Why Automating Water-Activated Tape Application Reduces Labor Costs
Your biggest labor cost might be hiding in a roll of tape.
Hand-taping boxes is a bottleneck. It’s slow. It’s inconsistent. And it wears people out. The real problem isn’t just the seconds lost on each box. It’s the high cost of paying a person to do a job that a machine does better.
Automating the application of water-activated tape (WAT) with case sealers directly targets that waste. It’s a straightforward equipment upgrade that delivers a surprisingly fast return on investment.
Manual Sealing Is a Hidden Tax on Labor
A packer’s real job is to get orders right. Not to seal cartons.
Every time they stop picking to tape a box, you’re paying for wasted motion. That packer has to stop, grab a dispenser, seal the carton, and then re-engage with their primary task. This constant stop-and-start kills momentum and breeds inefficiency across your entire fulfillment line.
Where the Real Savings Come From
Automation attacks this problem head-on. An electric WAT dispenser hands a perfectly cut, wet piece of tape to the packer, eliminating the most tedious part of the job.
But for high-volume operations, a fully-automatic case sealer is the answer. It integrates into your conveyor line and takes the person out of the equation entirely. The machine does the work.
This is how that investment cuts your labor bill.
Ship More Packages with the Same Headcount
A machine doesn’t slow down at the end of a shift. A case sealer processes cartons at a steady, reliable speed, allowing your operation to handle higher volumes without adding staff.
Move People to More Valuable Work
This is the biggest win. The employee, once stuck taping boxes, is now free. You can move that person to a more critical role, like quality control, picking complex orders, or inventory management. You get to leverage their skills instead of just their hands.
Stop Wasting Tape
Automated systems dispense the exact length of tape needed for a secure seal. Every time. This ends the costly habit of employees using extra-long strips of tape “just in case,” delivering a direct, measurable reduction in material costs.
The Tipping Point for Automation
A case sealer is a capital expense, but the payback period is often shorter than people think.
While every facility is different, the math becomes clear at scale. If you’re sealing more than a few hundred boxes a day, the direct labor savings alone can deliver a positive return on investment in about a year. It’s an investment with a clear and rapid payback.
Stop Paying for a Task. Invest in Throughput.
Automating your sealing process isn’t just about buying a new machine. It’s a strategic decision to eliminate a low-value, repetitive task. It lets you redirect your labor budget toward work that actually grows your business.
Holland Manufacturing provides a complete line of machine-grade reinforced water-activated tapes designed for automated systems. To find the right tape for your operation, contact us at 1-800-345-0492 or request a quote online.