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Six common pitfalls to avoid on bagging machinery projects

Form/fill/seal or bagging machinery projects fail for a number of reasons.

Here are six stumbling blocks to watch out for:

1. Unrealistic expectations on both sides. Sometimes project engineers at CPG companies set an unrealistically high threshold level of performance, either to help justify the project internally, or to pad the number under the assumption that the machinery builder will fall “short” but will still meet the actually desired speed. The machinery builder may feel pressure to commit to a performance requirement while suspecting, or even knowing, it’s an unreasonable goal. First, the contract will be awarded, and second, once the project starts, it’s too expensive for the CPG customer to back out. The games we play! Both sides are now set up for failure and disappointment. Better to have a frank discussion over the real performance requirements and align expectations before the project starts.

2. Poor vendor/application fit. Most machinery building companies are founded or run by engineers, and most engineers have never met a problem they didn’t think they could solve. When it comes to f/f/s machinery, most machine builders have built up an expertise in certain types of applications. Machine builders that stretch too far by taking an application that’s too far from their core competency, or that are simply overloaded, may end up disappointing their CPG customer.

3. Poor or incomplete project scope. Finding out halfway through a bagging machinery project that the machine needs to make a gusseted stand-up pouch, or that a reclosable zipper or fitment needs to be applied, is a sign that insufficient thought was put into the requirements up front. This leads to delay, increased costs, and disappointment.

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