Customer Service & Support
We are committed to keeping your line in production.
We are committed to keeping your line in production.
Our Spare Parts Service is designed to help you stay prepared, protect uptime, and eliminate the guesswork around what to stock and when. We work alongside your team to build a parts strategy tailored to your equipment, production demands, and risk tolerance.
We believe your PM program should be built around your business, your products, and your team — not a predefined checklist. Every plan is tailored to your operational priorities, with each tier defined by the time and depth of support you need, not by limits on what we can deliver.
4525 Oak Fair Blvd
Tampa, FL 33610, USA
PLAN IT Packaging Systems
370 Britannia Rd E
Mississauga, ON L4Z1X9
July 21, 2026
Discover why stick pack packaging is transforming supplements, hydration powders, vitamins, and drink mixes. Explore automated stick pack packaging solutions from PLAN IT Packaging.
The way people consume vitamins, hydration powders, drink mixes, supplements, and functional ingredients has changed. Consumers are no longer building their routines around a kitchen counter, a tub of powder, and a plastic scoop. They are moving faster, traveling more, working out on the go, and looking for products that fit into their day instead of interrupting it.
That shift is one of the biggest reasons stick packaging continues to gain momentum.
From early drink mix formats like Crystal Light On The Go to modern wellness brands like Liquid I.V., AG1, hydration powders, greens blends, collagen, protein, electrolytes, and vitamin mixes, the stick pack has become more than just a package. It has become part of the product experience.
It is portable. It is clean. It is easy to dose. It helps protect the product. Most importantly, it gives customers the flexibility to use the product when and where they need it.
From Scoops and Bottles to Single-Serve Convenience
For years, many powder-based products relied on canisters, tubs, scoops, jars, or liquid filling formats. Those formats still have a place, especially for at-home use, but they do not always match the way today’s customer lives.
A scoop can be messy. A large tub is not easy to pack in a gym bag. Liquid products can be heavier to ship, more complex to package, and less convenient for travel. With stick packs, brands can offer the same core product benefit in a format that feels lighter, cleaner, and easier to use.
The appeal is simple: tear, pour, mix, and go.
That matters in categories built around routine and lifestyle. Whether someone is adding electrolytes to a water bottle after a workout, taking a greens supplement while traveling, using a vitamin powder at the office, or keeping drink mixes in a backpack, the stick pack supports a more flexible “do it when you need it” approach.
It also helps remove friction. Consumers do not need to measure. They do not need to carry the whole container. They do not need to worry about whether they packed the scoop, spilled powder, or exposed the product to moisture every time they opened the main package.
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Health and wellness products are often built around consistency. The customer has to remember to take the product, enjoy the product, and feel like it fits naturally into their routine. Packaging plays a major role in that.
Stick packs make that routine easier.
They allow brands to deliver a controlled portion every time. That is especially important for vitamins, supplements, electrolytes, functional drink powders, collagen, protein, fiber, probiotics, and other active ingredients where serving size matters.
They also help support sampling, variety packs, subscription models, travel packs, and club-store formats. A customer can try multiple flavors, keep packets in different places, or bring a week’s worth of servings on a trip without carrying a full container.
For the brand, this format creates more flexibility. Stick packs can support premium positioning, on-the-go convenience, seasonal flavors, trial-size programs, retail-ready multipacks, and larger bulk formats. They also provide more space for thoughtful secondary packaging, whether that is a carton, a pouch, a display box, or a master pack.
One of the most interesting packaging trends is the rise of stick packs inside a larger master package. This is especially relevant for club stores, online subscription programs, and larger retail formats.
Instead of selling only a tub of powder, brands can offer a high-count format with individually sealed stick packs inside a larger premade pouch, carton, or club-store pack. This gives consumers the value of bulk purchasing while keeping the quality and portion control of individual servings.
That combination is powerful.
The customer gets the convenience of buying more at once, but the product is still protected one serving at a time. Each packet stays sealed until use, which can help preserve freshness, reduce mess, and make the product easier to share, store, and travel with.
