“Manufacturers both large and small can actually reduce overhead costs and become more agile by integrating their contract packaging and retail fulfillment systems with a full-service firm like Fapco,” said Fapco President Larry Gardiner.

There are two types of customers that Fapco Inc. can help with creative contract packaging, retail packaging, and fulfillment:

1)     Large manufacturers who may be used to doing some of their packaging in-house or using strategic partnerships with small specialty contract packaging firms. These larger manufacturers may push products to regional distribution centers that then fulfill to retail stores.

2)     Smaller manufacturers who would like to increase their sales to the retail sector, but have a hard time breaking into larger markets because they lack the bar coding and sales projection expertise of an experienced contract packager. Smaller firms may also need help to support the volume and product tracking it takes to sell directly to larger retail outlets.

Scott Sloniker, general manager for Fapco, explained how Fapco partners with both kinds of businesses. “We can design and present bar coding and creative contract packaging solutions, shipping ASNs, (Advanced Shipping Notification), and all of the services retailers need to order, scan, put a product on the shelf, and replenish it once it is sold and goes out the door.”

Fapco Can Make Your Product Retail “Case Ready”

“Here at Fapco we have the ability to walk a manufacturer through the paces to become ‘case ready,’ which means the product is ready to stock, packaged and organized in such a way as to make its integration into the retail environment seamless and foolproof,” said Sloniker. “Whether it’s in a tear away box, hanging bag, or blister packaging packed on cards ready to hang, we help manufacturers large and small through the process of making their products and parts case ready for sale.”

Integrating Retail Inventory and Tracking with Fapco 

“We can break down a bulk order of a product, inventory and track the items with the client’s systems, package to spec, and then distribute to the sales point,” said Gardiner. “Rarely does the packaged product return to the manufacturer for distribution. Fapco usually expedites these programs by shipping the packaged product to the client’s distribution center or directly to the retail outlet level. If a client wants us to develop the ability for retailers to order and track online, we can design a program for that as well.”

“Some companies need a bit of extra help with design and integration into our systems, which is not a problem. At Fapco, it’s all about getting it right and developing a long-term relationship with the customer,” concluded Gardiner.

Whether its clamshell packaging or industrial replacement OEM parts, Fapco Inc. will work to help your business grow. Get Started with Fapco Inc. today!

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Fapco’s automatic bagging equipment can process individual or multiple items into a poly bag that is either preprinted in up to six colors and/or individually printed with product identification on each unit.  Bagging is an inexpensive and efficient method to package items not requiring extensive protection; Fapco bagged more than seven million items last year.

For the retail point of purchase channel, Fapco’s capacity in blister packaging, clamshell packaging or shrink-wrapping is equally impressive.  A single blister packaging machine can run at rates of up to 18,000 units a day.

High volume parts packaging must be as agile and flexible as possible.  “If our customer needs us to provide single box parts or multi-box parts in an over-pack into a chipboard box, then in a corrugated box to be sent out individually in eight or ten box packs or even skid quantities, we can handle that,” said Kolecki. “There are even times that they want the raw stage parts right back at them to use in production, we can send it back in bulk. Keeping everything here in its raw state makes us more flexible.”

“Remember when you go into the big box stores you can buy one part, or you can buy a contractor pack of 24. Whether it’s a plumbing component or an electrical switch, we are prepared to package and fulfill products in any volume the customer requires,” he said.

Bar coding is usually pre-printed on the card or box but Fapco has the ability to run labels in high volumes as well.  “Bar codes can carry part and lot numbers or carry customer specific information or logos, whatever the customer needs.”

From a seasonal aspect, Kolecki explained Fapco provides a safety net for spikes in demand. “If they have automated equipment in-house, they may run millions year around, and then give us the overflow to handle when they have seasonal spikes in their business.  Whether it’s snow blower parts in the winter, lawn irrigation parts in the spring, or outboard motors in the summertime, when the customer gets hit with peak seasonal demand, that’s when we gear up with the additional capacity for our customers.”

Quick changeovers are also an important factor when looking for a private label parts supplier and a packaging partner.  “Labor is very expensive.  Fapco specializes in flexible setups to run different products and different product groups all in one day.  This is hard to do cost effectively in-house,” concluded Kolecki.

Whether its warehousing or our cold seal shrink wrap solutions, Fapco Inc. will work to help your business grow. Get Started with Fapco Inc. today!

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Fapco is heavily invested in machinery and automated systems, such as automated part kitting and parts procurement, to expedite any large volume small parts kitting and packaging challenge.

Steve Hurt, supervisor over a variety of Fapco’s automated systems, addressed this investment as he pointed out the attributes of the line in full production, “Just one of these bowl counters represents an investment of about $65,000.  It allows us to count small parts for packaging. We dump the bulk parts into the bowl, set the counter for a number to count, and an electronic eye counts the parts as they go into a hopper. Once it hits the count needed, it opens up the hopper then automatically drops it and seals it in the pre-printed bag,” he pointed out as the machine ran through its cycles.

The investment in these machines pays off by lowering the costs for Fapco customers and increasing the total efficiency of the operation.  “The first week running this set we did 250,000 parts in about four days in just one shift,” stated Hurt.

Automation gives Fapco the capability of packaging small parts into kits–such as six bolts, six nuts, and six washers bagged and labeled–at dramatically higher speeds and volumes than cumbersome in-house, hand packaging departments.

“We can also print out any information on the bag the customer wants.  A customer we have right now was hand bagging everything and were falling further behind each day.  After their first order ran they were amazed.  What took them one shift with six people working three days, we did it in one shift in one day with two people.  It’s an enormous savings on labor,” concluded Hurt.

