Use-Case – Heat Shrink Machine F7060

The Challenge

An e-commerce fulfilment centre handling moderate volumes near Graz was manually wrapping online orders in shrink film and finishing the process with heat guns. With approximately 800 parcels each day, two packing staff spent the majority of their shifts on repetitive wrapping tasks rather than on quality assurance or other value-adding duties.

This manual approach required around 48 seconds per parcel and resulted in variable outcomes. There was considerable film wastage, and on average 5% of packs needed to be reworked due to unsatisfactory shrinkage. Overtime costs increased during busy periods. Management sought a compact automated system to ensure consistent quality and release at least one operator for other responsibilities.

Manual Process

Staff would pre-cut film from rolls, wrap each parcel by hand, and then use handheld heat guns to shrink the film. The time taken per cycle depended on the operator’s skill and the size of the item.

Prior to Automation:

• Daily throughput: 800 units per day
• Cycle duration per unit: 48 seconds
• Total daily time: 800 × 48 s = 38,400 s ≈ 640 minutes (10.7 hours per day)
• Labour cost: 10.7 h × €25/h ≈ €267 per day
• Rework/issues: ~5% of parcels (40 units per day) required rewrapping due to loose or uneven shrink

This process effectively required 1.3 full-time equivalents dedicated to shrink wrapping, often rounded up to two staff during peak periods to prevent delays in dispatch.

Automated Solution

The business implemented the Heat Shrink Machine F7060, which combines sealing and shrinking in a single compact unit. Positioned in-line with order picking, it allowed one operator to load products continuously.

Following Installation of Heat Shrink Machine F7060:

• The machine runs at 60% of its maximum output to ensure reliability
• Revised cycle time: 18 seconds per unit (including loading and unloading)
• Total daily time: 800 × 18 s = 14,400 s = 240 minutes (4.0 hours per day)
• Labour cost: 4.0 h × €25/h = €100 per day (rounded with supervision to €108 per day)
• Quality gains: rework reduced from 5% to 1% (from 40 to 8 units per day)

The F7060 now handles all shrink-wrapped SKUs with a single part-time operator at the station. The time saved by the original team is now allocated to custom packing and quality assurance tasks.

ROI Calculation

Investment:
Machine cost: €2,199
Daily labour savings: Before €267 per day − After €108 per day ≈ €159 per day (rounded to €160 per day)
Monthly savings (22 working days): €160 per day × 22 days = €3,520 per month
Payback period: €2,199 ÷ €160 per day ≈ 13.7 days (less than 1 month)

Even allowing for a cautious ramp-up, staff training, and occasional downtime, and assuming only €350 per month net savings are attributed to ROI, the payback remains:
€2,199 ÷ €350 per month ≈ 6.3 months (under 7 months)

Conclusion

By moving from manual hand-wrapping and heat guns to the Heat Shrink Machine F7060, the fulfilment centre reduced the time per pack by approximately 60% and cut daily labour from 10.7 hours to 4.0 hours. Consistent shrink quality lowered rework from 5% to 1%, freeing up one full operator for higher-value activities.

“The F7060 released the equivalent of a full-time packer and reduced our shrink wrapping time from 10.7 hours to about 4 hours per day. With daily labour savings of around €160 and rework falling from 5% to 1%, we recouped our investment in well under 7 months and achieved much more reliable packaging quality.” — Markus Leitner, Operations Manager, Styriapack E-commerce/Graz