It's not often packaging machinery or companies can boast of being a television star, but that's exactly what happened to stretch wrapping specialist Lantech when the company and its equipment were featured on the US program “World's Greatest!”
The company, which last year celebrated its fortieth anniversary, and which is represented in Australia by the Integrated Packaging Group (IPG), says its pioneering work in developing stretch wrapping technology had been recognised by TV production house How2Media when it was casting for companies to highlight on its show featuring leaders in different fields of industry.
Lantech, started in the US in 1972 by brothers Pat and Bill Lancaster, claims to be the inventor of stretch wrapping technology, and now reports to have 65,000 of its machines installed worldwide.
The executive producer at How2Media, Gordon Freeman, says it was Lantech's pioneering role in developing and popularising the now widespread packaging technology that had led to its selection for the show.
“Almost every innovation in the stretch wrapping equipment industry can be traced back to Lantech,” Freeman says.
“That’s what leaders do, they pioneer, grow and lead. And, that’s why this story is meaningful to our viewers.”
Lantech's promotions manager, Derek Jones, says what was even more pleasing for the company was that its inclusion in the program was suggested to producers by its own customers.
“When the producers contacted us, they said they asked users to name the best stretch wrapping company, and everyone said they should speak with us,” Jones says.
As part of the show, How2Media sent a film crew to the company’s Louisville, Kentucky facilities.
Lantech chief executive Jim Lancaster says the star turn on TV was vindication of the company's philosophy of producing equipment to maximise business efficiency.
“Our product development focus has always been aimed at improving the customer’s uptime, labour utilisation and material reduction,” he says.
Lantech's flagship SL-Automatic stretch wrapper. The company's stretch wrapping expertise recently was featured on US television's "World's Greatest" program.
