After three decades of designing, building, and commissioning automated packaging lines across the Pharma, Food, and Cosmetics industries, one lesson stands out: automation succeeds only when applied with purpose and precision. Too often, businesses chase speed, capacity, or buzzwords — and end up magnifying inefficiency instead of eliminating it.
This article distils 30 years of real-world experience into three critical mistakes that derail automation ROI before a machine even starts. If you’re planning or upgrading your end-of-line packaging, these insights can help you design smarter, scale sustainably, and build systems that actually serve your business goals.
A world-class machine is only as good as the team running it. Many companies focus 99% of their energy on the technical specification and 1% on training and support. The Mistake: Assuming the machine is a "plug-and-play" asset and neglecting comprehensive training for the floor operators and maintenance engineers.
The Reality: The true cost of ownership includes uptime. A complex machine without a dedicated maintenance program or clear, immediate access to spare parts and technical support will suffer from prolonged downtime, wiping out any initial efficiency gains. Our Advice: Insist on a structured, certified training program from your vendor. More importantly, check their after-sales support commitment. Do they stock critical spares locally? What is their guaranteed response time for a remote diagnostics session? A cost-effective machine that runs reliably for 10 years is always better than a cheap machine that is down for three weeks.
By focusing on a scalable approach, being honest about your tolerances, and prioritizing post-installation support, you’ll turn automation from a capital expense into a reliable, long-term asset.
Mr. Sameer A. Weling is the founder of SAW Equipments. With 30 years of professional and industry experience he is committed to drive change in this world of standard, high speed and integrating packaging lines by introducing customized solutions for packaging and automation. He believes in the idea of “LISTENING” to the markets needs more than “DOING” what one thinks is right for the market.