The Future of Packaging: The E-Team Leads the Charge!

Our team got a chance to attend PMMI’s PACK EXPO late last year, and got a sneak peek at some of the exciting technology coming down the line. “I was amazed by how quietly all the new equipment ran!” shared Mike Martinez, Director of Design Solutions. “Well, it was quiet until the E-Team showed up.”

You’re dang right, you mamma jammas! Our team of packaging mercenaries were on the spot, dishing out roundhouse kicks and packaging knowhow. Check out the action and see how we’re helping shape the future of the packaging industry — one karate chop at a time.

Our real E-Team of specialists had a blast at the expo, too. We sat down with them to discuss what kind of technology is on the horizon:

Packaging Gets More Protective

Technology has paved the way for some amazing advances in product protection, and smart packaging is leading the next revolution. These packages of the future use sensors to monitor changes in the product’s quality, and react accordingly to protect its shelf life.

Smart packages can also convey robust information to the consumer, which will truly change the way shoppers interact with products on the shelf. Larry French, Senior Design Specialist of Cold Chain Solutions, explains the vital implications:

“If you’re pre-diabetic, you won’t have to worry about accidentally adding a super sugary snack to your shopping cart — the package will directly tell you to avoid it.”

Equipment Gets More Automated

“At the manufacturing level, advances are happening right under our noses,” says Mike Martinez. Without fanfare, manufacturing equipment has been incrementally marching toward a future that means more efficiency across the board.

“Conventional manufacturers are taking an active approach in robotics and automation. They’re beginning to offer a turnkey solution that fits into the puzzle of your entire manufacturing process,” explains Sean Hunter, Senior Design Specialist in Shrink, Stretch & Systems.

If your machine is tearing shrink wrap, it can identify the cause on its own and transmit that information back to its manufacturer. The technician that will fix it is now better equipped to solve the issue than ever before.

Technicians Get More Specialized

If the thought of increasingly automated machinery makes you fear for the robot uprising, take this reassurance from Mike Martinez: “I hear worries that robots will take over jobs, but somebody has to build that robot. Someone has to program it. Someone has to maintain it.” Rather than write people out of the equation, advanced equipment makes them an indispensable partner in the manufacturing process.

As the machine becomes more sophisticated, the person servicing it must become more sophisticated, too. Rudy Chavez, Design Specialist in Automation & Flexible Packaging, says “It makes our service technicians better at their jobs. There are fewer ‘bad fixes’ before the problem gets corrected, it’s really more efficient across the board.”

“At Ernest we keep our customers on the forefront of the packaging industry’s future, so we’re always armed with the best knowledge,” explains Ori Rosenbaum, Senior Design Specialist in Inner Packaging. “I just wasn’t armed enough to make the cut for the E-Team.”

No matter what the future of packaging holds, the E-Team doesn’t pull any punches! With iron fists and steel trap minds, they’ll outsmart the smartest of smart packages and give the authorities the slip. Catch them if you can right here!