Ideas & Solutions to Improve Your Packaging Productivity
Visit Our New Web Site Automated Packaging Systems' new website, www.autobag.com, reflects our global, solutions-driven approach to providing flexible packaging systems for a wide variety of industries, and is the most comprehensive website in the bag packaging industry. Check out these visitor-favorite pages: Bagging Systems Imprinters Infeeds Void-fill Systems Bag & Pouch Materials Food Bagging Order Fulfillment Packaging Custom Engineered Solutions Value-added Services Spare Parts Thermal Transfer Ribbon ROI Calculator	Contact APS       Q4-2008 Sustainability: Here to Stay Just in case you weren’t convinced before, recent emphasis on sustainability proves this is not just a passing fad. Sustainability as it relates to product packaging has quickly become big business and you can expect it to become increasingly important in 2009. When Wal-Mart speaks, people listen; and Wal-Mart spoke loudly and clearly at Pack Expo’s keynote address last month when they discussed the expansion of their “Packaging Scorecard” for suppliers. Wal-Mart has a plan to reach a 5 percent packaging reduction across their supply chain by 2013, which will prevent millions of pounds of trash from reaching landfills. The plan will also serve to save energy and reduce emissions. Wal-Mart’s current packaging scorecard allows them to evaluate, compare and rank suppliers based on the following metrics: 15% based on GHG / CO2 per ton of Production 15% based on Material Value 15% based on Product / Package Ratio 15% based on Cube Utilization 10% based on Transportation 10% based on Recycled Content 10% based on Recovery Value 5% based on Renewable Energy 5% based on Innovation Wal-Mart has said it will adjust these metrics to increase focus on greenhouse gas emissions, packaging weight and recycled content. Expect further announcements about this Packaging Scorecard at the company’s Sustainable Packaging Expo in April 2009. Automated Packaging’s Commitment to Sustainability Automated Packaging Systems fully embraces the move to improve packaging sustainability and has taken significant steps to improve internal processes and procedures, as well as introduce new biodegradable and recycled material options. EarthAware™ is a new line of bag film materials that are more eco-friendly than other polybag materials. The new Biodegradable Film is a strong, durable polyethylene-based product with a proprietary additive that causes biodegradation in 9 months to five years, depending on exposure conditions. Material performance properties and shelf life remain in tact, as biodegradation only occurs when in contact with other biodegrading materials. EarthAware Biodegradable Bags are available in clear, opaque, printed, plain, or with an optional green tint for customer awareness. Additionally, the new EarthAware product line includes a film made entirely from recycled pre-consumer bags and film scrap. This Recycled Film is an opaque material that offers security, strength and excellent printing characteristics. EarthAware Recycled Bags are available in standard gray or optional green tint. Read More: Learn More About EarthAware Bags and Pillows More on Sustainability and Flexible Packaging The Flexible Packaging Association has published a new brochure entitled, “Sustainability and Flexible Packaging – More Value, Less Waste,” which can be reviewed at the link below. This brochure does a good job of explaining how flexible packaging uses less fossil fuel, produces less CO2 emissions, and yields less solid waste than other packaging products. Read it here
Shipping Solutions From Automated Packaging Systems Watch Video	ScriptPack Lite™ Fulfillment System Integrates Printing, Packaging, Labeling and Verification This custom designed, semi-automatic bag packaging system is ideal for direct mail applications in the pharmaceutical, medical device, clothing, electronic and consumer product industries. The ScriptPack Lite system is configured by system integrator R/X Automation Solutions and can be optimized to match a specific industry application and unique packaging requirements. At the heart of the system is Automated Packaging’s new Autobag® PaceSetter PS 125™ Tabletop Bagger. Carrier options include tote, tray, packet, and puck infeed conveyors, as well as takeaway conveyors. All packaging content, including print-and-fold instruction manuals, is queued and controlled by system software. This compact system is just 54 inches wide by 35 inches high and typically produces more than 200 packages per hour. Get Product Data Sheets Here
Ask APS Have a bag or protective packaging question you'd like answered? Please use our convenient Contact Us form, or call us at 1-330-342-2000.	Did You Know? Automated Packaging Systems now offers 10-color printing on its bags for retail packaging that demands the best impression. A new, high-quality flexographic press prints high resolution graphics on polyethylene, polypropylene and co-extruded films. Read More Send to friend ©2008 Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. 10175 Philipp Parkway, Streetsboro, OH 44241 USA Tel: 330-342-2000 Fax: 330-342-2400 www.autobag.com This email was sent to: %%emailaddr%% This email was sent by: %%Member_Busname%% %%Member_Addr%% %%Member_City%%, %%Member_State%% %%Member_PostalCode%% %%Member_Country%% You received this communication because you have shown an interest in Automated Packaging Systems. Unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive this e-newsletter.