For powders that are sensitive to moisture, clumping, aroma transfer, or repeated exposure, the individually sealed stick pack can also help protect the experience from the first serving to the last.
This is where the package becomes part of the brand promise. The customer is not just buying a powder. They are buying consistency, convenience, and confidence that the product will be ready when they are.
Stick packs also open up new commercial opportunities.
A brand can sell a 10-count trial pack, a 30-day routine pack, a 60-count club pack, a variety pack, a travel pack, or a subscription refill. The same product can be packaged for e-commerce, retail shelves, gyms, hotels, sample programs, and warehouse clubs.
That flexibility matters for growing brands. It allows companies to meet the customer in more places without completely changing the product formulation.
It also gives established companies a way to modernize legacy products. A drink mix, supplement powder, hydration blend, or functional ingredient that was once sold only in a tub can be reintroduced in a more portable, lifestyle-focused format.
In many ways, stick packaging helps brands move from “use this at home” to “take this with you.”
At PLAN IT Packaging, we understand that not every company enters the stick pack market at the same stage. Some brands are launching a new product and need an efficient entry-level system. Others are scaling quickly and need higher lane counts, faster output, and more automation around filling, sealing, counting, and secondary packaging.
That is why PLAN IT Packaging offers stick pack solutions built for a wide range of production needs, from entry-level 2- to 4-lane machines all the way up to large-scale 24-lane high-production systems.
Whether the application is hydration powder, vitamins, drink mixes, supplements, collagen, protein, sugar, sweeteners, nutraceuticals, or other powdered products, our team can help align the right machine configuration with the product, package size, speed requirement, and long-term growth plan.
Stick packaging is not just about making a smaller package. It is about creating a format that matches how people live today. It supports travel, portion control, freshness, convenience, and the growing demand for products that fit into active routines.
No matter where your customers go, PLAN IT Packaging helps make sure your product is packaged and ready when they need it.
Whether you're launching a new hydration mix, scaling a supplement brand, or modernizing an established product line, PLAN IT Packaging can help you find the right stick pack solution for your production goals. From entry-level systems to high-speed multi-lane packaging lines, our team designs equipment that grows with your business.
Contact PLAN IT Packaging today to discuss your application and discover how stick pack packaging can help improve convenience, efficiency, and product presentation.
May 14, 2026
In food manufacturing, production challenges are often discussed in terms of labor, scheduling, supply chain delays, sanitation, communication, and yield loss. While these issues may not always begin with the machine itself, packaging equipment plays a major role in how well a facility responds when those challenges appear.
In food manufacturing, production challenges are often discussed in terms of labor, scheduling, supply chain delays, sanitation, communication, and yield loss. While these issues may not always begin with the machine itself, packaging equipment plays a major role in how well a facility responds when those challenges appear.
That is where spare parts become more than a maintenance item. They become a planning tool, a risk-reduction strategy, and a way to keep production moving when every hour of downtime matters.
For food processors and packaging teams, keeping the right spare parts on hand can help reduce emergency repairs, protect uptime, improve maintenance response, and create a stronger return on investment over time.
Unplanned downtime is rarely just one simple expense. It can impact labor, product waste, missed shipments, overtime, customer commitments, sanitation schedules, and the overall production plan.
When a packaging line stops because of one missing component, the cost is not only the part itself. The real cost includes the time spent diagnosing the issue, sourcing the replacement, waiting for shipment, rescheduling production, and restarting the line.
That is why the idea of “we’ll order it when it breaks” can quickly become an expensive strategy. Emergency parts, rushed shipping, delayed production, and lost efficiency often cost far more than maintaining a planned inventory of critical spare parts.
A smart spare parts program helps manufacturers shift from reaction to preparation.
Every operation has to manage costs carefully. No one wants to overstock shelves with parts that may not be needed for years. At the same time, carrying too little inventory can leave a production team exposed when a critical component fails.