Let Fapco’s Investment Pay Off for Your Company 

Fapco has the capabilities to provide you with some of the most reliable automated packaging for small parts. Using our solutions, you’ll benefit from packaging systems that can handle products in high volume while maintaining consistent efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Here are a couple of those specific systems that we can implement in our operations to give you the reliable packaging that you need for a wide range of products. You can learn even more about our processes when you consult with one of our packaging professionals for a complete custom packaging solution.

The Kit-Veyor

One Kit-Veyor has the capacity of fitting six bowls of different parts to be bagged together.  Six different parts are packaged into one bag automatically. The machine is loaded and then does the work with one operator. A precise scale at the end of the line double checks for missing components and expels any package with missing or extra parts.  The system is so adaptable it can be set up for a run in just a half an hour and can then run 50,000 pieces individually put in bags in one shift in any combination of kitting and packaging.

Label and Package to your Specifications

High-speed semi-automated systems such as Fapco’s Maximizer increase capacity for small to medium sized items (up to 3.5 in. X 3.5 in. X 10 in.)  This results in up to 20,000 units processed per shift.  Chipboard, clamshell, bagging, skin, blister packaging and up to six color printing is available in-house at Fapco.

Get Reliable Packaging for Small Parts in High-Volume at Fapco Today

Regardless of the specific needs of your application, you’ll be able to benefit from top-quality packaging solutions that serve as a worthwhile investment. Your products will be consistently protected from damage while helping ensure that your operations are efficient. We have all of the resources required to help you get exactly what you need today. Contact us today and one of our experts will be able to help you determine which solution is ideal for your business.

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Take a close consideration at automated packaging technology before considering any in-house packaging possibility.

The Auto Bagger with Printer

This machine is designed to fill, seal, label for identification, and is adjustable from small to larger bags.  It can handle a variety of sized parts, such as for custom small hardware parts. Fapco bagger sealers will increase production, simplify the bagging operation and decrease packaging costs.  Fapco has over 20 baggers of different levels of complexity.  Average cost around $35,000, total Fapco investment, over $800,000.

Cold Seal Packaging

If you are hand picking and packing items into boxes, cartons, poly bags, bubble or padded mailers, then Fapco’s automated cold seal machinery could be a very cost effective and labor saving option for you. Cold Seal packaging works to create a secure, movement free package ready to ship.  Fapco has two state-of-the-art cold seal machines—Average cost, $85,000, total Fapco investment, almost $200,000. 

Skin Packaging

Skin Packaging is the process of adhering a flexible plastic material to a printed-paper board for the purpose of packaging a product for display, shipping or protection. Product instructions, pictures, warnings, warranties, as well as prices and sizes can be printed on the back and front.  Fapco has two machines worth a total of $200,000.

Blister Packaging

Blister packs have been a popular choice in packaging for many years, providing a cost-effective means of effectively displaying a product line.  A blister package is made up of two separate elements: a transparent plastic cavity shaped to the product and its blister board backing. These two elements are then joined together with a heat-sealing process.  Fapco’s investment in blister packaging technology is well over $50,000.

Shrink Wrapping

One of Fapco’s most affordable solutions, heat shrinking is one way of sealing shrink film to a package.  After the shrink-wrap is cut and drawn across the package, a conveyor belt sends it through a tunnel, heating and sealing the shrink film.  It is one of the easiest packages to open.  Fapco has 5 shrink wrap lines with over $100,000 invested.

“Manufacturers make products.  That’s what they know.  They’re not necessarily good packagers or retail providers after the packing is complete.  Pulling this business in-house can be a volatile and expensive prospect.  If one of your staff is pushing in-house operations, call Fapco for a plant tour and we will provide you true, cost effective solutions,” concludes Fapco President, Larry Gardiner.

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Begin the Process of Partnering with a Contract Packager for Seasonal Flex Demand

1. Make a thorough review of your supplier base

Simply put, is your supply base ready to help you meet your flex parts fulfillment or kit packaging needs? This involves gauging how much inventory is out there, how much inventory you want in the network coming through the fulfillment house and how much product is in the pipeline to replenish the contract packager to support the campaign.

2. Assess your current parts packaging/distribution/warehouse system. Do you currently have a parts distribution warehouse system?

If not, where can you build in efficiencies using the full range of services from your contract packaging and fulfillment supplier? You may want to consolidate all your suppliers to ship, warehouse and fulfill through your full service contract packager during these peak periods.

3. Are there procurement opportunities with your contract packaging partner that can expedite the supply chain?

Well-established, full service contract packagers such as Fapco can actually procure the parts directly from your supply base during peak demand periods. This can expedite the supply chain dramatically. In this scenario, parts are ordered and purchased by the contract packager. Once received parts are packaged and shipped or warehoused based on historical peak demands.

4. Work with the full-service contract packager to streamline and customize your packaging needs.

How does this flex demand packaging usually ship and is there a better way? Is it in bulk boxes, point of purchase or point of sale materials—from clamshells to blister packs for rack hanging? The team at Fapco will work closely with your flex demand campaign managers to make sure the packaging is right to save you time and lower your costs. Whatever your packaging and display guidelines and specifications, Fapco works to make them better and less costly.

5. How is the product coming in and what is the plan to fulfill?

Is the product coming in raw in an overseas container? Will Fapco be purchasing some components directly? Once this is determined what will the flex program actually be? Many manufacturers ship specific numbers of seasonal parts to distribution centers or dealerships based on previous years’ demand.

Others support the launch of new products, equipment or vehicles with estimated seasonal bundles. Fapco has the experience with a wide variety of OEMs to help your company work through this seasonal program in the most efficient manner. And see our part kitting services.

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