Corrugated handling affects bottom line

"We receive nearly all our supplies in corrugated shippers," says David Hobbs. "Ten years ago we could make as many trips to the landfill as we wanted for $200 a month. We delivered materials as fast as we could fill up the truck. Now it's $167 for each trip. We purchased a baler and now, instead of paying money, we have it picked up and make about $80 a ton. Cutting costs is especially important as corrugated costs continue to rise." The reshippers in which Continental PET Technologies delivers PET bottles have also increased the distiller's efficiency. The tablock cases are cut and scored so that when set-up, the top flaps are connected on the four exterior case corners. This is accomplished by leaving a small tab that holds together an end flap to an adjacent side flap. "We went to the tablock case because we were having difficulty with uncasing PET bottles," recalls Hobbs. "The PET is so light that it doesn't readily push open case flaps like glass does. So, early this year we switched to the tablock case." Without flaps in their way, the PET bottles now uncase easily, without jamming the A-B-C (Tarpon Springs, FL) 49-CPBL case packer. During case packing, a Goldco (Loveland, CO) TLS-100 tab slitter cuts the tabs, allowing a downstream case sealer to fold and glue flaps to automatically close the case.