The goal is balance.
A strong spare parts strategy helps identify which parts are critical, which parts are commonly replaced, and which components have longer lead times. This allows maintenance and operations teams to stock what matters most without overloading inventory.
Critical parts may include items such as belts, blades, sensors, sealing components, wear parts, contact parts, bearings, rollers, switches, electrical components, or machine-specific assemblies that are essential to keeping the line running.
The question is not simply, “How many parts should we keep?”
The better question is, “Which missing parts would stop production if we did not have them?”
Labor shortages and skill gaps continue to affect food manufacturers across North America. New operators, temporary labor, and smaller maintenance teams can make troubleshooting more difficult, especially when a worn component begins affecting machine performance.
Having the right parts available helps reduce uncertainty.
Instead of losing valuable time identifying, ordering, and waiting for replacement parts, technicians can respond quickly and get the line back into operation. Spare parts do not replace training, but they do make it easier for teams to solve problems with confidence.
For facilities managing turnover or limited technical support, organized spare parts inventory can make maintenance response faster, cleaner, and more consistent.
High SKU variety is common in food manufacturing. Facilities may switch between package sizes, films, cartons, labels, formats, recipes, or product types throughout the week.
Every changeover matters.
When parts are worn, missing, or not ready, changeovers take longer. Operators may spend extra time adjusting the machine, troubleshooting seal quality, replacing small components, or trying to work around an issue that should have been handled before production began.
Keeping changeover-related and wear parts on hand helps reduce these delays. Fresh sealing components, knives, belts, guides, forming parts, rollers, and sensors can help teams move from one run to the next with fewer interruptions.
The more prepared the line is before a changeover begins, the less time is lost once production is ready to restart.
Most downtime events do not feel large at first. One belt wears out. One sensor fails. One blade dulls. One seal component begins causing inconsistent packages.
But one missing part can create a chain reaction.
A small issue can lead to stopped production, delayed shipments, overtime labor, increased waste, missed sanitation windows, and pressure on every department involved in the production schedule.
This is why spare parts planning is not just a maintenance concern. It is an operational risk strategy.
The line may be ready. The team may be ready. The product and packaging materials may be ready. But if one critical part is missing, the entire system can slow down or stop.
Food manufacturing has unique requirements that naturally interrupt production. Sanitation cycles, inspections, QA checks, documentation, and compliance steps are part of the process.
Reliable equipment helps those required interruptions go smoother.
Worn belts, damaged seals, cracked guards, loose fittings, or aging contact parts can create additional delays during inspection or startup. Having replacement parts on site helps maintenance teams address these issues before they become food safety concerns or production interruptions.
Spare parts also support preventative maintenance planning. Instead of waiting for a component to fail, teams can replace high-wear parts during scheduled downtime, sanitation windows, or planned service intervals.
That means fewer surprises during live production.
Not every issue shuts down the line immediately. Some problems quietly reduce performance over time.
Worn parts can contribute to poor seals, inconsistent cuts, misalignment, overfill, underfill, packaging defects, product waste, or rework. The machine may still be running, but the operation is losing efficiency with every imperfect package.
Replacing worn components at the right time helps protect package quality and production consistency.
In food manufacturing, small inconsistencies can become expensive quickly. A strong spare parts plan helps protect yield, reduce waste, and support a more stable finished package.
A spare parts strategy does not need to be complicated. It simply needs to be intentional.
Maintenance teams should review each machine and identify:
1. Which parts are critical to uptime?
2. Which parts wear most often?
3. Which parts have long lead times?
4. Which parts are needed for changeovers?
5. Which parts support sanitation and food safety?
6. Which parts are shared across multiple machines?
7. Which parts should be reordered once used?
This helps create a practical spare parts checklist for each line. It also helps avoid two common mistakes: stocking too much of what is rarely needed and not stocking enough of what can stop production.
Digital or organized manual tracking can also help teams monitor inventory levels, reorder points, usage history, and part numbers. The faster a team can find the right part, the faster they can recover.
