HOW AUTOMATED PACKAGING APPLICATIONS FROM ASHTONNE PACKAGING HELPED FIN FEATHER FUR OUTFITTERS

CLIENT PROFILE - Fin Feather Fur Outfitters:

Fin Feather Fur Outfitters was established in 1985 in Ashland, OH by Mike Goschinski as an outdoor sports store. Their products include hunting, fishing, kayaking, and camping equipment, along with high-quality apparel for anything outdoors. As the fastest-growing outdoor sports store in Ohio, they have opened other satellite locations across Ohio: Middleburg Heights, Canton, Boardman, Rossford, and Milan. Their broad assortment of products means that it is necessary to have an efficient order fulfillment and distribution center.  

OPERATIONAL SITUATION:

During the summer of 2020, when the global COVID-19 pandemic began, Fin Feather Fur Outfitters saw a big surge in e-commerce orders. Consumers had decided not to visit their retail stores to purchase; instead opting to have the products shipped directly to their homes. This surge in orders forced the company to attempt to hire more employees and grow its resources at the distribution center to keep up with the online order demand. This was a major change in their business and Fin Feather Fur Outfitters had to adapt to this situation.

Ashtonne Packaging asked for a meeting to see how Fin Feather Fur Outfitters was using the recent large order of kraft paper, box tape, and tape guns. What they found was a very manual packaging process in which the Fin Feather Fur Outfitters associates were crumbling up kraft paper and stuffing it into boxes by hand. Additionally, the associates were using manual tape guns to close both the top and bottom of the box. What they saw that day was an opportunity for process improvement. Ashtonne made the recommendation to Eric to test two automation applications: a fully automatic void-fill paper machine, and a water-based semi-automatic tape applicator. After the successful trials of the products, Fin Feather Fur Outfitters proceeded with the purchase of several of both automation products.

"Before we installed the automation equipment from Ashtonne, we would need twenty to twenty-five employees to produce about 2,000 packages. On typical days, six workers would produce 750 units. Now just four employees can produce 800 units. It has completely exceeded our expectations.”

                                                             - Eric Wentworth - Fin Feather Fur Outfitters

How ASHTONNE IMPROVED EFFICIENCY:

This large reduction in labor hours benefits FFF greatly since they were having trouble finding enough staff to keep up with demand. By using the automated void fill machine, FFF was able to ensure consistency in each of their ecommerce shipments and provide maximum
protection to ensure the safe shipment of Fin Feather Fur Outfitters's vast assortment of products. The tape machine cuts and dispenses specific measurements of tape without the hassle of a tape gun. The tape also has the FFF logo printed on it as well which improves brand recognition for the company. Focused on space savings and labor costs for customers, camping, fishing, hunting, sporting goods packaging, and sports equipment packaging are just a few of the many areas we can help customers with!

CUSTOMER BENEFITS of Partnering with Ashtonne:

• Increased efficiency and consistency in the pack out of ecommerce orders
• Reduction in labor costs due to the elimination of associates
• Improved lead times on orders at the distribution center
• Upgraded internal box protection
• Both systems provide space savings in the warehouse
• Enhanced brand recognition using printed tap
  
  Don't waste any more time wondering if you have the right custom-designed sporting goods packaging and sports equipment packaging for your unique outdoor sports products. Get with an experienced packaging partner who can help you improve sales and profits immediately! Call us at 877-522-6937 and speak to one of our professionals or contact us immediately!