In the next few years, manufacturers are expected to lean into automation and technology integration as well as sustainable packaging materials. 

 “In the next few years, bakers using horizontal form/fill/seal equipment will move toward highly automated lines with minimal operator intervention, improving efficiency and consistency,” said Brad Baker, senior sales director, North America, Syntegon. “As the demand for alternative packaging formats and materials grows, flexibility in handling a variety of pack styles and formats will become essential.”

With the move toward recyclable films, bakers must ensure that their flow wrappers can handle the materials safely and reliably, said Bärbel Beyhl, marketing manager, Gerhard Schubert GmbH. 

“This requires flexible sealing systems that enable quick changeovers between composite, mono and paper-based films,” she said.

Mark Evangelista, director of sales, Plan It Packaging, said he expects to see more smart technology integration.

“Enhanced monitoring systems with IoT capabilities will allow for real-time data analysis, predictive maintenance, and improved quality control,” he said.

Because Cavanna Packaging has seen more growth among smaller baking companies, they are now offering Easy Run equipment, which is a hand-fed machine, the company’s first in 25 years. It is debuting at Pack Expo in Chicago in November. 

“If you look at the small bakers, they eventually become a Kind Snacks, they eventually become a Clif Bar, they eventually become a Nature’s Bakery,” said Bill Kehrli, vice president of sales and marketing, Cavanna Packaging. “It’s being done in the grassroots by entrepreneurs, so we’re trying to address those needs and re-enter that space.”

This article is an excerpt from the November 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Cookie Packaging, click here.