10.10.23
The realities of modern manufacturing are putting significant constraints on label converters. Their customers are demanding faster turnaround times, despite a lack of available or qualified manpower to operate equipment. LemuGroup has recognized the challenges present for label converters and answered the call with numerous product enhancements and partners to make the process far more efficient.
Due to the drive for efficiency, LemuGroup’s R&D has been built around Lean Manufacturing principles, which ensure maximum daily output.
These product enhancements have been completed in tandem with LemuGroup’s customers, in order to provide solutions to their challenges – with automation, workforce, quality, speed, and sustainability chief among the considerations.
Most recently, LemuGroup enhanced its modular GTU converting system, which is now able to run, diecut, perf and turret rewind at 820 fpm at web widths up to 26" wide. This system complements LemuGroup’s GTU Glueless turret rewinder, which allows the company to offer the fastest and most complete non-stop converting system in the industry. LemuGroup has also received strong feedback for its ultra-compact, end-of-line boxing and palletizing to this line. With these capabilities there is no reason to ever shut off the line, which only requires one operator.
“Automation is becoming the most recognized need within the label converting industry,” explains Andre Beaudoin, director of North American sales and marketing, LemuGroup USA. “Whether the product is in roll or sheeted form, the need for non-stop, reliable, and efficient packaging automation at the end of the press is becoming a necessity. Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a tremendous lack of manpower in the workplace across the board. End-of-line automation gives the converter higher production efficiency and greatly improved production results. Down times are greatly reduced – if not eliminated – in total as there is no reason to stop the system. Job changeovers are down to 10 minutes.”
Automation has become a hallmark of LemuGroup’s equipment, which has drawn strong interest from the label and package printing industry at the most recent tradeshows. For manufacturers, automation has emerged as a necessity in today’s competitive marketplace.
“How to produce the same or more products with fewer people is the pinnacle issue that I find people are researching and trying to solve economically in today’s industry,” explain Beaudoin.“People will invest in new equipment if a fast ROI can be attained.
“We are also finding that by incorporating higher speeds and tying in end-of-line automation, there has been a reduction in waste, which is always created when human interplay is involved,” adds Beaudoin. “An example of this is when product has been converted, that product then needs to be moved to a second rewinding process and then finally packaging. With high-speed converting/inline packaging, we have eliminated the waste factor. At these speeds, people cannot keep up with the packaging and palletizing part of their throughput. With our new technology, daily productivity increases 40% on average.”
As an industry trend, automation and the inclusion of robotics into daily manufacturing practices will only increase. LemuGroup has diversified its business to answer automation needs in a wide range of functions, which can all be customized to the needs of the converter.
“Automation is here to stay, and it will only expand,” says Beaudoin. “We are not only working in the commodity end of the business, but also in prime label. Plus, the system has the ability to be outfitted with roll mapping, where the off spec labels are extracted and placed aside, and the spec labels are passed through for boxing and shipment. In this way it becomes the converter’s choice as to whether or not they want to rework the off spec product or simply throw them out. We’re also working in the roll-to-sheet end of the business, whereby we are diecutting and sheeting goods at a high rate of speed, both in the narrow and wide-web segments, and automatically batch counting, boxing or shrink wrapping, boxing and palletizing.”
With these capabilities, LemuGroup has seen incredibly efficient production numbers. The company cites automated capabilities working 10 times faster than what is currently being done out on the market.
“We are expanding on this every day based on the needs of the people who are bringing this technology into their manufacturing facilities,” remarks Beaudoin. “We are also automating entire plants and multi-line operations, where several press lines are feeding a single end-of-line automation system.”
LemuGroup has strived to enable its customers to accomplish much more with far less, says Beaudoin.
“This segment of the graphics industry is looking for faster and better ways of getting product out the door,” he remarks. “We spare our clients of the day-to-day HR business of trying to hire and retain employees, providing the employees who are there the ability to get back to label production – and doing it better than they had ever done it before. Simply put, more production equates to higher revenue and increased profitability. We are not just automating individual and multiple press lines. We are, in fact, automating entire production facilities. The industry has led us here, and the solution is available today. The future of the industry has arrived and is available with Lemu Group.”
