Ossid 1500 Series Weigh Price Labelers

In a major retailer’s refrigerated meat cases across the United States, fresh ground turkey is sold in new, innovative flexible bulk packs. Each 6.8 pound bulk pack contains four 1.7 pound vacuum sealed saddle packs of ground turkey. The saddle packs are perforated along the edges, making them easy to separate at home by consumers. Each saddle pack opens via easy peel film.

Benefits of the new bulk, flexible package

This new design in fresh ground turkey packaging requires significantly less packaging material as compared to over wrapped polystyrene or polypropylene trays. The new style packaging also has an exceptionally high product to package ratio, which means more turkey is shipped to stores per pallet. Greater cube utilization decreases overall energy consumed and greenhouse gas emitted during transportation to the retailer’s locations. More product per pallet also lowers the per-pound cost of transporting ground turkey. Shelf life of the vacuum packs is on par with modified atmosphere overwrapped trays. Consumers benefit by economically buying fresh ground turkey in bulk and by having a package that easily facilitates at home refrigeration or freezing.

Market tests showed consumers liked the new bulk packs

Following a series of detailed planning meetings with its customer, Butterball the world’s largest supplier of turkey, assembled a pilot packaging line at its Mt. Olive, North Carolina, facility for the new flexible bulk pack. Once the pilot line was running, the retailer launched a 15 month consumer acceptance testing project at various locations. In addition to consumer acceptance assessment, the company also assessed packaging material savings, improvements in cube utilization, and ease of in-store handling and display. Following this 15 month evaluation project, the retailer introduced this packaging across its stores in the U.S.

Butterball was given the task of assembling a cost-effective packaging line, one that would meet the retailer’s volume estimates and at the same time meet Butterball’s productivity goals.

Carthage, Missouri

Butterball’s Carthage, Missouri, facility provided a good centrally located plant in which to install the new packaging line because of the availability of fresh ground turkey. Floor space was limited, however, which meant that each machine on the new packaging line had to be compact. To meet throughput requirements, Butterball relied on state-of-the-art automation. Because the company was working with an already proven package, engineering the new packaging line was streamlined and accomplished relatively quickly. Ossid’s 1500 series weight-price labeler plays a vital part.

Key points about the Ossid weigh-price labeler

The Ossid unit is used to print prices and sell-by dates. Ossid worked closely with Butterball to position price and date information on a specific location on the preprinted label. All machine functions are automated, including automated guides and label placement. The unit does not require an operator; personnel simply load preprinted labels. A large HMI makes it easy to enter price and sell-by date information.

“The Ossid weigh-price labeler is critical to the success of the line,” said Neal Walsh Director of Purchasing, Butterball. “Ossid provides an exceptionally high level of support.”