The Metech EPS Packing Machine loaded to Japan

On 3 December 2024, a Metech EPS packing machine was loaded into a container for shipment to TOHO in Japan.

What was supplied

The line was delivered as three integrated units:

• Packing unit — collates the sheets and wraps the stack in film
• Stacking unit — builds the stack to a set height and squares it before wrapping
• Lifter unit — raises and lowers the stack so it can be discharged at working height and moved by forklift

Supplied together as one line, these three units run as a single sequence. Supplied separately, they become three manual handoffs — which is exactly what the customer was removing.

From three people to one

Before installation, stacking, packing and moving the finished stack needed at least three operators. After installation, one person supervises the whole sequence. For a Japanese plant, that matters for two reasons: labour cost is high, and labour availability is the tighter constraint — finding three people for a packing station is harder than finding one.

The saving is not only wages. A mechanically packed stack is consistently squared and consistently wrapped, so pallets arrive intact and edge damage claims drop.

Why automation is the usual answer in this market

Japanese EPS plants typically run high-mix, tight-tolerance production with a small crew. The pattern we see repeatedly is that the moulding and cutting equipment is already fast enough, and the constraint is everything that happens after the cut. Automating stacking and packing is the shortest route to more output without more floor space.

What to check before shipping

Export packing is its own job. The machine is drained, moving parts are secured, and the container is loaded so that nothing shifts in transit — a packing line arriving with a bent frame or a damaged control cabinet costs more in lost commissioning time than the freight. We pack for the destination, not for the factory gate, and provide the installation drawings and wiring diagrams in advance so the customer can prepare foundations and services before the container lands.

Options for your line

Stacking and lifting can also be added to an existing packing machine rather than replaced. See our EPS packaging machine for the standard configuration, or send us your sheet size and output and we will propose a layout.