Learning Center

Whether you’re looking for solutions to specific challenges or wanting to deepen your overall knowledge of secondary packaging, our Learning Center is designed to give you the resources to make confident decisions about your secondary packaging systems.
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Overwrapper equipment packaging food cups in a drop-through paperboard sleeve

Cost & Price

How Much Does an Overwrapper Cost? Budgetary Ranges and Cost Drivers

Paperboard overwrappers are usually pretty custom pieces of equipment, and they can range from $350k to $2M, depending on how elaborate the system. We’ll highlight budgetary estimates and walk you through what drives prices up.

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PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

Secondary Packaging 101

What is a PLC? Understanding the Logic Controller Behind Your Packaging System

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are key players in almost all packaging equipment. Learn what they are, how they work, and how they affect your packaging line.

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Variety of Flavors of Beverages on a Variety Pack conveyor line

Cost & Price

How Much Does a Variety Pack System Cost?

Budgeting for a variety pack system is much harder than you might assume. We’ll walk you through what makes it tricky, how it’s priced, which factors to decide, and what to do next.

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two operators lining up plastic bottles to test run in a machine

Secondary Packaging 101

What Does Douglas Make? An All-in-One Look at Our Secondary Packaging Line-up

We’re known for case packing and shrink wrapping – we do both, but that’s only a quarter of our line. Take a look at what we design and build, our markets, our sister company, and what we don’t make.

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LoadX robotic arm holding a stack of collapsed cases and moving them to magazine

Secondary Packaging 101

What Should I Look for in a Robotic Magazine Loader?

Learn what features define the work of good vs. bad robotic magazine loaders, how to find them, and the vendor that will deliver them – for the long-term development of your line. 

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A side-by-side visual of hands loading corrugate into a magazine versus a robot near a corrugate stack

Comparisons

Manual vs. Robotic Magazine Loading: Which is Better?

Understand the difference between manual and robotic magazine loading, their strengths and weaknesses, and what operations they’re suited for. We’ll also help you align your expectations with market realities.

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Beverage cans and paperboard cartons running through lanes on a multipacker machine

Cost & Price

Beverage Multipacker Cost: Pricing, Specifications, and Buying Considerations

Beverage multipackers have their own unique set of budgetary conditions. Learn how to scope pricing tiers, account for your SKUs, and prepare for vendor conversations.

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Boxed food products packed into cartons with automated equipment

Cost & Price

How Much Does a Cartoner Cost?

Cartoner price is based on many factors including type, product, and customization. Learn about the main cost tiers of cartoners, as well as what affects their price and lead-time.

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Side load case packer packing cartons of pizza into corrugate case

Cost & Price

How Much Does a Side Load Case Packer Cost?

Budgeting for a side load case packer all depends on what you want and how much you’re willing to pay for it. Learn about pricing tiers, cost drivers, add-ons, and value-adders, so you can take control of your buying process.

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Two men working by a packaging machine

How-To, Problems / Challenges

Why Packaging Line Startups Fail — And How to Achieve Vertical Startup

Learn why most CPG packaging startups fail, how world-class companies use FAT and SAT to prevent performance dip, and practical steps you can take to achieve vertical startup.

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Man working on HMI at machine

Problems / Challenges

The Packaging Risk Nobody Budgets For: Retiring Expertise

Learn the 5 risks of retiring expertise, the leading indicators to watch out for, and what helps reduce the risks.

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Robotic arms on a secondary packaging machine

Problems / Challenges

Robotic vs Traditional Packaging Automation: When Are Robots The Right Choice?

Learn the strengths and weaknesses of robotic systems as a secondary packaging solution. Then evaluate whether one is right for your line, and learn a framework for proving ROI.

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Secondary Packaging for E-commerce

How-To, Problems / Challenges

5 Metrics Every CPG Manufacturer Must Master for Omnichannel Packaging Success

Learn how e-commerce is changing end-of-line packaging, why traditional KPIs fall short, and how to realign your packaging strategy to meet e-commerce head-on.

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Two people at machine looking at document

Problems / Challenges

The CPG Startup Readiness Checklist: 25 Questions to Prevent the Performance Dip

Get a 25-question readiness checklist spanning FAT, SAT, training, OEM relationships, and startup ownership – so you can identify gaps before they turn into downtime.

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People talking around a packaging machine

Problems / Challenges

Which FAT Shortcuts Most Reliably Predict a Painful Commissioning?

Learn which FAT compromises are survivable, which almost guarantee pain, and where that risk will surface once the equipment hits your floor.

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