Hughes Enterprises is a recognized leader in the shipping and packaging industry. We are headquartered in Levittown, Pennsylvania, and have 10 regional offices throughout the U.S. to offer our clients the best service.
In the food manufacturing industry, the demands for security, productivity and profitability are higher than ever. There’s also an ever-increasing need for streamlined and efficient packaging and shipping processes. Ultimately, companies must find ways to develop consistent and repeatable food packaging procedures to meet food safety guidelines and consumers’ standards.
At Hughes Enterprises, we answer these pain points and help our customers obtain their growth goals and vision. We have more than 70 years in the industry and a track record of ensuring customer success. On top of that, we have strategic partnerships. This means we are able to give our customers the advantage of partnering with a national distributor without losing that personalized attention of a local provider.
With us as your knowledgeable packaging consultants, you gain an extension of your team that truly cares for your business. We invest time in understanding your current setup, challenges and goals before developing your custom food packaging system. You can count on us to leverage our skills, knowledge and expertise to support your production rate and bottom line.
The best part about partnering with Hughes Enterprises is that we bring together some of the biggest manufacturing brands. Through our partnerships with Combi, Wexxar/BEL, 3M, Sealed Air, Pregis, Intertape Polymer and Lantech, we can easily develop reliable and effective food packaging solutions for you.
The Challenge
Pain Points in Food Manufacturing that Businesses Need to Actively Solve
Being in the fast-paced cosmetic industry means you need to stay on top of consumer demands. You must develop effective products, but most importantly, you need to give your shoppers a pleasant customer experience. This involves:
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Managing the timing of product life cycles
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Developing memorable, on-brand packaging
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Updating product labels and packaging
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Ensuring safe transport of delicate items from facility to customers
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Providing customers with satisfying “unboxing” experiences
Through the years, we’ve helped countless clients meet these consumer expectations, ship out gorgeous products and keep up with ever-changing trends. We go beyond delivering cosmetic packaging solutions; we’re packaging consultants giving you innovative shipping and packaging solutions so you can keep exciting your customers.
Custom Food Packaging Solutions
Bespoke Equipment Addressing Your Specific Needs
We understand that every food packaging business is unique — and so are their packaging processes, setups, challenges and goals. Some may be looking to reduce their labor costs while others need supplies that work in cold environments. This is why our packaging consultants take the time to understand each case and design tailored solutions.
Here are some of the custom food packaging solutions we specialize in:
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Temperature maintenance packaging
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Barrier films
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Eco-friendly, sustainable packaging
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Resealable packaging
We’re also capable of delivering these services to accommodate specific needs:
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Automated packaging solutions to reduce manual labor
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Stainless steel washdown for automated equipment
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Carton closure techniques holding up to changes in temperature
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Sustainable options for temperature-controlled shipping
As industry innovators with a commitment to customer satisfaction, we are your go-to experts in custom packaging equipment and solutions. Not only do we help you overcome your manufacturing challenges and hit your business goals, we also aim to build a successful long-term partnership with our clients.
If you are looking to improve your efficiency through custom-engineered packaging lines, simply tell us your requirements and we’ll get it done.
How We’ve Become The Go-To Food Manufacturer
Our Clients' Success Stories Prove Our Ability to Deliver World-Class Solutions
Meal Kit Delivery Company Implements Automated Case Erectors
A successful company in the meal kit delivery industry approached Hughes Enterprises with the need for case erectors. Their original end-of-line packaging process was mainly manual, so they needed an automated system that would help them keep up with their large production volume. They send out nearly a quarter-million boxes every week.
After looking at their goals and needs, we implemented two Combi 2-EZ HS fully automatic case erectors for them. These machines have:
- An ergonomic, stainless steel design for durability
- EZ-load walk-in case magazine
- Tool-less changeovers taking less than 3 minutes
- High-speed 2-inch tape head applying tape with efficiency and precision
With these two fully automatic case erectors, our client was able to decrease manual labor while increasing their throughput of packaged meal kits. Employees were able to help out with other core tasks and the machines helped package around half of their output. In the end, the meal kit delivery company saw great savings in both time and money.
Olive Oil Manufacturer Uses Automated System
An olive oil manufacturing company came to us needing help with their production process. The original process heavily involved manual labor, but this often created bottlenecks in production and even caused repetitive motion injuries in workers. The company wanted to speed up its production, decrease manual labor and eliminate injury-causing repetitive motions.
After Hughes Enterprises analyzed their current setup, our packaging consultants designed an automated system to correct their manual operations. This system comprises a case erector, automatic case packing, automatic case sealing and palletizing.
Our modified food packaging system enabled the company to increase its production from 40 skids of material a day to 60 skids. Most importantly, it allowed them to greatly reduce manual labor and reduce the risk of injuries for workers.
National Baked Goods Manufacturer Implements Custom Food Packaging System
Bakeline, a national producer of baked goods, asked our packaging consultants for help with their throughput. Their main challenge was that, since baked items are delicate, they had to fill shipping containers by hand to reduce breakage. This process is not only labor-intensive but also expensive.
After our team studied their original process and needs, we recommended the Combi Ergopack Hand Station. With case erector, hand-packing station and case sealer components, this custom food packaging solution allowed Bakeline’s operators to check products first before putting them in pre-formed corrugated shipping containers. The machine then moves the boxes into the case sealer for automatic closure and shipping.
The Combi Ergopack system allowed Bakeline to enjoy major savings with a quick return on their investment. It also helped them increase the number of boxes shipped each day while decreasing their labor costs.
Hughes Enterprises Beverage Packaging Services
We Offer First-Rate Resources That Help Your Business Grow
Custom Engineering Solutions
Our packaging service and design consultants have the skills and expertise to support your needs. They thoroughly study your current systems, equipment and processes to devise solutions that truly meet your requirements. Most importantly, they ensure your end-of-line products paint your business in the best light.
Alliance Program
As part of this exclusive program, our specialists assess our customers’ current packaging methods and offer solutions that will improve their performance and productivity. These custom food packaging solutions are also designed to decrease possible interruptions, allowing our clients to always operate at their peak performance.
Integrated Packaging
As your full-service packaging partner, we help you streamline your food packaging process from start to finish. We invest time in studying your operations from filling and handling primary packages to case sealing and palletizing. Ultimately, we identify roadblocks in these stages and develop customized solutions that address them.
National Packaging Programs
As a 3M Premier Service Distributor, we utilize 3M products to provide our clients with first-rate custom packaging solutions. Meanwhile, as a PDA distributor, we’re able to lend the expertise and resources of a large national company to our customers while keeping that personal attention a regional partner can give.
