Ranpak, Medline partner to advance sustainable packaging in high-volume distribution

Sustainable packaging automation, AI, vision and robotics provider Ranpak announced the expansion of its automation footprint through an expanded partnership with Medline Industries, a provider of medical-surgical products and supply chain technologies serving all points of care.

Through this collaboration, Medline has deployed Ranpak’s Cut’it! EVO right-sizing machine and Form’it! case erector - two automated packaging systems that Ranpak said are designed to modernize end-of-line packaging.

Sustainability through packaging

Ranpak said that it’s providing a scalable offering that optimizes throughput, improves labor efficiency and enhances sustainability across Medline’s high-volume outbound operations.

“Medline is a valued leader in healthcare distribution and Ranpak is proud to support its commitment to efficiency and sustainability through our automation technology,” said Bryan Boatner, chief revenue officer at Ranpak. “The deployment of the Cut’it! EVO and Form’it! systems demonstrate how intelligent packaging solutions can meaningfully benefit business and enhance customer experience at scale for customers across sectors and specialties.”

Ranpak provided the following details of its two systems deployed at Medline:

• Cut’it! EVO: An advanced automated right-sizing system that optimizes the height of shipping boxes after items have been picked and packed. Ranpak the system minimizes void and automatically closes and seals them - reducing shipped volume and consolidating packaging SKUs.

• Form’it!: An automated case erector that forms and seals corrugated boxes from flat blanks to deliver consistent, ready-to-pack cartons at high speed.

By introducing four Cut’it! EVO systems and five Form’it! systems integrated into four outbound lines and supported by a consolidated set of carton footprints at one distribution center, Ranpak said that Medline can now handle more than 10,000 cartons per day at that facility while maintaining operational flexibility to support future needs.

“When we can get our customers what they need using smaller and more sustainable packages, that’s a meaningful operational benefit,” said Daniel Schwartz, vice president of engineering operations at Medline. “Using Ranpak’s end-of-line solutions allows us to rightsize our packaging materials while also adopting packaging that uses recyclable paper, increasing the sustainability profile and lowering the shipped volume of our packages while providing convenience for our customers.”

Ranpak said that these systems also allow Medline to reduce its carton assortment from 18 SKUs to just four, while simultaneously improving labor efficiency by streamlining repetitive manual tasks and promoting employee upskilling to higher-value responsibilities.