For many maintenance teams, the challenge is not understanding the value of spare parts. It is justifying the investment internally.
The business case is simple: stocked critical parts reduce risk.
Leadership teams should consider the cost of one hour of downtime, one missed shipment, one emergency repair, one rushed shipment, or one extended production delay. In many cases, the cost of a small spare parts inventory is far less than the cost of waiting until something breaks.
Spare parts are not about expecting failure. They are about protecting production.
Spare parts are not just about fixing something after it breaks. They are about preparation, control, and confidence.
For food manufacturers managing labor challenges, changeovers, supply disruptions, sanitation requirements, planning gaps, and yield pressure, having the right parts on hand can make a measurable difference.
A well-planned spare parts inventory helps reduce avoidable downtime, support maintenance teams, protect product quality, and keep packaging lines ready for what comes next.
At PLAN IT Packaging, we believe spare parts are part of a stronger production strategy. Because when your line is prepared, your team can focus less on reacting to problems and more on keeping production moving.
May 12, 2026
See how PLAN IT Packaging helped Ganong Bros. achieve 2.5x packaging output with high-speed VFFS automation and independent packaging lines designed for scalability and reliability.
For more than 150 years, Ganong Bros. has been part of Canada’s confectionery story. From iconic products like Chicken Bones and Pal-o-Mine to modern co-manufacturing partnerships across North America, the company has continued to evolve while staying rooted in quality, tradition, and innovation.
Today, we are proud to share that PLAN IT Packaging has been featured alongside Ganong Bros. in the April/May issue of Canadian Packaging magazine, highlighting a recent automation project designed to help support Ganong’s growing production demands.
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As demand for Ganong’s confectionery and co-manufacturing services continued to grow, the company identified an opportunity to expand its packaging capacity while improving operational efficiency and redundancy.
To support this initiative, PLAN IT Packaging supplied and integrated:
The result was a packaging solution designed to improve throughput, flexibility, sanitation, and uptime while helping Ganong continue scaling production efficiently.
One of the key goals of the project was to avoid relying on a single high-output packaging system.
Instead, PLAN IT Packaging recommended four completely independent bagging lines. This approach provided Ganong with:
As highlighted in the article, this configuration allowed Ganong to exceed its original throughput expectations while maintaining continuous production capabilities if one line required servicing or maintenance.
“If one line does go down for any reason, at least you still have other lines up and running.”
— Sal Choudhary, Sales Manager, PLAN IT Packaging
The installed Mars Rapid VFFS baggers were designed to support high-speed pouch production while maintaining sanitation and accessibility for operators.
Key system features included:
The ELITEWEIGH 24H multihead weighers also provided Ganong with increased weighing accuracy and versatility for handling a variety of candy and snack products.
According to the article, the new system helped Ganong achieve approximately 2.5 times the output of its previous packaging process.
One of the most important themes discussed throughout the feature was the role automation plays in supporting employees, not replacing them.
Ganong emphasized that automation investments are helping the company grow production while creating opportunities to upskill staff and improve engagement by reducing repetitive manual tasks.
This philosophy strongly aligns with PLAN IT Packaging’s approach to automation: implementing systems that help manufacturers improve efficiency, consistency, food safety, and operational reliability while empowering their teams for long-term success.
This project represents more than the installation of packaging equipment. It reflects the value of collaborative partnerships, thoughtful system design, and scalable automation strategies tailored to each manufacturer’s goals.
We are grateful to the Ganong Bros. team for the opportunity to support this exciting phase of growth and proud to see the project featured in Canadian Packaging magazine.
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The full story dives deeper into Ganong’s incredible history, their approach to modernization, and the collaborative packaging automation project completed with PLAN IT Packaging.
Read the Full Canadian Packaging Article Here
PLAN IT Packaging delivers turnkey automation solutions for manufacturers across food, confectionery, snack, pet food, and consumer packaged goods industries.