The rise of end-of-line automation, courtesy of LemuGroup, allows converters to run all day and every day as long as there is one operator to run the system. This new philosophy represents a stark contrast to the familiar model of requiring two to three people at the end of the press trying to keep up with what is coming off of the turret rewinder. Moreover, those employees do not currently exist in the available workforce.
LemuGroup’s systems have been designed to address the workforce challenge head on. “Since the Covid 19 pandemic, the workforce issue problem has only gotten worse, not better,” notes Beaudoin. “This then creates a manpower and retention problem in our business. Our business was deemed an essential business during the lockdown. Converters still need to get product out the door, but they are spending a third of their time in HR roles looking for help that they cannot find, and if they do how do they retain them?
“Our system eliminates the need for this frustrating and time consumptive drill,” he continues. “The Ultra Compact Automation replaces the need for these redundant employees. We have seen increases in daily output as high as 40% or more, and a reduction in staff overhead and all costs associated with that. The system has a very fast ROI, which also bodes well for the ownership.”
LemuGroup has also prided itself on being a responsive and productive partner to companies in the label and package printing space. LemuGroup has leaned on its customers, delivering a roadmap for where they have wanted to go. The manufacturer has partnered with its customers, to deliver tailor-made solutions for their individual requirements.
“Customer feedback is the primary ingredient that we incorporate into every partnership we enter into,” says Beaudoin. “We listen to the customer and build equipment that is tailored to their individual needs and applications. This is why customers put their trust in Lemu. We essentially sit on the same side of the table as the client and look at the project from their perspective to fully understand their needs. We then apply our engineering capabilities and expertise to successfully achieve that goal for them. Our goal is to lead and innovate based on needs, not follow and replicate as a ‘me too’ manufacturer.
“Converters simply need to call us and discuss their requirements and issues,” adds Beaudoin. “Our system is adaptable to most other already owned equipment already on the floor. In this way you do not need, in most cases, to start out with an entirely new converting or press line or turret rewinder. We can calculate, based on volumes and line speed, and various other factors, how much additional productivity the system will provide and an aggressive ROI that has a very fast payback. It’s easy, and the process all starts with a very simple phone call.”
Due to the drive for efficiency, LemuGroup’s R&D has been built around Lean Manufacturing principles, which ensure maximum daily output.
These product enhancements have been completed in tandem with LemuGroup’s customers, in order to provide solutions to their challenges – with automation, workforce, quality, speed, and sustainability chief among the considerations.
Most recently, LemuGroup enhanced its modular GTU converting system, which is now able to run, diecut, perf and turret rewind at 820 fpm at web widths up to 26" wide. This system complements LemuGroup’s GTU Glueless turret rewinder, which allows the company to offer the fastest and most complete non-stop converting system in the industry. LemuGroup has also received strong feedback for its ultra-compact, end-of-line boxing and palletizing to this line. With these capabilities there is no reason to ever shut off the line, which only requires one operator.
“Automation is becoming the most recognized need within the label converting industry,” explains Andre Beaudoin, director of North American sales and marketing, LemuGroup USA. “Whether the product is in roll or sheeted form, the need for non-stop, reliable, and efficient packaging automation at the end of the press is becoming a necessity. Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a tremendous lack of manpower in the workplace across the board. End-of-line automation gives the converter higher production efficiency and greatly improved production results. Down times are greatly reduced – if not eliminated – in total as there is no reason to stop the system. Job changeovers are down to 10 minutes.”
Automation has become a hallmark of LemuGroup’s equipment, which has drawn strong interest from the label and package printing industry at the most recent tradeshows. For manufacturers, automation has emerged as a necessity in today’s competitive marketplace.
“How to produce the same or more products with fewer people is the pinnacle issue that I find people are researching and trying to solve economically in today’s industry,” explain Beaudoin.“People will invest in new equipment if a fast ROI can be attained.
