Why CPG Secondary Packaging Projects Underperform: 20 Fixable Gaps

Walk through 20 of the most common and costly equipment gaps in secondary packaging—and how to mitigate them early.

Andy Q. - VP, Marketing & Business Development

February 9, 2026

Light column that indicates status of machine

Introduction

Why does your secondary packaging never perform quite as expected even when the equipment is “new”?

Whether you’re installing a new line or upgrading existing assets, you’ve likely encountered this story: speeds that don’t materialize, chronic micro-stops, schedule slips, and finger-pointing between vendors. But why does this keep happening—especially when you’ve selected “reputable” equipment?

There are hidden oversights that quietly drain your line’s performance, drive up TCO, and erode trust.

It’s not just about one bad machine. These issues are often systemic—tied to how packaging systems are specified, purchased, installed, and integrated. And once the problems are embedded in steel, they’re expensive and difficult to unwind.

In this article, we’ll walk through 20 of the most common and costly equipment gaps in secondary packaging—and how to mitigate them early

Each section includes:

The pain point and why it’s often overlooked
Business impact in real terms (OEE, cost, labor, safety, trust)
Clear, high-level actions to reduce risk before it’s too late

1. Weak requirements create downstream chaos

Ambiguous or missing requirements silently set projects up to fail.

Why it hurts:

Capex is misaligned—overbuilt or underperforming.
Change orders spike during commissioning.
Equipment can’t handle product/material variability.

Mitigation

Build a vendor-neutral URS/RFS (User Requirements Specification/Request for  Solution) with measurable throughput, OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), and  training requirements.
Translate packaging reality (film, glue, tray specs) into engineering inputs.
Run SKU rationalization to clarify flexibility vs standardization needs.
Define FAT/SAT (Factory Acceptance Test / Site Acceptance Test) pass/fail windows tied to your SKU mix.

2. Nameplate speeds mislead and misallocate resources

“X cases per minute” doesn’t mean sustained, reliable output.

Why it hurts:

Project justification is challenged.
Production planning breaks down.
Labor creeps in as a workaround.

Mitigation

Define and contract three rates: mechanical, sustained, and net (OEE-adjusted).
Model throughput using realistic run windows and minor stops.
Engineer accumulation deliberately—not as an afterthought.
Require demonstrated throughput tests during FAT/SAT.

3. Vendor quotes are rarely apples-to-apples

Scope gaps and exclusions drive surprise costs later.

Why it hurts:

The “low bidder” becomes the most expensive.
Responsibilities stay fuzzy—until something breaks.
Ramp-up suffers from assumption gaps.

Mitigation

Use standardized RFQ templates with scope checklists.
Score vendors with weighted matrices (risk, support, lifecycle cost).
Reference-check against similar applications, not just any install.

4. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is misunderstood or ignored

Capex is easy to see. Downtime, labor, spares, and maintenance can add up unnoticed.

Why it hurts:

The “cheapest” machine becomes a long-term drain.
Finance doesn’t trust your assumptions.
Downtime and workarounds get normalized.

Mitigation

Build scenario-based TCO models (growth, SKU proliferation, etc.).
Quantify the cost of downtime based on your margins and labor rates.
Score equipment by MTTR (Mean Time to Repair), common failures, and skill level  required.

5. No one truly owns integration—and it shows

Secondary packaging is a system, but ownership is fragmented.

Why it hurts:

Finger-pointing replaces progress.
Micro-stops persist.
Controls and safety rework burn time and trust.

Mitigation

Write a line-level functional spec: Interlocks, fault recovery, etc.
Assign a system owner or use a prime integrator model.
Standardize state/mode controls behavior (e.g., PackML).
Hold a pre-install integration review.

6. Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) are performative, not predictive

“Pass” doesn’t mean it works in your plant’s real-world conditions.

Why it hurts:

Issues get pushed to your floor, not solved at the OEM.
Commissioning becomes a crisis.
Operator trust drops early.

Mitigation

Include worst-case materials and pack patterns in FAT.
Use scorecards for mechanical, quality, cleanability, and more.
Define FAT exit criteria with fix/retest requirements.

7. Site readiness is routinely underestimated

Plants aren’t blank slates, and installs suffer when that’s ignored.

Why it hurts:

Costly delays, rework, and overtime.
Safety incidents during rushed installs.
“Ready” becomes “improvising.”

Mitigation

Audit utility, access, and layout readiness.
Build a tie-in/install playbook.
Align ramp-up curve expectations with physics.

8. Changeover is the hidden tax of SKU proliferation

Quick-change promises often die on the plant floor.

Why it hurts:

Lost capacity and high startup scrap.
Unsafe operator workarounds.
Rising frustration and retraining costs.

Mitigation

Run SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) changeover improvements.
Design change parts for standardization, storage, and ease.
Govern recipes and version control centrally.

9. Maintainability and cleanability are after

Speed dominates buying—but pain shows up in jam clears and sanitation.

Why it hurts:

MTTR increases and uptime drops.
Safety risks emerge during interventions.
Sanitation becomes a bottleneck.

