Changing the Equipment Delivery Model

Frain Industries is renting out machines from other OEMs to help bridge the gap of long lead times.

When it comes to sourcing controllers, components, and other parts for packaging and processing equipment, the problems for OEMs just keep piling up.

“The supply chain as we know it is stretched beyond belief,” says Edward Young, CEO of PFM USA. “It has been a challenge for the last year, and it’s not showing signs of improvement. Anything we thought was an obstacle two months ago may now be under control, but there are always other obstacles that surface.”

As a result, PFM, like just about every OEM out there is quoting equipment with longer than normal delivery times. These long lead times are not good news for CPGs needing to deliver new products to consumers quickly. And awful news for OEMs that could lose a sale.

PFM makes a range of horizontal flow wrappers, vertical form/fill/seal (f/f/s) machines, multihead weighers, and state-of-the art standup pouch equipment. Regardless of the type of machine, if PFM can’t meet the customer timeframe Young knows he’ll lose the deal. “If they’re not buying a machine from us, they’ll go to another OEM and buy from them.”

In that situation, Young recommends the end user get a machine from Frain Industries, a packaging line integration company that offers a wide range of packaging and processing equipment from cappers and conveyors to fillers, wrappers, weighers, and more. According to Frain, the company specializes in integrated solutions, not just single machines, so Frain will get any equipment a customer needs for the project. 

While it may sound strange to point a potential customer to what seems to be a competitor, in this case, it’s a brilliant move. That’s because Frain Industries buys PFM equipment and rents it out to CPGs.

“Frain has historically been viewed as a competitor, but now they’re a partner,” Young says, noting a recent change in the Frain business model that turns the OEMs from foes to friends.