Harpak-ULMA, the industry leader in smart, connected packaging solutions, has introduced a nationwide 3D printing service tailored specifically for tray package prototyping. Customers also have the option of in-person collaboration at Harpak-ULMA’s Customer Experience Center in Taunton, Massachusetts. Merchandisers can now utilize this service at the centers to easily, quickly, and cost-effectively customize their tray designs to meet specific marketing needs and preferences.

Unlike conventional design practices, Harpak-ULMA's 3D printing service for tray package prototyping offers merchandisers unmatched flexibility and versatility in prototyping — whether customization requirements call for adjusting dimensions, adding intricate features, or incorporating branding elements. 

Package customization is crucial to product differentiation and brand identity in successful merchandising. However, the prototyping process involved in developing customized trays is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and requires long lead times and significant costs. Such costs are often prohibitive for smaller businesses or those with limited budgets. The extended timeline can be a deal-breaker for merchandisers facing ever-tighter time-to-market schedules. Moreover, retail food merchandisers typically lack the skilled personnel and specialized equipment to produce prototypes. As a result, many shy away from exploring new, innovative, customized packaging concepts. In addition, 3D printing dramatically reduces waste associated with legacy prototyping methods, making it more environmentally friendly.

"Our new 3D printing-enabled package prototype services eliminates these barriers, shortening the prototyping process from weeks to months to hours – with commensurately lower costs," said Joshua Allen, Harpak-ULMA's marketing director. "It also facilitates quick and inexpensive iterations.  You can easily incorporate feedback from testing and evaluation into successive prototypes. That kind of iterative approach leads to better final products. This is another example of how leveraging technology can improve the customer experience, which is central to our go-to-market philosophy. Beyond leading the industry with our solutions, we seek to elevate our customers' packaging lifecycle experience – from design to operations and maintenance.”

About Harpak-ULMA 
 Harpak-ULMA is the North American arm of ULMA, a $1B industry leader in complete packaging line solutions for Food, Medical, Bakery, and Industrial products. Harpak-ULMA provides smart, connected packaging systems utilizing Rockwell Automation's controls and information platforms to deliver greater efficiency, uptime, and throughput, as well as better package quality and reduced waste. Well-designed, reliable solutions reduce customers' total cost of ownership, help them overcome the challenges of an aging and evolving workforce, and improve control of maintenance expenses with competitive parts sourcing. In addition to offering ULMA primary packaging systems and comprehensive automation solutions, Harpak-ULMA is the exclusive North American distributor of G. Mondini tray sealers. Harpak-ULMA joined the Rockwell Automation Partner Network in 2018 as part of its initiative to build and deploy smart, connected packaging solutions.