From weighing and bagging to case packing, robotics, and palletizing, our systems are designed to help manufacturers scale with confidence.
Let's PLAN IT Together! Give us a call or tell us more about your packaging needs here.
June 8, 2026
Improve pet food and care packaging with automation that enhances sanitation, seal integrity, and consistent product protection.
At PLAN IT Packaging, packaging is about more than presentation. It is about protection, responsibility, and trust. The right packaging system and materials do much more than preserve a product on the shelf. They help support sanitation, improve safety in production, and in many cases, play an important role in protecting consumers at home, including the pets that are part of the family.
As more products are formulated with enticing aromas and flavors such as chicken, beef, bacon, peanut butter, and other familiar scents, packaging takes on an even greater responsibility. For pet-related products, supplements, and even certain flavored medicines, the packaging itself becomes part of the safety solution.
Not all packaging materials perform the same way. The structure, seal integrity, barrier properties, and durability of a package all impact how well a product is protected throughout its lifecycle.
High-quality packaging materials can help:
This last point is especially important for products that may smell appealing to dogs. Animals experience scent at a much more heightened level than humans. A package that seems secure enough to a person may still release enough aroma to attract a curious pet. That is why scent control and reliable sealing should never be treated as an afterthought.
Automation is a key part of creating safer and more sanitary packaging processes. By reducing unnecessary human contact with products and packaging materials, automated systems help support cleaner production environments and more consistent results.
Automated packaging systems can help manufacturers:
In environments where cleanliness and consistency are critical, automation helps remove variability from the packaging process. Reliable automation also ensures that packaging materials are applied properly, seals are formed correctly, and each package leaves the line with the intended level of protection.
For companies producing products with strong scents or flavored formulations, this consistency is especially valuable. A poorly sealed pouch or improperly formed package may allow aroma to escape, increasing the risk that a dog could be drawn to it.
Many modern products are intentionally made more palatable. Flavored medicines, supplements, chews, and specialty products may use savory or meat-like profiles to improve acceptance. While this can benefit the intended user, it can also create a serious risk if a pet mistakes the product for a treat.
Dogs are naturally driven by scent. If medicine or a supplement smells like chicken, beef, or another desirable flavor, a dog may scratch at it, chew through outer packaging, or attempt to consume it if it is left within reach. That makes scent-lock packaging an important first layer of defense.
Effective packaging materials and strong seals can help:
This is not just a packaging issue. It is a safety issue. Packaging that better controls aroma can help reduce temptation and support safer storage practices for households with pets.
When manufacturers think about packaging, it is easy to focus only on branding, convenience, and production speed. Those factors matter, but true packaging performance goes further. Responsible packaging design considers the full journey of the product — from production and distribution to the moment it enters someone’s home.
That means asking important questions:
When these questions are addressed early, the result is a better package and a safer product experience.
At PLAN IT Packaging, we believe great packaging solutions should support the real-world needs of the people who use them. That includes the families, homes, and pets around them. Packaging is one of the quietest but most important parts of product safety. It helps protect quality, improve sanitation, and create a stronger barrier between enticing products and curious animals.
For products with strong or savory aromas, packaging materials and automation work hand in hand. The right materials help contain scent. The right automation helps apply those materials with precision and consistency. Together, they create a packaging solution that does more than perform well on a production line — it helps protect what matters most after the product leaves the facility.
Because in the end, better packaging is not just about efficiency. It is about care, responsibility, and building safer products for every home they enter. Learn more about pet food and care packaging here.
May 22, 2026
Our time at the Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026 in Las Vegas was both exciting and inspiring. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from May 19–21, 2026, with the Supplier Showcase taking place May 18–19, the event brought together brands, buyers, brokers, suppliers, and industry leaders from across the sweets and snacks market.
Our time at the Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026 in Las Vegas was both exciting and inspiring. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from May 19–21, 2026, with the Supplier Showcase taking place May 18–19, the event brought together brands, buyers, brokers, suppliers, and industry leaders from across the sweets and snacks market.
