In the animal feed industry, where production lines run long hours and equipment reliability directly impacts profitability, maintenance isn’t just a support function, it’s a strategic advantage. For plant maintenance managers, the stakes are high: unplanned downtime can derail schedules, delay shipments, and inflate repair costs.
In this post, we’ll explore why proactive maintenance matters in feed packaging, how to build a preventive maintenance roadmap, and what essential tasks and technologies can help you stay ahead of breakdowns. You’ll also find practical tips for balancing maintenance costs with production goals – plus insights into how BW Flexible Systems can support your team with tailored service programs and durable, high-performance bag filling and palletizing solutions.
BW Flexible Systems helps animal feed producers safeguard product integrity while modernizing their operations with flexible bag filling, sealing and palletizing solutions. Our automated Thiele bagging and SYMACH palletizing solutions are known for their efficiency, versatility, precision, and ease of operability. We offer our clients training, service and a lifetime of support for every solution sold.
When maintenance is only triggered by breakdowns, the consequences ripple across your operation:
In high-volume feed plant environments, even a short halt in packaging can throw off batching, blending, and distribution, especially when bulk and bagged feed lines are tightly integrated.
To move from reactive firefighting to strategic equipment management, plant maintenance managers must master four core competencies that underpin effective preventive maintenance. These skills not only reduce downtime and repair costs but also support long-term operational resilience across animal feed packaging lines.
Understanding how your packaging equipment performs over time is essential to identifying inefficiencies and preventing failures. Maintenance managers should track key metrics like downtime, cycle counts, and throughput to establish performance baselines. These data points help uncover patterns – such as recurring issues tied to specific shifts or feed types – and provide the justification needed for budget allocations, upgrades, or staffing adjustments.
Modern feed bagging systems are increasingly equipped with sensors and software that enable predictive maintenance. This competency involves using real-time data – vibration, temperature, electrical current – to detect anomalies before they become breakdowns. AI-driven tools can analyze historical performance to recommend optimal service intervals, allowing maintenance teams to shift from fixed schedules to condition-based upkeep that minimizes waste and maximizes uptime.
Even the most advanced equipment depends on skilled operators and technicians. Maintenance managers must ensure their teams are trained to recognize early warning signs – like unusual noises or fluid leaks—and perform diagnostics with confidence. Customized training modules tailored to specific systems, including hands-on workshops and vendor-led sessions, help build deep technical knowledge and foster a proactive maintenance culture.
Balancing maintenance schedules with production goals requires strategic foresight. This competency includes analyzing historical repair trends, planning around seasonal production peaks, and setting tolerances for acceptable downtime. Maintenance managers should also implement cost-benefit analyses for parts replacement and standardize workflows to ensure consistency across shifts. Regular reviews of machine health and scheduling effectiveness help refine strategies and align maintenance efforts with business outcomes.
To help you stay ahead of breakdowns and keep your bag filling and palletizing equipment running at peak performance, we’ve compiled 12 quick wins that plant maintenance teams can implement right away to start taking a more proactive approach to machine maintenance:
Preventive maintenance is most effective when your equipment is designed to support it. At BW Flexible Systems, our bag filling and palletizing solutions are engineered to reduce maintenance complexity, streamline troubleshooting, and extend machine life, all while delivering the speed and precision animal feed producers demand. Here are three standout systems that align with the maintenance strategies discussed above:
At BW Flexible Systems, our commitment to maintaining optimal machine performance doesn’t end at the point of sale – it continues through every stage of your operation. We offer comprehensive training and lifetime support to ensure your team gets the most from your UltraStar, OmniStar, and Mach Series systems. From onboarding and operator education to ongoing technical assistance and expert guidance, we’re here to help you maintain optimal performance, reduce downtime, and preserve product integrity for the long haul.
Did you find this content useful? To discover more insights, tools, and solutions tailored for animal feed producers, visit our Animal Feed Packaging Solutions page.