GIC vertical form fill seal machines can be configured to package a wide range of hardware products, including nuts, bolts, screws, washers, brackets, handles, hinges, hooks, fixings and other small components.

Hardware products can vary significantly in size, weight and shape, so the packaging machine and feeding system need to be configured around the particular components being packed.

Smaller items may require accurate counting or weighing before entering the bag, while larger or heavier components may require different forming sets, bag sizes and product handling arrangements.

Machines including the GIC200, GIC400, GIC2100, GIC3000, GIC4100, GIC5100 and GIC8000 provide options for different hardware products, pack sizes and production requirements.
Speak to GIC about the hardware products you need to package and the team can recommend an appropriate machine and line configuration.

Hardware products can be heavy, sharp or abrasive, so selecting a packaging material with sufficient strength and puncture resistance is particularly important.

The film needs to be robust enough to contain the hardware throughout packing, handling, transportation and storage while still running reliably through the VFFS machine.

Additional measures can also be incorporated into the packaging system. For example, forming tube liners can be used to help protect the packaging film as abrasive hardware passes through the forming set.

The machine configuration, product drop, forming set and packaging material should therefore be considered together rather than specifying the film or VFFS machine independently.

Contact GIC to discuss the characteristics of your hardware and the most appropriate machine and packaging configuration.

GIC VFFS machines can be integrated with suitable counting, weighing and feeding systems to create an automated hardware packaging line.

The appropriate system depends on the components being packed and whether packs need to contain a specific number of items or achieve a particular finished weight.

Machines such as the GIC200, GIC400, GIC2100, GIC3000 and GIC5100 can integrate with counters and other filling equipment, allowing hardware to be measured before being discharged into the finished bag.

This makes VFFS packaging suitable for applications ranging from individual component packs through to larger quantities of fixings and hardware.

Contact GIC with details of your components, required quantity per pack and target production rate for advice on the most appropriate solution.

GIC hardware packaging machines can produce several bag formats depending on the selected machine and configuration.

The GIC200 and GIC400 are particularly flexible for hardware packaging, supporting pillow, gusseted and block-bottom packs alongside retail-friendly formats including Euroslot, punch-hole and carry-handle packs.

Euroslot and punch-hole bags can be particularly useful where packaged hardware such as screws, fixings, hooks or other small components will be displayed on retail hanging systems.

For larger or higher-output applications, machines such as the GIC2100, GIC3000, GIC4100 and GIC8000 can produce pillow, gusseted and block-bottom packs, while the GIC5100 provides a solution for particularly large pillow or gusseted bags.

Speak to GIC about your required bag format, retail display requirements and hardware product.

GIC offers hardware packaging machines covering a wide range of finished bag widths, allowing the equipment to be selected around the size and quantity of hardware being packed.

The GIC200, GIC2100 and GIC3000 accommodate finished bag widths of up to 250mm, making them suitable for many smaller and medium-sized hardware packs.

Where wider packs are required, the GIC400, GIC4100 and GIC8000 accommodate bag widths up to 400mm.

For particularly large hardware packs, the GIC5100 can produce finished bag widths of up to 500mm.

Machine selection should consider the dimensions and weight of both the smallest and largest packs you intend to produce.

Send GIC your required hardware pack dimensions and weights for advice on the most appropriate machine.

GIC hardware packaging machines can operate with suitable heat-sealable packaging materials including laminates and polyethylene films.

Material strength is particularly important for hardware because screws, bolts, brackets, fixings and other components can place significantly more stress on the finished pack than lightweight food products.

The packaging material needs to provide suitable tear and puncture resistance while also running consistently through the VFFS machine and producing reliable seals.

Machines such as the GIC200 and GIC400 can also be adapted for suitable paper-based materials where required.

GIC can assess your proposed packaging material alongside the hardware being packed and recommend an appropriate machine and sealing configuration.

Hardware packaging speed depends on the machine, component type, number or weight of items per pack, bag dimensions and the counting, weighing or feeding system supplying the VFFS machine.

The GIC200 and GIC400 offer speeds of up to 50 packs per minute, depending on the application.

For higher-output requirements, the intermittent-motion GIC2100 and GIC4100 can achieve speeds of up to 90 packs per minute, while continuous-motion machines such as the GIC3000 and GIC8000 can achieve speeds of up to 100 packs per minute under suitable conditions.

For particularly large packs, the GIC5100 provides a maximum pack width of 500mm with speeds of up to 25 packs per minute.

However, the maximum speed of the VFFS machine is only one consideration. The rate at which hardware can be accurately counted, weighed and fed into the machine can determine the overall output of the complete packaging line.

Contact GIC with your required packs-per-minute output and hardware specification for a tailored machine recommendation.

Yes. Depending on the selected machine and configuration, a GIC VFFS machine can be used to package different hardware products, SKUs and bag sizes.

This is particularly useful for hardware manufacturers and suppliers producing packs containing different sizes or quantities of screws, nuts, bolts, washers, brackets and other fixings.

Moving between products may require adjustments to the feeding or counting system, bag length or forming set depending on the differences between each SKU.

GIC designs its machines to be easy to operate, service and maintain, with quick changeovers particularly important for factories producing large volumes across multiple product lines.

Machines including the GIC200, GIC400, GIC2100, GIC3000, GIC4100, GIC5100 and GIC8000 provide options for different pack widths and production requirements.

Send GIC details of the different hardware SKUs you need to package for advice on the most appropriate machine configuration.

GIC has been designing, installing and servicing vertical form fill seal packaging machines for four decades, with its UK-manufactured machines used by some of the country’s largest hardware suppliers.

GIC’s hardware packaging range includes the GIC200, GIC400, GIC2100, GIC3000, GIC4100, GIC5100 and GIC8000, providing options for different hardware products, bag widths and production requirements.

Machines can be customised around the size, shape and weight of the hardware, packaging material, forming set, feeding system and required bag style.

GIC machines are designed and built in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, and the company is a Gold-level partner in the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork programme.

GIC can also provide operator training alongside comprehensive servicing and maintenance support to help minimise downtime throughout the working life of the equipment.

Looking for a UK-manufactured hardware packaging machine? Contact GIC or call +44 (0) 1427 611885 to discuss your requirements.