Liz Claiborne upgrades packaging at center

New random box-taping machines help boost output and slash labor costs for fashion maker’s Mt. Pocono center.

Three of these box-taping machines now permit Liz Claiborne's Mt. Pocono distribution center to improve its throughput of mercha
Three of these box-taping machines now permit Liz Claiborne's Mt. Pocono distribution center to improve its throughput of mercha

The process for packing and shipping orders from Liz Claiborne’s distribution center at Mt. Pocono, PA, has taken a major leap forward, thanks to the addition of specially designed box-taping machines for individual parcels.

The taping systems, Model 16R machines from Loveshaw, an ITW company, were outfitted with a custom taping head in June 2004 to complete what had been a two-year project.

Although the Mt. Pocono center is called the “flagship” distribution center for Liz Claiborne, Inc., New York, newer centers in Claiborne’s network had already moved into more modern, more automated packaging. At the start of the project, the Mt. Pocono center was using gummed paper tape that was manually applied to its four different sizes of shipping containers. So its operation was not only slow, it was labor-intensive.

When company engineers looked to find a solution for the Mt. Pocono plant, their first stop was at another company distribution center in Cincinnati. “That center had been using Loveshaw packaging equipment for two years. We figured it would be a good place to start, and potentially a nice fit for us as well,” says Guy Bettelli, outbound operations manager at Mt. Pocono.

Working with its distributor, Unisource, Loveshaw began to look at a random case taper that would work in the facility. Eventually, the distribution center added three Little David Model 16R sealers that would work well, even at the 130’/min speed of the center’s packaging lines.

But the Cincinnati location uses regular-slotted-containers (RSCs), while Mt. Pocono’s facility was built to accommodate one-piece, fold-over clamshell or “pizza-style” corrugated boxes. That’s why the Little David machines needed the special taping head.

Applies five tape strips

The case tapers at Mt. Pocono randomly capture filled boxes, apply some top pressure via a hold-down belt, and apply two L-clips of tape to both the front and trailing edges, along with a long strip of tape parallel to the longest seam of the box, all at 10 boxes/min.

When the sealers were first installed, the distribution center switched from gummed paper tape to a 3-mil plastic security tape from Unisource that’s randomly printed with the Liz Claiborne logo and a message warning stores to look for packaging that’s been tampered with.

Because of the speed of the case-sealing line, Loveshaw faced challenges in applying the tape and cutting it. “One issue was applying tape at 130 feet-per-minute without the tape pulling or sliding off the box,” says Bryce Fox of Loveshaw. “The other challenge was consistent cutting of the tape.

Annual Outlook Report: Automation & Robotics
What's in store for CPGs in 2025 and beyond? <i>Packaging World</i> editors explore the survey responses from 118 brand owners, CPG, and FMCG <i>Packaging World</i> readers for its new Annual Outlook Report.
Download
Annual Outlook Report: Automation & Robotics
Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?
Discover which palletizing technology—robotic, conventional, or hybrid—will maximize your packaging line efficiency while minimizing long-term costs in this comprehensive analysis.
Read More
Is your palletizing solution leaving money on the floor?