Market Dynamics Ima Group Forms New Division for Automated Packaging Solutions for E-Commerce Industry

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The Ima Group has established a new division for the e-commerce market which will focus on automated packaging solutions. The move has been undertaken in the background of increasing demand for online shopping.

Bologna/Italy – Ima Group has recently announced the establishment of a new division specifically dedicated to the e-commerce market, in response to the increasing demand for online shopping and growing importance of that segment in today's economy. E-commerce has become a vital part of the retail industry, and it is projected to continue its rapid growth in the coming years. Advanced packaging automation is becoming more and more important to help e-tailers improve both throughput and cost position as the labor market remains tight. To compete in this fast-moving market, Ima has designed advanced technologies to automate the packaging process.

The first machine introduced on the market is the E-co Flex: this equipment simplifies e-fulfilment packaging by selecting the best-fit to size box for the products to be packed connecting to the customer's WMS system. Once the most suitable box is identified, the blank is automatically picked from the magazine, erected and the box’s bottom is then taped using water-activated tape through IPG’s proprietary Water Activated Tape dispenser, inside the E-co Flex.

The result is a pre-assembled container presented to the operator, who simply inserts the items to be shipped and secures them with the required amount of dunnage. The operator reinserts the open-faced box back into the machine where the remaining void is measured: if necessary, the E-co Flex is capable of automatically reducing the height of the box and then closing it, adapting the flaps folding to the new box dimensions.

Automated packaging solutions, such as the E-co Flex, with right-sizing capabilities allow e-tailers to combine multiple stations into one unit. By reducing the cubic footage of cases to a minimum, dimensional (DIM) weight pricing can be safely implemented, resulting in reduced material usage, including less corrugate, and often eliminating the need for void fill in compliance with the latest Sustainability policies that the Ima Group adopted.

The Ima E-Commerce Division has established a partnership with Intertape Polymer Group (IPG), a global leader in packaging and protective solutions, for the exclusive distribution in the US and Canada.

“We are excited to present this new division and to offer our customers cutting-edge e-commerce solutions," commented Dario Rea, Director of Research & Innovation at Ima. "Ima keeps investing on new market opportunities and technologies; e-commerce is an essential part of the modern economy and we are committed to being at the forefront of this rapidly evolving market”.

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