Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Wal-Mart strikes again

Machinery OEMs who supply the equipment now automating the packaging lines that funnel product to Wal-Mart shelves take note: It’s unlikely your job is going to get any easier any time soon.

Talk at a recent industry outing included the news that Cott Beverages, the beverage giant that provides private-label soft drinks to Wal-Mart, may have to eliminate the corrugated tray it now uses in shrink-wrapped multipacks of containers. Why? To meet Wal-Mart’s “suggestion” that it shave another few pennies from its cost structure.

This move affects not just the builders of the automated multipacking machinery but those who build conveyors and other downstream handling systems, too. Picture the roller conveyors, for instance. Designed to transport a flat-bottomed multipack, they’ll now have to cope with a 12- or 24-pack that no longer has a smooth, one-piece surface.

Coding, Marking, and Labeling Innovations Report
Explore our editor-curated report featuring cutting-edge coding, labeling, and RFID innovations from PACK EXPO 2024. Discover high-speed digital printing, sustainable label materials, automated labeling systems, and advanced traceability solutions that are transforming packaging operations across industries.
Access Report
Coding, Marking, and Labeling Innovations Report
Pharmaceutical Innovations Report
Discover the latest breakthrough packaging technologies shaping the pharmaceutical sector. This report dives into cutting-edge innovations, from smart containers that enhance patient safety to eco-friendly materials poised to transform the industry’s sustainability practices. All from PACK EXPO. Learn how forward-thinking strategies are driving efficiency and redefining what’s possible in pharma packaging.
Learn More
Pharmaceutical Innovations Report