Automotive Manufacturer Protects Work with Bubble-X Sleeve Paks

March 12, 2018

A U.S. subsidiary of Israeli company Omen Casting Group has found a new way to protect its valuable products within the factory during manufacturing. Omen USA, based in Richmond, Indiana has chosen the Primex Design & Fabrication (PD&F) Bubble-X® Sleeve Pak container system to move valuable castings throughout its brand-new plant. Omen has purchased 100 Sleeve Paks, complete with pallets and covers, for internal use and is reviewing using them for shipment to its Tier 1 automotive customers. Omen produces high pressure aluminum castings such as axle and steering component housings. These valuable components require the ultimate protection while moving from station to station in the plant.

Omen USA is currently in start-up mode as the first U.S. location for the company which was founded in Kibbutz Hatzor, Israel in 1946. The parent company has been supporting the U.S. automotive market for 20 years. The new Richmond plant, which began construction in 2016, is currently producing supplier samples but will begin full-scale production in March when it expects to employ 50 with plans to be at 150 by the end of 2019.

PD&F (formerly Woodruff Corporation), in addition to its shipping container business, is a leading manufacturer of reusable, returnable and recyclable plastic totes, boxes, point of purchase displays and retail packaging.

According to Operations Manager Steven O’Brien, Omen replaced folding bulk hard-side shipping containers with the Bubble-X Sleeve Pak for several reasons. “Cost was a major factor. The Bubble-X system is about one-third the cost of the previous container we used. The Bubble-X is just as strong and durable as the folding containers but if the sleeve gets damaged it costs a lot less to replace just the sleeve than the entire container. And the Bubble-X Sleeve system takes up considerably less storage space when flattened than the older container.”

Combined with a matching pallet and cover, Sleeve Pak is the perfect lightweight, returnable, reusable and recyclable solution. Primex also produces custom internal components such as foam inserts and dividers for the Sleeve Pak. Primex’s high density bubble board delivers protective rigidity along with moisture and chemical resistance. All surfaces of the Bubble-X Sleeve Pak can be screen printed to ensure brand integrity.

Since PD&F Sleeve Paks can be folded flat, they require minimal space for storage and return shipment. Bubble-X Sleeve Pak is made from 100 percent recyclable polypropylene and comes in a variety of standard sizes and colors.

Bubble X is a unique three-dimensional board that is 20 times stronger than corrugated paperboard construction. No other process nor material produces this exceptional strength to weight ratio. Since Bubble-X is the only material of its type manufactured in North America, it allows PD&F to produce custom sizes, colors, wall thicknesses and other properties for its customers and provide rapid delivery for very specific applications.

Primex Design & Fabrication can custom-formulate the Bubble-X board itself to include characteristics such as UV protection, anti-stat and vapor inhibitor.