Top 12 Packaging Machines to Streamline Your Production

For manufacturers, packaging isn’t just about aesthetics and wrapping a product; the product packaging process also matters, ensuring efficiency.

In this case, choosing the right packaging machine can impact your output speed, operational costs, and even customer satisfaction.

With so many options of packaging machines available in this modern age, it can be challenging to determine which machine suits best your business needs.

This guide will walk you through the top 12 packaging machines for manufacturers, breaking down their uses and benefits, so you can make a well-informed decision.

What is a Packaging Machine?

A packaging machine automates the process of enclosing products for distribution, storage, or sale. Using these machines means ensuring exact size, consistent shape, style, protection, and visually appealing appearance across large volumes. These specialized packaging machines are vital for various businesses and industries that look to accommodate their products in boxes and bags to serve their customers better.

They are used for a wide range of industries, including:

• Automotive
• Food & Beverage
• E-commerce
• Pharmaceuticals
• Electronics
• Cosmetics
• Sports
• Industrial Goods

The innovation in modern machinery has revolutionized every industry to automate systems, operate faster, and reduce manual labor while increasing precision and throughput.

You don’t need too many workers except the ones to run a packaging machine accordingly.

12 Most Common Packaging Machines for Manufacturers

Here are the 12 most popular packaging machines used by many manufacturing companies to boost efficiency.

1. Stick Pack Packaging Machines

Stick pack packaging machine refers to creating stick packs sachet, or tube-like packaging to serve single dose products.

This food packaging machinery works efficiently at high speed with minimal waste. It is designed with sanitary features to maintain product purity.

This machine can be suitable for fine powder and grain products such as coffee powder and milk powder. 

Apart from that, this machine can help you pack spice powder, sugar, salt, or pharmaceuticals.

2. Cartoners

The cartoner is an automatic packaging machine that forms, fills, and seals cartons without any hassle. These food packaging machines for small businesses are ideal for packing liquid or semi-liquid items. You can find these cartoner machines in various sizes and styles. It can help you fill and seal food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic items, and consumer goods in a folding carton box.

3. Flow Wrapping

This flow wrapping machine is fast and efficient for continuously wrapping around the product with a plastic film. It creates a pillow and a heat-sealing lock in the air. If you want your candies and snacks to be wrapped fast, you must consider this speedy machine.

4. Shrink Wrapping

This wrapping machine is used to wrap products with a plastic film. The plastic film shrinks when it is heated which results in producing a tamper-evident and protective seal. If you want to shrink wrapping for water bottles or cosmetic products, this machine is ideal for bundling multiple products.

5. Pre-Made Pouch Bagging Machines

These pre-made pouch bagging machines are designed to fill and seal existing custom pouches using a zipper or non-zipper system. This machine loads pouches delivers the products into the pouch, and closes it with a secure and airtight seal.

The automated process of this machine is good for faster production. Plus, this machine reduces labor costs while offering versatility to handle various pouch sizes and product types. The use of this machine is at a larger scale in industries like food, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture.

6. Vertical Form, Fill, and Seal (VFFS)

VFFS machines create pouches and custom bags from a roll of film and seal them after filling the products. Usually, these machines are used to pack snacks, grains, and powders. 

This machine operates at high speed to handle various packaging materials. Further, it is adaptable to different types of products. However, if you want to pack large or fragile items, this machine would not help.

7. Horizontal Form, Fill, and Seal (HFFS)

HFFS machines are similar to VFFS but operate horizontally to create, fill, and seal packages from one roll of packaging material. They are suitable for products that require horizontal packaging, like baked goods and ready meals.

The best thing about this machine is it offers flexibility, high-speed packaging, and reduces material waste. However, this machine may be not effective for irregular or vertically shaped products.

8. Thermoformer

A Thermoforming machine is a large manufacturing equipment that takes a plastic sheet and molds it to create a container in a custom shape and size. 

It transforms a flat plastic sheet into a three-dimensional object, which is why it is considered effective in creating a wide range of plastic products. Furthermore, it is suitable for storing medical devices, automotive, and food items.

