RAINDRIP is a leading manufacturer of irrigation products in the USA and produces a full line of drip and micro-irrigation products, including kits, tubing, drippers, sprinklers, misters, fittings and accessories. It has recently adopted Autobag AB 180 baggers from Automated Packaging Systems Ltd .
A booming building industry and DIY retail market meant that Raindrip’s seasonal rushes were growing larger, creating more demand than existing production facilities could handle. Previously bagged into 50s or 100s for professional landscapers and irrigation installers, the increasing demand from the retail market meant demand was focusing on smaller packs of 5s and 10s, and many more kit assembly packs.
Raindrips existing packaging systems were operating at full speed and could not keep up with production. Downtime for maintenance and changeovers was unacceptable and efficiency levels were down to 80%. Raindrip knew they could not go into their busiest period of the year with these kinds of production levels; they had to find a way to improve efficiency and increase output.
In January 2004 Raindrip evaluated, and subsequently ordered, two new Autobag AB 180 baggers from Automated Packaging Systems. Each AB 180 bagger came with a PI 412c thermal printer allowing them to easily code each pack with a barcode, part description and graphic ready for the retail market.
Operating at speeds up to 80 bags per minute, the Autobag systems were easily able to keep up with production, and pack size changeovers were completed in less than two minutes.
Raindrip has just completed its busiest quarter ever and was able to meet increased demands thanks to its partnership with Automated Packaging Systems. Eric Gutzmann, Production Planner for Raindrip, estimates a 98% uptime for the new Autobag units. He says that set up is easier with the touch screen control, all of the printing queues are stored in the memory and there are rarely any breakdowns.
Gutzmann adds that the new units are so well designed, service personnel can walk him through an adjustment procedure over the phone. Technical support for his previous bagging equipment was virtually non-existent, says Gutzmann, who rates service support from Automated Packaging Systems 10 out of 10.