials, such as compostable films and biodegradable materials.

With an increase in demand for full-line turnkey solutions, another trend in the industry is an increasing demand for the use of automation and robotics to increase efficiency and reduce labor costs. Viking Masek offers full line solutions with robotics, palletizing, cartoning, depalletizing, mixed load palletizing, and case packing for our customers all around the world.

Labor shortages have continued to be problematic with a lack of skilled personnel for daily operations within packaging and processing companies. In January 2023, the unemployment indicator posted its lowest level in decades. Automated packaging systems have provided a solution for labor shortages with effective machinery that runs consistently and reliably. Robotic palletizers and depalletizers continue to increase in demand to hand these labor-intensive processes.

Non-Food Industry Uses of Vertical Fill Form Seal Machines

Vertical fill form seal machines are also used in non-food industries, such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and household products. In the pharmaceutical industry, these machines are used to package pills, tablets, and capsules. In the cosmetics industry, they are used to package creams, lotions, and gels. In the household products industry, they are used to package detergents, cleaners, and other products.

In conclusion, vertical fill form seal automated packaging equipment is a versatile and efficient solution for a wide range of industries. Customers are looking for equipment that is reliable, easy to use, and cost-effective. The food industry is seeing trends toward sustainable packaging materials and the use of automation and robotics. The non-food industry is also seeing widespread use of vertical fill form seal machines for packaging products.

Viking Masek is a global leader in VFFS packaging machinery. Providing customers with a single source solution for a multitude of applications. To learn more about what Viking Masek can do to help you streamline your packaging services, contact us today! If you are new to automated packaging and have questions, see our First Time Buyer’s Handbook.

Our team of experts is always available to help you choose the right machine, features, and system while providing support throughout the entire process. Viking Masek can assist in full integration by adding in-feed and take-away conveyors, to a variety of integration of fillers, printers, metal detectors, label applicators, checkweighers, case packing, palletizing, and more.

Source Reference: 2023 PMMI Purchasing Plans & Priorities Report