9. Palletizers

Palletizers are machines that automate the process of stacking products onto pallets for storage and transportation. This food packaging equipment is commonly used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, and beverages. It improves efficiency and accuracy in the whole packaging process, which cuts down labor expenses. It enhances productivity, reduces the risk of injury, and handles various packaging sizes along with their weight.

10. Tray Sealers

Tray sealers are machines to package products in a tray and seal them with a plastic or polystyrene tray lid or film. This machine produces protective, airtight, and more effective trays to protect products and prevent external contamination. Using this packing machine for food products, you can preserve meat, fish, and pharmaceutical items to preserve their quality.

11. Blister Packaging Machines

Blister packaging machines - also known as blister packs are specialized machinery. They are used to package tiny items like pills in a protective plastic shell. These blister packs consist of a plastic cavity that is sealed with a backing material of aluminum foil to create tamper-evident and secure packaging.

12. Labeling Machines

Labeling machines are specifically designed to efficiently apply labels to products, packages, and containers at high speeds. These advanced machines ensure accurate and consistent labeling.

They can handle various product labels of different materials such as pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, wet glue labels, and hot melt labels. Many types of automatic sticker labeling machines are found to serve many industries.

Food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetic labeling machines are some examples to help you experience this machine for effective results.

Read More: A Guide To Different Types of Packaging Materials and Their Uses

12 Best Packaging Equipment and Machines Comparison

Take a look at the comparison of different packaging machines to understand their functions briefly.

How to Choose the Right Packaging Machine to Supercharge Your Production

The key factors that matter when it comes to choosing the right packaging equipment and machines are here.

Product Type

Each product requires different sealing and handling. Look at the type of your product carefully from liquids to powders and solids, and then decide which type of machine is suitable for your product.

Production Volume

Machines produce low, medium, or high throughput. Select a packaging machine that is a good fit to do the best production processing tasks.

Packaging Material

There are many types of packaging materials, from plastic film to foil and cartons. Choose the most suitable material to boost your production efficiency.

Automation

Determine if the packaging machine is semi or fully automatic to automate production operations.

Optimize Your Space for Maximum Output

Match the machine size to your production floor space. Make sure you have enough space and room to operate the packaging machine easily to maximize production.

Conclusion

Automating your packaging is one of the smartest investments a manufacturer can make. It improves efficiency, reduces waste, ensures consistency, and scales with demand.

By understanding the functionality and best-use cases of these 12 packaging machines, you’re in a better position to choose one that perfectly fits your specific needs. 

Whether you’re scaling up, launching a new product, or replacing outdated equipment, the right packaging machine can help you save time, reduce costs, and improve product quality.

If you are hunting for a trustworthy and reliable packaging manufacturer, Custom Product Packaging, equipped with the most advanced and state-of-the-art machinery, is here to bring your packaging vision to the paper. Feel free to contact our packaging specialists by emailing us at orders@customproductpackaging.com for technical guidance and support.

FAQs 

1. How does a packaging machine work?
It automates the process of creating, filling, and sealing packaging materials like bags, pouches, or boxes, often using a combination of conveyor belts, rollers, and automated mechanisms.

2. What machine is used for packaging?
Vertical and horizontal form, fill, and seal (VFFS/HFFS) machines, shrink wrap machines, palletizers, strapping machines, and bundling machines for packaging.

3. What does a packing machine operator do?
A packing machine operator runs and monitors machines that package products, ensuring correct operation, quality control, and timely output.

4. What does a pouch packing machine do?
It automatically fills, seals, and packs products into pouches.

5. How do I choose a packing machine?
Consider your product, production volume, desired packaging style, budget, and automation needs.

6. What are the 4 types of materials that are used in packaging?
Glass, metals, paper/paperboard, and plastics.

7. What is the cost of a corrugated box making machine?
A fully automatic corrugated box machine costs $150,000.00 to 350,000.00.

8. How many bags can the packaging machine make per minute?
It can potentially make between 20 and 200 bags per minute.