The investment is a part of the Macfarlane effort to further enhance the Innovation Lab’s capability to create authentic, innovative and effective packaging solutions
The Macfarlane Packaging’s Innovation Lab in the UK. (Credit: Macfarlane Group UK)
UK’s protective packaging materials distributor Macfarlane Packaging has invested £200,000 in new technology at its Innovation Lab in Milton Keynes.
The investment is a part of the company’s plan to further boost the Innovation Lab’s capability to create authentic, innovative and effective packaging solutions that help customers in reducing packaging cost and their environmental impact.
Innovation Lab technical design manager Richard Garratt said: “Continual investment in the latest technology ensures we are equipped to fast-track all stages of the process from design and development to prototyping, testing and validation.”
Macfarlane invests in LED UV digital flatbed printer
Macfarlane said it has invested in a LED UV digital flatbed printer to create fully formed printed samples. It also allows the customer to decide on new packaging solutions by printing directly onto a range of packaging materials.
Additionally, the firm has purchased material testing equipment to design prototypes to perform a range of compression and crush tests to assess the performance to industry standards.
The latest technological innovations add to the lab includes on-site design capability, Hololens mixed reality technology, artworking with on-site digital printing capability, CAD table – creating samples in minutes, packaging automation equipment, infill delivery systems, and customised pack bench designs
Macfarlane Packaging sales & marketing director Donna Lynch said: “Since we launched the Innovation Lab four years ago, we have helped many customers to fully understand the total cost of their packaging by providing one environment to interact with packaging and explore its impact on their operations using our Significant Six methodology.
“Technology changes rapidly and this investment in the latest equipment allows us to ensure that customers can maximise their time with us and arrive at their packaging solution even faster.”
Last year, Macfarlane Packaging introduced a 100% plastic-free packaging system called ‘Flexi-Hex’ to help retailers to send wine bottles through the post, safely and in an environmentally friendly.