“We are also finding that by incorporating higher speeds and tying in end-of-line automation, there has been a reduction in waste, which is always created when human interplay is involved,” adds Beaudoin. “An example of this is when product has been converted, that product then needs to be moved to a second rewinding process and then finally packaging. With high-speed converting/inline packaging, we have eliminated the waste factor. At these speeds, people cannot keep up with the packaging and palletizing part of their throughput. With our new technology, daily productivity increases 40% on average.”
As an industry trend, automation and the inclusion of robotics into daily manufacturing practices will only increase. LemuGroup has diversified its business to answer automation needs in a wide range of functions, which can all be customized to the needs of the converter.
“Automation is here to stay, and it will only expand,” says Beaudoin. “We are not only working in the commodity end of the business, but also in prime label. Plus, the system has the ability to be outfitted with roll mapping, where the off spec labels are extracted and placed aside, and the spec labels are passed through for boxing and shipment. In this way it becomes the converter’s choice as to whether or not they want to rework the off spec product or simply throw them out. We’re also working in the roll-to-sheet end of the business, whereby we are diecutting and sheeting goods at a high rate of speed, both in the narrow and wide-web segments, and automatically batch counting, boxing or shrink wrapping, boxing and palletizing.”
With these capabilities, LemuGroup has seen incredibly efficient production numbers. The company cites automated capabilities working 10 times faster than what is currently being done out on the market.
“We are expanding on this every day based on the needs of the people who are bringing this technology into their manufacturing facilities,” remarks Beaudoin. “We are also automating entire plants and multi-line operations, where several press lines are feeding a single end-of-line automation system.”
LemuGroup has strived to enable its customers to accomplish much more with far less, says Beaudoin.
“This segment of the graphics industry is looking for faster and better ways of getting product out the door,” he remarks. “We spare our clients of the day-to-day HR business of trying to hire and retain employees, providing the employees who are there the ability to get back to label production – and doing it better than they had ever done it before. Simply put, more production equates to higher revenue and increased profitability. We are not just automating individual and multiple press lines. We are, in fact, automating entire production facilities. The industry has led us here, and the solution is available today. The future of the industry has arrived and is available with Lemu Group.”
The rise of end-of-line automation, courtesy of LemuGroup, allows converters to run all day and every day as long as there is one operator to run the system. This new philosophy represents a stark contrast to the familiar model of requiring two to three people at the end of the press trying to keep up with what is coming off of the turret rewinder. Moreover, those employees do not currently exist in the available workforce.
LemuGroup’s systems have been designed to address the workforce challenge head on. “Since the Covid 19 pandemic, the workforce issue problem has only gotten worse, not better,” notes Beaudoin. “This then creates a manpower and retention problem in our business. Our business was deemed an essential business during the lockdown. Converters still need to get product out the door, but they are spending a third of their time in HR roles looking for help that they cannot find, and if they do how do they retain them?
“Our system eliminates the need for this frustrating and time consumptive drill,” he continues. “The Ultra Compact Automation replaces the need for these redundant employees. We have seen increases in daily output as high as 40% or more, and a reduction in staff overhead and all costs associated with that. The system has a very fast ROI, which also bodes well for the ownership.”
LemuGroup has also prided itself on being a responsive and productive partner to companies in the label and package printing space. LemuGroup has leaned on its customers, delivering a roadmap for where they have wanted to go. The manufacturer has partnered with its customers, to deliver tailor-made solutions for their individual requirements.
“Customer feedback is the primary ingredient that we incorporate into every partnership we enter into,” says Beaudoin. “We listen to the customer and build equipment that is tailored to their individual needs and applications. This is why customers put their trust in Lemu. We essentially sit on the same side of the table as the client and look at the project from their perspective to fully understand their needs. We then apply our engineering capabilities and expertise to successfully achieve that goal for them. Our goal is to lead and innovate based on needs, not follow and replicate as a ‘me too’ manufacturer.
“Converters simply need to call us and discuss their requirements and issues,” adds Beaudoin. “Our system is adaptable to most other already owned equipment already on the floor. In this way you do not need, in most cases, to start out with an entirely new converting or press line or turret rewinder. We can calculate, based on volumes and line speed, and various other factors, how much additional productivity the system will provide and an aggressive ROI that has a very fast payback. It’s easy, and the process all starts with a very simple phone call.”