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One of the best parts of the week was seeing the incredible variety of new candy and snack products on display. Everywhere we walked, there was something fresh to discover, new flavors, creative concepts, thoughtful packaging, and brands finding new ways to connect with consumers. The main show floor had a real sense of momentum, not just because of the products themselves, but because of the care and excitement behind them. That energy is part of what makes this event such an important gathering for the industry.
The Supplier Showcase added another valuable layer to the experience. It created a space where suppliers, equipment partners, and manufacturers could connect before the main expo opened, making it easier to have focused conversations around the systems, ingredients, services, and support that help great products reach the shelf. It was a strong reminder that every successful snack or candy brand is backed by a much larger network of people and companies working hard behind the scenes.
What stood out most, though, was the people. From emerging brands to long-established companies, the show was full of talented teams committed to making products that people know, trust, and enjoy. There is something special about an industry centered around creating small moments of happiness for consumers, and that came through clearly in Las Vegas. Behind every new item, every classic favorite, and every display on the floor were people passionate about quality, innovation, and giving customers something worth coming back for.
Walking the main show made it clear that the sweets and snacks industry continues to evolve in exciting ways. New ideas are coming to market quickly, but the companies making the biggest impact are doing more than chasing trends. They are building trusted brands, developing products with purpose, and creating experiences that bring joy to everyday life.
We are grateful for the conversations, the new connections, and the opportunity to see so many great companies doing meaningful work. Sweets & Snacks Expo 2026 was a great experience, and we are proud to have been part of it.
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At PLAN IT Packaging, we are always encouraged by the brands and people moving this industry forward. If your company is looking for packaging automation solutions to support growth, efficiency, and long-term success, we would love to connect and learn more about your goals.
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April 27, 2026
PLAN IT Packaging's expansion aims to boost capacity, improve efficiency, and support growing demand for packaging automation across North America.
PLAN IT Packaging is proud to announce the expansion of its Toronto/Mississauga operations with the acquisition of an additional 40,000 square feet of production space. This marks another major milestone in the company's rapid growth across North America.
This expansion strengthens PLAN IT Packaging's ability to support customers with greater speed, efficiency, and production capacity as demand for automation continues to rise. The new facility enhances internal workflows across assembly, fabrication, shipping, and overall project execution, enabling faster turnaround times and improved delivery performance. The added space also increases capacity for storing parts, supplies, and in‑stock systems, improving readiness for both new equipment builds and aftermarket support.
As client demand accelerates, this expansion ensures PLAN IT Packaging can continue meeting the evolving needs of manufacturers across multiple industries. PLAN IT Packaging specializes in weighing, bagging, flow wrapping, case packing, end‑of‑line robotics, and palletizing solutions, delivering fully integrated systems designed for modern, high‑performance production environments. The expanded facility will further support these core competencies by enabling larger builds, more parallel projects, and enhanced engineering collaboration.
The company now operates three facilities across North America:
Together, these locations reinforce PLAN IT Packaging's long‑term investment in infrastructure, customer support, and scalable operations as it continues its trajectory toward becoming the premier North American leader in packaging automation and robotics.
The expansion also significantly grows PLAN IT Packaging's Customer Experience Center, providing more room for equipment demonstrations, live product testing, and hands‑on evaluations of the latest packaging innovations. This environment allows customers to validate solutions in real time and collaborate directly with the PLAN IT team to optimize their production goals.
"Expanding our Toronto/Mississauga facility is another important step in our commitment to building a stronger, faster, and more capable organization for our clients," said Jonathan Ballard, Vice President of Business Development. "This growth allows us to improve how we build, support, and demonstrate solutions while continuing to invest in the customer experience. Combined with our Tampa expansion and our dedicated R&D facility, it reflects our mission to become the premier North American supplier in packaging automation and robotics."
With this latest expansion, PLAN IT Packaging continues to invest in the people, processes, and facilities required to support the future of modern manufacturing.
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