EPAC INSTALLS 2ND POUCHMAKING LINE JUST SIX MONTHS AFTER 1ST

Digital flexible packaging operation ePac has installed a second pouchmaking line, less than six months after opening for business with its first.

Since launching in Australia late last year, ePac has built a strong customer base among local Melbourne businesses, in particular in the alternative food and pet food industries, leading to repeat orders. It is also benefitting from supply chain pressures, meaning more local manufacturers are turning to on-shore packaging solutions.

The success of the ePac Melbourne manufacturing facility has seen the company reach new business categories beyond food and pet food, acquiring its first customers across health care, plant seeds and industrial chemicals in Australia.

The installation of the second pouch line is in response to its growing Australian customer base, and will double ePac’s pouch production capacity, fulfilling more orders, faster. Like all lines at ePac it is based on HP Indigo wide web flexible printing, which now comes from the HP Indigo 25K. The Melbourne site has two of them, and now two pouchmakers as well. The company is also about to move to a second shift as well.

Jason Brown, ePac Flexible Packaging managing director, Australia said, "In less than six months, ePac has had a great response from the community, helping us build momentum around sales and operations in Australia.

“As the strain on international supply chains continues to escalate, our proposition of fast, local and sustainable packaging has really resonated with homegrown Aussie businesses, leading to repeat orders and impressive month-on-month sales growth.

“We are excited to support this growing demand with the opening of our second pouch line, which will, in turn, enable the growth of our team here in Melbourne".

Brown told Print21 that growth has always been in the plan, but he has "pleasantly surprised" by the response from the market. He said, "Local entrepreneurs are responding to the ePac proposition. They tend to have a philosophical desire to buy local, as they are local producers themselves, and they are concerned with sustainability, and buying local plays into that. Concern over global supply chain issues has also worked in our favour."

The company says it supports Australian businesses in responding to the increasing importance of environmentally considered purchase decisions, with its recyclable, locally produced packaging, which aims to reduce carbon footprint and unnecessary waste.

And ePac says it will further cement its position as the sustainable packaging solution of choice for local businesses, with plans to establish a new line of compostable packaging by the end of this year.

Tapping into a broader Australian consumer sentiment towards buying local, ePac says it is helping small businesses establish big brand presence, by supporting their packaging needs with its local, cost-effective, fast and sustainable offerings.

Backed by its digital printing capabilities, ePac says its order-to-demand model equips local businesses with the confidence to take new products to market without the hassle of sunk costs associated with inventory and obsolescence, through short and medium run length orders.

Next month, ePac Australia will celebrate the grand opening of its Melbourne manufacturing facility, inviting current and prospective customers to embark on tours of the site.