Research Methodology

Data for Vol. 3 of the Packaging Digest and Control Engineering 2008 Automation in Packaging Benchmark Study were gathered over a two-week period in early November 2008. Respondents came from the subscriber base of the following magazines and E-newsletters: Packaging Digest, Control Engineering, Plant Engineering and Converting.

Subscribers were invited by Email to complete a Web-based questionnaire. Respondents were qualified based on their company’s role in packaging.

Of the estimated 400 North American system integrators working in packaging, nearly 13 percent responded to the survey. Another 896 respondents qualified as brand owner/packager, converter, equipment supplier or contract packager. They answered questions about the performance of system integrators. All results are posted in aggregate, and individual results are kept strictly confidential.

Pages 14 and 15 of this report compare answers to questions that were asked of respondents in all three surveys.

Key Findings

Business demographics

• 57% of system integrators have fewer than 50 employees; 42% have over 100 employees.

• Depending on the firm's size, system integrators on average work on three packaging projects simultaneously.

• 71% say packaging accounts for less than a quarter of their total sales, but 44% expect packaging to grow over the next five years.

• Integrators' business is concentrated in the Middle Atlantic and East North Central states, while 23% also report international sales.

• On average, respondents performed 7.24 packaging projects in the last five years.

Automation technology selection

• Packaging handling, palletizing, conveying and cartoning are the most typical projects.

• Over 70% of responding integrators expect robotics and marking/coding to be the fastest-growing packaging automation segments.

• 47% of integrators say they select components for an automation project, while 69% of packagers/end users choose the type of equipment.

• Vol. 1 indicated end users utilize less than 50% of their automation functionality. Over 70% of integrators say this is due either to an under-educated workforce or automation that exceeds client needs.

• 80% of integrators say controlling labor costs is the primary reason their packaging clients are automating their processes.

Packagers discuss system integrators

• Top criteria to choose an integrator include cost, previous success, packaging expertise.

• 79% of packagers say they will likely hire the same integrator on their next project.

• 64% of users say technical support is extremely important; 74% are satisfied with integrators' technical support.

• Next highest factors are knowing clients' needs and implementing recommendations.

Packagers Speak Out on System Integrators

Top criteria for selecting system integrators

Are you satisfied with system integrators in the following
areas? Percent answering 'somewhat' or 'extremely'