When we sell an FA-ST overwrapper to replace a shrink wrapper, we always ask if they are calculating the energy savings. To a person, they never do. They calculate the film savings but never the energy savings.

Last year I was touring a production facility with seven shrink wrappers. It was a lovely warm March day -about 55 degrees outside. The doors to the facility were open in order to let the cool air in.  As we discussed the product line, speeds and quality, I became increasingly overheated.  The shrink wrappers were making me so hot. Even with the open doors and a slight breeze, it could not dissipate the heat generated by the shrink ovens. I kept trying to imagine the working conditions on a 95 degree day in July in that facility.

Armed with the obvious excessive heat generated by their current wrapping method, I asked if they were looking at energy costs in their calculation of potential savings. They replied that they were not.

Imagine our surprise to get a call from a prospect a few month ago who actually cared about the energy savings. They had done their own calculations of their current energy costs for their shrink wrapper and had concluded that the energy savings alone could justify the cost of switching to overwrapping. Unlike all our other customers who switched from shrink wrap, they were not calculating films costs.

More and more customers are looking at costs holistically. Take a look at this recent article on food companies saving money. Email sales@packagemachinery.com or give us a call at +1.413.732.4000 x110 to discuss ways we can save you money.

Someday soon some one will call us and look at both relative film and energy costs.