A leading supplier of root vegetables and fresh produce has recorded its best-ever Christmas period.
Huntapac, which specialises in growing, packing and distributing brassicas and salads as well as root vegetables, has reported an 12% increase in volume in December with ten million packs leaving its Lancashire factory for customers across the UK in the run up to Christmas Day.
The company comfortably met the increased demand for its wonky carrots thanks to its investment in new machinery during 2020, which included adding four new GIC packaging machines to its end of line operation.
GIC installed two of its GIC4100 vertical form fill and seal packaging machines in November 2020 as Huntapac added the 12th line to its Preston factory.
The pair of GIC4100s are, like all of Huntapac’s other lines, fed by a Newtec weigher which delivers packs to two lanes bagging 40 packs per minute.
GIC was introduced to Huntapac by Newtec in 2017, with Will Hunter placing his first order with GIC in 2019 as he started to replace the company’s ageing packing machines.
Since then, GIC has supplied a total of six vertical form fill and seal machines.
“The GIC machines run consistently well, and the team at GIC are excellent to work with. They are very responsive and offer fantastic after-sales,” says Will. “The fact they are a UK company is also very important to us, as is the way their machines work seamlessly with the Newtec weighers. Christmas 2020 was our best ever festive period, and thankfully, due to our investment over the last few years, we were able to meet the increased demand comfortably.”
Martin Raison, Applications Manager at GIC, says installing the latest GIC4100s required some innovative thinking. “Our machines have gone into a brand new line, which saw Hunatapc diverting an existing conveyor at roof height! Positioning the two new machines was a little challenging due to the space available, but we managed to do it. Both machines are working at 40 packs per minute which is faster than the older machines Huntapac has removed from its factory over the last couple of years.”
Based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, GIC was established more than 30 years ago and employs 25 people. The company manufactures an extensive range of vertical bagmakers, producing a wide range of finished bag sizes from 150 to 600mm wide, in both intermittent and continuous motion variants. All GIC machines offer low-cost ownership, robustness, reliability and exceptional build quality.
GIC’s machines integrate seamlessly with upstream equipment such as multi-head weighers, cup fillers and counters, with the company offering efficient and cost-effective after-sales to all of its customers in fresh and frozen produce, cereals, snacks, confectionery, pasta, powders and pulses, industrial hardware and liquids.
