Standex
Case Study

About

Standex Electronics is a worldwide market leader in the design, development and manufacture of standard reed switch-based sensor solutions and custom electro-magnetic components. It is one of 5 divisions at parent company Standex International Corporation, which include: Electronics, Engraving, Engineering Technologies, Speciality Solutions, and Scientific.

Brief

Having experienced rapid growth in recent years, Standex Electronics realised a packaging review was needed to maintain the company’s momentum. At the time, some of the packaging was sourced locally and some imported from Germany.

Storage space for packaging was limited due to the speed of expansion. And the Standex team wanted a packaging solution that was kinder to the environment while improving efficiency on the production line.

Findings

The first step was to complete an Insight audit to review Standex Electronics’ packaging processes. Actionpoint hired an independent packaging technician, who carried out a comprehensive assessment and produced a full report.

Feedback included suggestions for style adjustments to the internal boxes, allowing the outer boxes to be simplified. And changes to the board finishes were recommended, to reflect the company’s reputation for quality.

Solution

Samples of all Standex Electronics’ packaging were gathered, along with the products they protect, for independent testing. The tests confirmed the exact specifications of the materials and strengths and weaknesses of the packaging design.

With these results, Actionpoint was able to source alternative materials and design new packaging that was more efficient and environmentally sustainable. Prototypes of the new packaging were reviewed and approved by the Standex team, who then revamped their artwork to enhance the box with a high-quality print.

To address the lack of storage, Actionpoint added Standex Electronics to The Actionpoint Portal (TAP) and introduced a stockholding agreement. Arrangements were made for all packaging stock-keeping units (SKUs) to be manufactured in larger batches, giving a better price per unit, and these were put into storage with Actionpoint – ready to be delivered as and when required.

Unsurprisingly, given Standex Electronics’ dynamic period of growth, its product range continued to evolve after the initial Insight review. Actionpoint assessed the packaging again and made adjustments that, happily, managed to increase efficiencies even further.

Results

• Improved packing efficiency
• Enhanced packaging branding
• Reduced damage rates
• Elimination of packaging-related production downtime, as packaging is only hours away from delivery