Labelling badged, wrapped greeting cards can be particularly challenging, which is why Gemma International, the UK’s leading supplier of greeting cards, gift packaging and party ranges, turned to Advanced Dynamics Ltd for a cost-effective automated labelling system.

Advanced Dynamics is a specialist in automated labelling processes that can save companies money by ensuring labels are applied accurately, so as not to compromise the presentation quality, and at speed to help products get to market quickly.

Gemma chose to replace repetitive manual price point labelling of wrapped greeting cards, including products with badges attached to them, at its Andover facility with an automated process which would save time, reduce costs and significantly boost output, particularly at peak periods such as Christmas.

The challenge for Advanced Dynamics was to design a bespoke labelling system for Gemma that was versatile enough to label both badged and flat cards.

After trialling sample cards supplied by Gemma, Advanced Dynamics built an innovative labelling system from equipment that exactly matched the customer’s requirements. It could cope with all card sizes, badged and flat, as well as applying all the various label types and positions required on the cards.

To meet the specification Advanced Dynamics incorporated a specially-adapted Köra-Packmat Basic Feeder with extended outfeed and ingeniously-placed transport belts that dispensed the cards onto the transport conveyor of Pack Leader ELF-20 desk-top labellers.

Guides and sensor location were altered for the flat products and the feeder and labeller were then mounted onto an aluminium frame with sliders that allowed exact positioning of the feeder relative to the labelling conveyor, both sideways and lengthways. In fact the system was so successful Gemma then approached Advanced Dynamics with a second order to additionally label Hanger Packs of gift wrap and tags as well as cards.

Gemma’s DC & Logistics Manager, Adrian Stait, said: “After seeing a demonstration of the ELF equipment at Advanced Dynamics’ facility I was confident that it met our needs. The machines have allowed us to bring all of our labelling ‘in-house’ and therefore make significant cost savings. I would recommend Advanced Dynamics to anyone looking to automate the application of labels.”

With a combined experience of over 120 years in the labelling and packaging field, Advanced Dynamics is the UK distributor for renowned global machine manufacturers such as Pack Leader, Köra-Packmat and Eurokett, as well as supplying cutting edge sheet counters made by B.Matic.

The company is on a mission to provide customers with invaluable automatic solutions to improve their production efficiency, quality and costs. As well as greeting cards and gift wrap, its specialist wrapping, labelling and feeding solutions are also in industries such as food, drinks, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, toiletries, printing and other related sectors.

Exceptionally accurate and robust, fully-automated systems from Advanced Dynamics are suitable for a variety of goods and can accurately label the full range of package configurations to suit individual budgets, operating conditions and product characteristics.