Autopartes Tracto de Mexico is a family business dedicated to the manufacturing and distribution of parts for semi-trucks and trailers. They are a recognized leader in their industry not only in Mexico, but also in the United States, Canada, and Central America, thanks to the quality of their products and their flexibility with clients. After more than 35 years in business, they found that they needed a packaging solution that would afford them that same flexibility, while saving them money and freeing up warehouse space.
“Our wide product mix in smaller quantities made ordering from our conventional box vendors very complex,” said Jose Calderon, purchasing manager at Autopartes Tracto de Mexico. “We would have to over-order stock boxes in order to be able to react to changes in client orders quickly.”
Calderon said this not only resulted in an overstock of boxes in the warehouse, but also caused an increase in packaging costs, delays in box deliveries, and slowed down the packaging process. However, they didn’t know any other options existed, until someone shared information about Packsize.
“Autopartes Tracto contacted Packsize after hearing about a solution we installed with another business in the area,” said Arturo Hernandez, Packsize’s sales director in Mexico. “They saw all the benefits that this company had received by using right sized packaging – reduced inventory and financial savings. So, they reached out to ask how they could install the same solution.”
The solution Autopartes Tracto de Mexico was looking for was an On Demand Packaging® machine system from the Packsize EM series. With this system integrated into their warehouse, Autopartes Traco de Mexico is able to create a right-sized box based on the client's requirements, allowing for maximum flexibility, increased box protection, and opening up warehouse space previously dedicated to stock box inventory.
“Before Packsize, we had to complete a minimum order quantity for stock boxes in order to meet our customer’s needs. Then we had to store those boxes for sometimes two weeks, one month, or even up to two months,” said Marcos Alvarez, director of Autopartes Tracto de Mexico. “Now, we are able to create the exact amount of boxes that we are going to use that same day.”
The Packsize EM machine system uses corrugated fanfold, or Z-Fold®, to create right-sized boxes for every order. The Z-Fold is fed into the machine and can be customized to a variety of widths, depending on the business’s product dimensions. When an order is received, the machine assesses the dimensions and creates a box in seconds.
“Before, their warehouse was full of boxes. Now they have space that they are using for their manufacturing process, to inventory their main materials that aren’t boxes, and with Packsize, they are managing with just three widths of corrugated Z-Fold,” said Hernandez. “This has given them the ability to create right-sized packaging, with better product protection, and with speed and efficiency.”
Autopartes Tracto de Mexico was looking for a packaging solution, they had four main goals they wanted to achieve:
With the Packsize solution, Autopartes Tracto de Mexico was able to save more than $100,000 annually by switching from stock boxes to On Demand Packaging. No longer being held to order minimums and getting the most out of the corrugated fanfold allowed them to reduce the cost of their packaging, as well as cut down on shipping costs by shipping smaller, right-sized boxes.
With boxes available in any size and style, on-demand, Autopartes Tracto de Mexico is able to respond to customer needs almost instantly. They no longer have to dig through stock boxes to find one in the right size, or wait on more to be shipped to them.
“We have achieved a better customer experience by improving our box versatility and increasing product protection,” said Alvarez. “And we have been able to respond practically immediately to packaging for more product needs in any size.”
With Right-sized Packaging On Demand, Autopartes Tracto de Mexico has considerably reduced the need for stocked boxes, and been able to regain valuable warehouse space that was previously dedicated to housing overstock of various box sizes.
Sustainability was an important part of the packaging solution Autopartes Tracto de Mexico had in mind.
“Autopartes Tracto de Mexico is one of the recently 300 businesses registered as socially responsible in the region,” said Calderon. “As a sustainably responsible business, it is important to do whatever we can to lessen our carbon footprint.”
By right-sizing every package, they are ableto minimize packaging material waste and reduce the need for void fillers by providing better packaging protection built into the box design. Right-sized boxes also take up less space on trucks, leading to fewer carbon emissions overall. Arturo Hernandez said they even took their sustainability one step further.
“When we installed the Packsize solution with Autopartes Tracto de Mexico, they used another type of fill for their packaging,” he said. “They realized that using the scrap from the box-making machine, they were able to create a protective mesh to pack their product with. This allowed them to eliminate the need to purchase void fillers by recycling their scraps from the carton, making their process even more sustainable than it was before.”
As a mission-based company, and experts in Right-Sized Packaging On Demand, Packsize is always looking to help businesses improve their packaging process flows, reduce their carbon footprints, and achieve financial savings. To learn more about how you can get started with packaging automation, request an evaluation or talk to one of our packaging experts today.
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