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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Mechanic adjusting parts inside machine

Problems / Challenges

Packaging Machine Ergonomics: The Hidden Cost of Mechanism-Heavy Automation

Learn why mechanism-heavy automation often creates frequent operator intervention and how robots can (and can’t) simplify automation that improves operator safety and health.

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Bottles of juice being metered on a conveyor belt

Comparisons, Secondary Packaging 101

The 4 Types of Tamp and Load Infeeds Explained: Speeds, Costs, and Best-Fit Applications

Learn what tamp and load infeeds actually do and which configuration makes the most sense for your product and your budget.

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Three technicians doing hands-on training on a piece of equipment

Problems / Challenges

Best-in-Class Training for Secondary Packaging Equipment: What Should You Expect?

Break down the five elements that separate basic machine instruction from performance-driven training programs.

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Two men talking in a production setting

Secondary Packaging 101

Raise Your Expectations: What a Great Packaging Automation Partner Looks Like

Learn what a great packaging automation partner should look like — before and after the purchase order — so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

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Product being discharged from Shrink tunnel

Cost & Price

How Much Does a Shrink Wrap System Cost? Budgetary Ranges and Key Drivers

Understand shrink wrap system price ranges and what drives them. With that know-how, you’ll be able to budget confidently and prepare effectively for your buying process.

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Operator standing by CpONE machine while it collates cartons

Problems / Challenges

How Do I Avoid Vendor Dependence? Building Operational Resilience

With challenges like hiring shortages, knowledge gaps, and employee turnover, it’s easy to slip into vendor dependence. Learn how to build and protect a resilient packaging operation. 

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