Use-Case – DOZE600 Double Chamber Vacuum Sealer

The Challenge

A medium-sized producer of meat and ready meals located near Maribor was packaging about 1,200 vacuum pouches per day using two compact tabletop vacuum machines. Each machine could process only a handful of bags per cycle, requiring operators to remain at the equipment for nearly their entire shift. The sealing process became the main bottleneck for the production line.

Due to limited throughput, batches frequently sat unsealed for up to an hour, which shortened shelf life and led to liquid purge inside the bags. Roughly 3% of production was discarded each week because of short-dated or visually unsatisfactory packages. Management sought an industrial-grade solution to boost capacity, ensure consistent quality, and allow operators to focus on higher-value responsibilities.

Manual Process

Staff operated two small tabletop vacuum sealers side by side. Each cycle involved manually loading bags, closing the lid, waiting for the vacuum and sealing process, and then unloading. Output depended on the operator, and machine settings were adjusted by intuition, resulting in variable quality.

Before Automation:

• Daily output: 1,200 packs/day
• Cycle time per pack (including handling): 36 seconds
• Total daily time: 1,200 × 36 s = 43,200 s ≈ 720 minutes (12.0 hours/day)
• Labor expense: 12.0 h/day × €25/h = €300/day
• Rework/issues: about 3% of packs required re-sealing or disposal due to inadequate vacuum or reduced shelf life

Two employees alternated on the sealers, spending most of their workday on repetitive loading and unloading tasks. If one machine needed cleaning or a cooldown, the backlog would quickly increase, sometimes requiring overtime during peak periods.

Automated Solution

The company added a DOZE600 Double Chamber Vacuum Sealer to the existing line. Thanks to its two chambers and dual 2 × 20 m³/h pumps, operators can load one chamber while the other is running. Standardized programs were set up on the PC control panel for each product type, eliminating guesswork from the process.

After Installing DOZE600 Double Chamber Vacuum Sealer:

• The machine runs at 60% of its maximum output for consistent performance
• Updated cycle: one chamber cycle of 25 seconds seals 12 packs (6 per bar × 2 bars), which is about 2.1 seconds per pack
• Total daily time: 1,200 packs × 2.1 s ≈ 2,520 s ≈ 42 minutes of machine operation; including loading, unloading, and changeovers, rounded to 270 minutes (4.5 hours/day)
• Labor expense: 4.5 h/day × €25/h = €113/day
• Quality gains: rework/waste dropped from 3% to about 0.9% thanks to reliable vacuum and seal quality

Now, a single operator can easily manage the DOZE600 and also help with upstream loading. The second operator was reassigned to inspection and labeling, eliminating the sealing bottleneck and improving workflow balance.

ROI Calculation

Investment:
Machine price: €2,799
Daily labor savings: Previous labor €300/day − Current labor €113/day = €187/day
Monthly savings (22 working days): €187/day × 22 days = €4,114/month
Payback period: €2,799 ÷ €187/day ≈ 14.97 days ≈ about 15 working days (less than 3 calendar months including setup and ramp-up)

Additional, non-quantified benefits include lower product waste (from 3% to 0.9%), improved shelf life, and fewer complaints from retail customers about loose or leaking packages. These advantages further enhance the real return on investment beyond just labor savings.

Conclusion

When the Slovenian food manufacturer upgraded from two compact tabletop sealers to the DOZE600 Double Chamber Vacuum Sealer, they reduced their sealing labor from 12.0 hours to 4.5 hours per day and eliminated a major production bottleneck. The direct labor cost savings of approximately €187 per day meant the equipment paid for itself in about 15 working days, while also extending product shelf life and minimizing waste.

“After switching to the DOZE600, our sealing time dropped from 12 hours to just about 4.5 hours daily, saving us close to €187 in labor each shift. We recouped the €2,799 investment in roughly 15 working days, and our vacuum-related waste fell from 3% to below 1%.” — Marko K., Production Manager, Maribor Foods d.o.o., Slovenia