Innovation-Direct logo
 Innovation-Direct: practical help with design and innovation The Innovation-Direct team
HomeCase StudiesMeet the TeamNewsLinks

 

1 Client:  Amasec Airfil                              

 

2 Product Descriptions

Amasec Arfil is a new, professionally managed, entrepreneurial company with a highly experienced and motivated management team. They have expertise in and market knowledge in the manufacture of air filled bags for the packaging industry, the company is based in Coventry, their product range is already attracting significant interest from the UK as a whole and America.

Amsec Arfil now produces a new, innovative desk top packaging pillows unit “Zepher 200”

Designed to provide a highly flexible desk top solution, Zepher 200 system is based on a light weight, high strength adjustable air filled bagging unit for the packaging industry

The system is ideal for small quantity as and when required packaging pillows and the benefits of such a unit are as follows
  • Compact, light weight machine, ideal as a desk top packaging system.
  • Low maintenance, easy to use and no external compressor required.
  • Up to 90% warehouse space saving over other void fill materials.
  • Considerable savings as minimum amount of material used to fill the void.
  • Up to 5 times lighter than other forms of void fill - save on transport costs and packaging levy.
  • Pillow takes the shape of void when packed, surrounding the product and does not scatter or mess.
  • Eliminates migration during transit doesn’t scatter or cause mess.
  • Clear in appearance saves the customer having to “rummage” for the product.
  • Very low cost machine so even the smallest of users can benefit.
  • Deflation before discarding results in 90% less waste for the environment.

 

 

Performance

  • Pillow sizes 200mm x 100mm upto 200mm x 200mm
  • Pillow inflation from 20% to 100%
  • One roll of Airfil Zephyr film will generate 3.5 cubic metre (125 cu ft)
  • Performance 24 pillows per minute

 

3 Critical Issue                      

Two main areas were identified. The manufacturing costs were too high to yield a target margins for the portable unit and the Strategy for manufacture was the other company issue.

4 What we did

An initial `discovery’ meeting was held to look holistically at all the areas  – market, product, manufacture and funding to confirm that the critical issue was indeed one of cost reduction.  We then held concept generation and design for manufacture workshops to identify ways of eliminating the complications in the manufacture and assembly and discussed the strategy for Amsec Airfil to move forward and sell in the marketplace a reputably sound product. Options were then assessed and a solution chosen.

5 Outcome

The new concept proved successful, enabling efficient manufacture and the cost has been reduced by 30% approx. The company has recently announced a significant amount of interest and orders for the new product.

6 More information

Contact Ricky Singh at Innovation-Direct on 024 76 57 4290
Aug 2003