Several years ago, Packsize made a big splash as one of the pioneers of "packaging on demand" systems, which create custom-made boxes sized to fit the specific order. Today at the ProMat 2017 show, it released its new Packsize X4 on-demand packaging machine that essentially combines four corrugated manufacturing machines into one. The X4 cuts and scores the corrugated, folds and glues it, and then applies any labels. The whole process takes 12 seconds per box.

Although it combines the functions of four machines, the X4 itself is a compact metal box with a footprint of just 134.5 square feet. The corrugated is fed in through the back and travels in an "X" pattern inside the machine, down through cutting and folding, and then up through gluing and labeling. The flat box is spat out the top at the front, fully labeled and ready to go. Using this X pattern, as opposed to a linear path of travel, minimizes the footprint of this machine.

"It has the same capacity as a corrugated factory," said Hanko Kiessner, CEO of Packsize, at today's press conference.

The X4 is designed for high-volume fulfillment and can churn out 300 to 1,200 boxes per hour. Packsize has already installed the X4 at many of its existing customers' facilities, including those of DecoPac, a Minnesota-based supplier of cake toppings. The X4 has allowed DecoPac to eliminate a great deal of manual labor (or "touches") in the packaging process and has produced "huge cost savings," according to Kim Roy, the company's vice president of operations.

"Anyone doing fulfillment should have one these," she said.

The on-demand nature of the Packsize system has allowed DecoPac to expand from using 11 standard-sized boxes to using 155 custom-made boxes. Having this large number of box sizes available to it allows the company to save on the cost of corrugated, air pillows, and freight. A video showing DecoPac's use of the X4 can be viewed below.

Packsize is now at work designing the X5, which will attach to the top of the X4 and will automatically erect the box and apply the bottom seal.

For more information, see the Packsize website.