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Automated Packaging: Stay Ahead of Compliance and Competition

Is your packaging compliant? Learn how U.S. and international packaging laws will affect your facility and how to proactively optimise with automated packaging.

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Supply chains are feeling the pressure as online orders and consumer expectations continue to grow. The global e-Commerce market is expected to reach nearly $8.09 trillion by 2028, representing a significant climb from $6.09 trillion in 2024.¹ As companies strive to meet expedited delivery times, they are doing so with a strained workforce and the pressures of rising costs for labor, materials and transportation.

These ongoing challenges are now being amplified by new packaging regulations that are expanding across the U.S. and internationally, focusing on how companies package goods for shipping. The laws promote more sustainable processes that decrease waste by reducing shipping box and bag dimensions and increase recyclability with greener materials. However, the additional restrictions are adding complexities within facilities, and non-compliance could result in significant fines and even legal repercussions.

Keeping up with these evolving restrictions while combating the growing list of customer demands makes achieving operational excellence much more challenging. Discover how packaging regulations affect your facility and how FORTNA can help your operations optimise with automated packaging solutions that ensure compliance while optimising labour, reducing costs and driving sustainability to maintain the competitive edge.

Corrugated boxes at end-of-line packaging automation

Is your packaging compliant?

Many facilities still rely on pre-sized stock boxes and single-size polybags for packaging and shipping goods. This may have worked in the past, but this standardised approach no longer meets the demands of today’s environment, including new regulations, escalating shipping costs and increasing volume of small- to mid-sized orders delivered directly to consumers’ doorsteps.

On average, stock boxes are at least 40% oversized.² To compensate, facilities typically stuff the excess space with wasteful void fillers—many of which are not eco-friendly. Without fillers, products are left vulnerable to damage in transit, increasing the potential for returns. Oversized boxes not only waste packing materials and frustrate customers, but they are also increasingly becoming outlawed around the world.

Another key focus is improving the recyclability of materials. Several companies are making the switch from poly to paper mailers to reduce single-use plastic, making recycling easier for customers. Many of the poly bags used by major retailers are not curbside recyclable, requiring consumers to return the plastic bags to select store locations for recycling.

Sustainable packaging compliance: What businesses need to know

Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPR): EPR laws are environmental policies that hold producers financially and operationally responsible for the end-of-life management of their products, including packaging. Within the U.S., these are state-implemented laws, and restrictions can vary from state to state.

For example, New Jersey passed a bill that prohibits major retailers from shipping corrugated boxes that exceed two times the volume of the product inside the box. California is also tightening its rules, focusing on increasing the recyclability of packaging materials, with the goal of making all packaging in the state recyclable or compostable by 2032.

EPR laws are active in several states across the U.S., including California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington, with others actively considering and proposing legislation. Regions in Canada and other countries around the world also have EPR packaging laws in place.

Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR): On 11 February 2025, the European Union’s PPWR went into effect to address the environmental impacts of packaging waste. Under this legislation, by 2030, empty space in packaging can’t exceed 50% of the total package volume. The regulation also includes guidelines to reduce single-use plastic packaging and increase the use of recyclable materials.

The regulation sets progressive waste-reduction targets of 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035, and 15% by 2040, compared to 2018 levels. PPWR laws will start being enforced beginning 12 August 2026, giving companies time to determine and launch compliance strategies before the rules take effect.³

As more states, territories and nations get on board, it’s evident that facilities need to take a proactive approach to sustainability. Embracing flexible, future-ready solutions is key to staying ahead of disruption and avoiding potential legal action.

Getting it right with right-sized packaging

Fortunately, there have been major advancements in warehouse automation technologies to help companies accelerate their strategies with a proactive solution. End-of-line automated packaging has become a key component for efficiently and sustainably shipping small- to mid-sized items. FORTNA provides fully integrated automated packaging solutions to help you get ahead of the curve on compliance while also optimising labour, reducing costs and boosting your bottom line.

FORTNA has strategic partnerships with Packsize and Sitma—two innovative solutions that address the complexities of today’s warehouses, delivering unmatched reliability in order fulfillment. Both FORTNA solutions provide right-sized packaging, meaning that the packaging instantly tailors to the specific dimensions of the items being shipped.

Right-sized packaging ensures that your customers receive optimally packed orders every time. This eliminates the need for excessive void fillers, minimising material waste and costs with every shipment while ensuring quality, optimising vehicle loading capacities and improving sustainability.

FORTNA’s automated packaging solutions utilise curbside recyclable paper products, removing poly from all outbound processes. The equipment precisely wraps each order in right-sized paper mailers or corrugated boxes and then automatically applies labels as packages move down the line.

On-demand packaging solutions can right-size and accommodate nearly any size package, from small paper mailers to large boxes. FORTNA’s fully automated packaging solutions range from end-of-line and box-first applications, producing ready-to-ship, compact packages tailored to each order’s dimensions.

