How Shibuya Hoppmann Improves Their Clients’ Line Efficiency and Boosts Uptime by Partnering with Garvey

Jan 21, 2020 | Pharmaceutical, Beverage, Food Processing & Packaging, Company News

Shibuya Hoppmann is an automation equipment manufacturer specializing in feeding, filling, aseptic filling, capping, labeling, and assembly systems for a range of markets, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical and healthcare, personal care, and automotive. Shibuya Hoppmann is a subsidiary of Shibuya Corporation, which was founded in Kanazawa, Japan, in 1931. Together, they serve customers worldwide, including from Shibuya Hoppmann’s three strategic facilities in the United States.

Over nearly nine decades, Shibuya Corporation has built its reputation not only on its expertise and innovation in packaging systems and machinery, but also on its commitment to creating a positive experience and delivering unrivaled service for its customers.

For a recent project with a key customer in the medical diagnostic industry, Shibuya Hoppmann needed an accumulation solution for a challenging application. “Because of their expertise in accumulation systems, Garvey fit the bill,” said Chad Ellis, a senior project manager at Shibuya Hoppmann. “They provided a customized accumulation solution as well as some innovative product handling from the operator standpoint. It worked out very well and the project was a success.”

A customized solution for handling challenging products

Shibuya Hoppmann wanted to add accumulation to the line for a common reason: to achieve high efficiency. But, the application presented a challenge because the bottles moving along the line are made of lightweight plastic, which makes them prone to falling over.

“These bottles are very light, especially when they’re empty,” Ellis said. “Typically, when you accumulate, the bottles butt up against one another and can fall over. The line is very high throughput, and we didn’t want fallen bottles to jam the line and decrease its efficiency. The Garvey Infinity Accumulation System provides more stability of the bottle, which equates to higher uptime and higher efficiency. That was key for this project.”

“Garvey’s accumulation technology feeds bottles at a high throughput without risk of falling or jamming.” ~Chad Ellis, Shibuya Hoppmann

A strong partnership that will continue into the future

Every project is unique, and, inevitably, there will be some challenges. The important thing is how you navigate them. When challenges arose on this project, Garvey’s entire team stepped up. 

“When you do a project like this, there will always be bumps in the road. But, Garvey maintained course and was able to collaborate with our team in Japan and together successfully provide the solution the end user needed,” Ellis said. “Because of those bumps, the relationship got even stronger, and throughout the project we felt like it was a solid partnership.”

This partnership involved several members of the Garvey team, from field technicians to upper management. “The service tech who worked with both our US team and team in Japan was top-notch,” Ellis said. “He was very thorough and provided excellent communication, which is crucial when you’re dealing with a project of this magnitude and complexity.” Ellis also praised Garvey’s upper management team for their willingness to come to the table and work through any issues. “That went a long way with both our company and the end user because it showed we all had a common goal, which was to make this project a success.”

The result was a strong partnership that has already led to further collaboration. Yusuke Futakuchi, a senior sales manager at Shibuya Hoppmann stated: “We were very impressed with Garvey’s dedication to making sure the equipment was right and everyone was satisfied. We already have some additional lines in the works for this customer, and again we’ll be partnering with Garvey.”

“It was a pleasure to work with the Garvey team.” ~Chad Ellis, Shibuya Hoppmann