Mitigation

Review design for maintenance access, lubrication, and safety.
Optimize PM (Preventive Maintenance) using actual plant feedback.
Apply hygienic design principles where applicable.

10. Spare parts strategy is reactive and inefficient

You’re either missing what matters or hoarding what doesn’t.

Why it hurts:

Minor issues become major downtime events.
Obsolete parts linger in inventory or suddenly create crises.
Cash is trapped in the wrong inventory.

Mitigation

Use risk-based spares modeling (A/B/C) based on MTBF (Mean Time Between  Failures) and downtime impact.
Standardize part families where feasible.
Maintain an obsolescence watchlist and migration plan.

11. Support promises often fail under pressure

“24/7 support” doesn’t help if no one can log in or ship parts.

Why it hurts:

Teams stop calling vendors and internalize failure.
Workarounds increase risk.
Downtime extends and trust erodes.

Mitigation

Negotiate SLAs (Service Level Agreements) with response and escalation metrics.
Build IT-approved secure remote access architecture.
Review support quarterly using actual downtime data.

12. Controls and cybersecurity friction stalls progress

Everyone wants something different and no one gets what they need.

Why it hurts:

Troubleshooting becomes slow and specialized.
Security blocks access and delays fixes.
Predictive/OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) data remains unrealized.

Mitigation

Define a controls standard: tags, alarms, recipes, network.
Build IT-approved secure remote access architecture.
Align remote access to IEC 62443 security frameworks.

13. Safety and guarding are afterthoughts—then retrofitted

Safety is bolted on, not baked in.

Why it hurts:

Late-stage retrofits burn time and budget.
Access becomes dangerous or inefficient.
Operator trust in safety systems erodes.

Mitigation

Conduct early safety design reviews (risk, LOTO, guarding).
Align designs with ISO 13849-1 or ANSI B155.1.
Validate ergonomics alongside safety.

14. Material variability silently destroys performance

Procurement optimizes cost, but operations eats the risk.

Why it hurts:

Random micro-stops and rework.
Glue and film usage increases.
Cross-functional firefighting becomes the norm.

Mitigation

Define performance-tied material specs.
Build QA checks that reflect functional requirements.
Align procurement, packaging, and OEMs on inputs.

15. Ramp-up plans are under-resourced and underpowered

Startups need as much support as steady state—often more.

Why it hurts:

The line “runs,” but never stabilizes.
Tribal knowledge replaces documentation.
Operator trust never recovers.

Mitigation

Use a commissioning war-room model.
Define clear ramp stages with success criteria.
Require training certification, not just training attendance.

16. Documentation is unusable or incomplete

Manuals aren’t helpful when things go wrong.

Why it hurts:

Diagnosis takes longer.
PM compliance drops.
Compliance and audits consume engineering time.

Mitigation

Contract clear doc standards (I/O, network, BOMs ((Bills of Material)), guides).
Build job aids: top faults, jam SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), lube maps, etc.
Validate documentation as part of SAT.

17. Flexibility is overbought, simplicity is underappreciated

One machine to do everything usually does nothing well.

Why it hurts:

Reliability suffers from complexity.
Training and troubleshooting become steep and unsustainable.
Long-term value declines.

Mitigation

Use a decision framework for flexibility vs simplicity.
Split high runners and tails onto different platforms.
Define future-proofing assumptions early.

18. Labor and ergonomics are overlooked in automation

Automation doesn’t mean hands-free—and that gap matters.

Why it hurts:

Injuries and safety risks rise.
Bypass behavior increases.
Training and turnover increase.

Mitigation

Perform ergonomic workflow reviews.
Specify human-centered requirements
Define standard work for normal + upset conditions.

19. Sustainability and regulations evolve faster than equipment

Material goals change, but machines doen’t keep up.

Why it hurts:

Premature obsolescence or retrofits.
Micro-stopes from downgauged or recycled content.
Brand commitments fall short.

Mitigation

Run material-change impact assessments.
Build qualification protocols for packaging materials.
Design with adjustment margins without overbuilding.

20. Multi-site standardization sounds good—but is rarely achieved

Every site has its own way, and that adds cost and complexity.

Why it hurts:

Training burden multiplies.
Support and spares become fragmented.
Performance varies widely.

Mitigation

Define platform strategies by function (cartoner, palletizer, etc.).
Standardize parts, controls, safety, and documentation.
Build a replicationplaybook for future rollouts.

What’s next

At this point, you’ve seen how 20 overlooked decisions in secondary packaging can quietly erode performance, trust, and value across CPG operations.

These issues can become hidden cost drivers—fueling change orders, missed deadlines, safety risks, and OEE disappointment.

If you relate to any of the gaps listed above, the “mitigate risk” steps could be a good starting point to getting back on the right track. If you’d like to go deeper into planning a project or troubleshooting underperformance, feel free to give us a call to see if we’re the right fit for your needs.

Have questions?

Let’s work together to make your next project the smoothest one yet.

Schedule a Discovery Call

HORIZONTAL LOAD

TOP LOAD

SHRINK WRAPPERS

SHRINK PACKERS

MULTIWRAPPERS

CARTONERS

SLEEVERS

MULTIPACKERS