Manual vs. automated packaging

In addition to meeting sustainable packaging compliance, there are several other significant benefits to switching from manual to automated packaging that accelerate profitability. Traditional packaging processes are extremely labour-intensive and time-consuming, with operators sizing, selecting and constructing the packaging. This runs the risk of slowing productivity and leaving room for human error.

Alternatively, automated packaging solutions optimise processes with innovative technologies for expedited throughput and improved accuracy. The equipment integrates with warehouse automation systems to streamline workflows for optimal packaging lines that scale. Facilities can reallocate workers to more value-added positions to maximise resources and productivity.

Trying to source and store enough stock boxes to accommodate a growing list of SKUs can feel like an impossible task. By automating packaging, facilities use fewer materials, reduce packing stations and eliminate storage areas to free up valuable warehouse space.

At FORTNA, we view our automated packaging solutions as another opportunity to proactively streamline and drive operational excellence. Our technologies can tackle everything from sizing, packaging creation, gluing, labeling and more in mere seconds, requiring less material and human touchpoints. Getting your products to your customers as quickly and efficiently as possible strengthens your relationship and builds brand loyalty.

Understanding the benefits of right-sized packaging

FORTNA packaging automation solutions aren’t just a compliance solution—they are a competitive advantage.

Increased efficiency: Automated systems run faster and longer than manual processes, seamlessly wrapping and packaging products with precision and applying labels to save time and money.

Labour optimisation: Fill orders faster with fewer workers. Optimise your labour resources to improve error-prone manual processes while reallocating workers to meaningful, value-added work.

Reduced transportation costs: Right-sized packaging reduces package dimensions. This results in less space needed inside the outbound delivery truck, reducing CO2 emissions and cutting transportation costs.

Rapid ROI: Labour and material cost savings paired with increased performance provide a faster return on investment to boost your bottom line.

Regulatory compliance and sustainability: Utilise right-sized packaging that complies with European and U.S. regulations. Reduce empty space, use recyclable materials and decrease packaging waste.

Enhanced customer satisfaction: Right-sized packaging reduces damage in transit and improves ease of handling, reinforcing strong brand values and responsibilities to build customer loyalty.

Benefits of right-sized packaging:

Increased efficiency
Labour optimisation
Reduced transportation costs
Rapid ROI
Regulatory compliance and sustainability
Enhanced customer satisfaction

Flexibility and efficiency for every application

FORTNA takes a comprehensive approach to warehouse and distribution automation, optimising key applications from inbound to outbound. As an end-to-end design-build firm, we integrate the best technologies across all functions of your facility, including packaging, to ensure process improvements and growth. This integrated approach provides smart, seamless workflows that drive real results.

Our automated packaging solutions go beyond just installing the equipment. The systems integrate into FORTNA’s software solutions to create a centralised source of truth and unified command centre. The packaging data is synced into our software platforms to provide full visibility into workflows with tracking capabilities and key reporting metrics to ensure seamless productivity.

FORTNA also provides ongoing performance services, training and support to ensure sustained success. Our teams are dedicated to designing, delivering, implementing, supporting and maintaining your warehouse ecosystem across entire lifecycles.

FORTNA packaging automation solutions include:

On-demand packaging hardware and equipment: mailers and corrugated boxes
FORTNA software integration and reporting
FORTNA LPS services and support 24/7/365

mailer packages traveling on conveyor belt

Transform packaging operations with a proven partner

Supply chains will only get more complex and demanding over time, especially as new regulations are enforced. To maintain compliance and a competitive edge, facilities must take a proactive approach, investing in scalable, reliable solutions that empower teams to meet rising demands, drive profitability and exceed regulatory compliance.

FORTNA’s approach ensures that you are integrating the best-fit technology to achieve your goals today and well into the future. Our team of experts assesses your operations and objectives to develop a solution that provides transformation success. This includes best-in-class interoperable technologies, full visibility into operations and comprehensive lifecycle support.

Our long-term approach helps you achieve your KPIs today while extending the life of your investment to maximise uptime and scale with your growth over time. Take a proactive approach to packaging compliance with an agile solution that can grow and adjust with you.

FORTNA Can Help

There doesn’t need to be a tradeoff between compliance and productivity. FORTNA’s team of experienced experts will help you design an end-to-end solution that ensures every critical step is optimised to meet rising demands and compliance restrictions.

Get Compliance Ready

1 <a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/global-ecommerce-sales">https://www.shopify.com/blog/global-ecommerce-sales</a> 2 <a href="https://www.packsize.com/blog/why-a-right-sized-box-is-the-perfect-protective-packaging">https://www.packsize.com/blog/why-a-right-sized-box-is-the-perfect-protective-packaging</a> 3 <a href="https://www.packsize.com/blog/ppwr">https://www.packsize.com/blog/ppwr</a>

Published/Updated 9/9/25