‘All Boxed Up’ in Las Vegas, NV, is the newest corrugated operation within UFP Packaging‘s expanding corrugated network. The company are committed to expanding corrugated capabilities in high-growth markets following a high-performance template that has been developed in-house, with emphasis on automation, efficient layouts, safety, and scalable customer service.
The new Las Vegas operation will serve corrugated packaging customers in the western U.S., with early momentum from customer visits and plant tours. “Many of our customers are household names in food and beverage, consumer products, logistics and e-commerce. We also serve industrial packaging customers that need reliable sheet capability, throughput, specification control, and scalable service,” explains Nick Hoffman, VP of Protective Packaging (pictured left).
The Las Vegas operation is a modern corrugated plant, built around efficient layouts, automation, and material flow. “We began with two flexo folder gluers and one rotary die-cutter. We have recently added three more machines. This facility is designed to support sheet converting, throughput, consistency, quality, safety, and scalable growth,” adds Hoffman. “The Las Vegas project supports UFP Packaging’s broader strategy to expand corrugated capacity and capability in growth markets. This facility follows a high-performance template we have developed in-house, with emphasis on automation, efficient layouts, safety, and scalable customer service.”
By February, two of the three corrugated machines were already placed and the third was on the way. “We have hosted multiple customer visits and plant tours as the plant was coming online. Many of those prospective customers have been converted into active working relationships in the Las Vegas area. The team at Las Vegas produced its first box on May 25 this year,” confirms Hoffman.
Phased Development
Phase One included three high speed converting lines with full automation from feeding, bundle handling, robotic stacking, and an ultra-advanced finished goods line controlled by the new WSA USA SmartShipping PC Automation System which is fully integrated with Amtech’s latest factory ERP system. Each converting line include WSA Prefeeders, WSA Bundle Lines, WSA Robotic Palletizers and on the rotary die-cutter line, WSA’s Bundle Breaker solution.
The WSA SmartShipping system tracks each unit from the converting machines down the finished goods line applying top dunnage, load tags, strapping, pallet insertion, load doubling and unit staging all in a fully automated “hands free” manner. There are no load tags or bar code scanners required in this solution and the plant has full visibility of each unit in the system. No hand ever touches the corrugated product from infeed, to palletizing to stacking and to shipping. Finished units are automatically prepared in the manner of which they can be automatically loaded into a trailer or into the warehouse by AGV fork lifts as required. Two units on one pallet, two units on two pallets, two units on no pallets, etc is all automatically processed by the WSA SmartShipping PC Automation system which is fully integrated with the Amtech ERP system. Full automation and hands free.
“WSA USA is proud of our new partnership with UFP Packaging and in their shared vision and appreciation of full plant automation. They have allowed us the creativity to help shape the possibilities which represent the future state of our industry. Having worked with corrugated box plants across the globe for the past 38 years, this is the one WSA USA is the most proud of,” says Jim McLaughlin, President, WSA USA.
Great Collaboration
“The startup process has involved close collaboration between our equipment suppliers, our operations teams, and experienced personnel from other UFP Packaging corrugated facilities,” says Hoffman. “Installation and training were approached as more than machine setup. They were part of a broader effort to build the processes, safety expectations, and operating discipline needed for long-term success. That collaborative approach helped accelerate the learning curve and supported the plant’s successful startup.”
Hoffman adds, “We view our equipment suppliers as long-term partners in the success of the Las Vegas operation. Their support during installation, startup, and training helped the team bring equipment online and begin building operating consistency. As production volumes ramp, we expect to continue working collaboratively to optimize performance, safety, and reliability.”
He concludes, “The immediate focus is ramping the Las Vegas operation, onboarding the right customers, protecting service as volumes increase, and maximizing the capabilities of the new facility. This plant is a meaningful investment in high-tech manufacturing careers in the Las Vegas region.”
