Client Requirements

• To custom build several exceptionally long wooden cases for steel pipes up to 13 metres in length.
• To ensure the pipes were secure within each case.
• To ensure each case was suitable for road and sea transportation.
• To have the cases made and ready for collection within a 7 day turnaround.

 Our Challenges

• 

  To design and build cases that could withstand their own weight and that of their contents.

• To ensure these long cases would be well balanced when fully loaded and lifted.

 Our Solution

• A dedicated team was assigned to complete the cases within the specified time frame.
• Each of the 36 pine cases were custom designed in different lengths with heavy duty solid bases.
• Each case was fitted with a series of cradles to minimise the movement of the pipes with the cases.
• The protect the pipes from potential water damage during transport, the cases were fully lined with plastic and desiccants were placed inside the cases.
• Due to the sheer size of the cases, an innovative split lid was designed to meet Occupational Health & Safety standards for safe manual handling.
• The cases were stencilled with centre of gravity and chain lifting points for safe handling and lifting.

Click here to download this Success Story 1.2 MB

When an order came through earlier this month for 5 new cases, it was the perfect opportunity to train another staff member in the building of these cases.

“We chose our Factory 2 Supervisor, Chris Lee to build this new order of cases.  Chris is very good at his job and has had extensive experience building our timber crates, cases and pallets.  The pride Chris always takes in ensuring our products are built to a high standard, also made him the perfect choice for these specialist cases.” 

Sharon Bagnall, General Manager.

A brief interview with Chris Lee, Factory 2 Supervisor

How long have you worked at Axis Packaging?

I have worked for Axis Packaging for over 10 years, in this time I have made a lot of crates, pallets and various other goods for our customers.

Have you always held the position of Factory 2 Supervisor?

I have been a Supervisor for the past two years.

Did you have previous relevant work experience before joining Axis Packaging?

Yes, I worked in the pallet industry.

Have you built any other alloy transit cases before these?

No, this was my first time and I was really pleased with the results.

Did you enjoy building them?

Yes I enjoyed building them.  I enjoyed the challenge of making something new and different.  I also liked the end result because they look good.

“As expected, Chris built this new order of cases to his usual high standard.  Both the client and ourselves were very pleased with the final products.  Well done Chris! “ 

Sharon Bagnall, General Manager.

Click here to download the Success Story from June 2011. 620 KB

What is Nike Foot Locker All Australian Basketball Camp?

Information provided courtesy of Australian Basketball Services & Nike Foot Locker All Australian Basketball Camp.

All Australian Basketball Camp are an organisation run by Australian Basketball Services – an Australian company committed to promoting and developing the sport of basketball.

Australian Basketball Services have been involved in basketball playing, coaching and administration for over 30 years and specialize in basketball camps.

Their vision is to provide a significant contribution to the sport in these specific areas:

• Junior Player Development and increasing junior participation.
• Assist young basketballers in the transition from junior to senior ranks.
  Providing information, support and increase awareness of opportunities
  for young Australians wishing to attend US Colleges.
• Coordination of our own basketball tours to and from the United States.

Through All Australian Basketball Camp, they have run camps in both the United States and Australia for over 10 years.  These camps provide training for 10-18 year old experienced players participating in basketball competitions.  These nationally run camps are known as the Nike Foot Locker All Australian Camps (NFLAABC).

United States Tours

Players from 15 up to the age of 21 can be selected to join tours in late December playing against US High School teams. These tours are intended for players to experience basketball in the US at its highest level and also provide exposure for future college opportunities.

These tours are extremely beneficial in helping the younger players to realise what it takes to make it to the highest level and motivate them to reach these heights.

For the 18 to 21 year olds it is a great opportunity to experience a trip of a lifetime and receive exposure for US College scholarships. College coaches and scouts are at attendance at all of the tournaments that we participate in.

An Interview with Aiden Zeverona

Axis Packaging recently sponsored 15 year old Aiden Zeverona, Nephew of one of our staff member’s, Tennetta Haimona, to attend a United States tour.

How old are you Aiden?
14 yrs old.

How long have you been playing basketball?
5 years.

Why/how did you start playing basketball?
My mum put me in the junior summer domestic comp in Rockingham to keep fit as I was playing soccer during the winter seasons and have never stopped playing.

How far do you want to take your basketball playing?
I would like to if I am able to get the right grades at school and remain focused on my basketball have the opportunity to play in the college program that they have in America or even maybe look at the Asia/Europe leagues as well.

Who is your Basketball idol?
Derrick Rose.

What do you like about basketball?
I like that you are able to meet so many people that love playing basketball and become great friends with them on and off the court. It is also a great team sport with every person having an impact in one way or another in the success of the team and it is definitely a great way to keep fit and challenge yourself as there are so many opportunities to learn and become a better player.

What are your other interests and hobbies?
I like to play Football (AFL), listening to music, practising basketball at home, spending time with family and friends.

What was the best thing about the camp?
Having the experience of playing against elite athletes and also attending the IMPACT  Academy and seeing what an elite athlete has as part of their rigorous training program.

What did you learn on camp that you didn’t know before you went?
How different the level of skill/development is from here in Perth as the kids who play over there have such a strong training program before and after school that they are training for hours a day. And when they are playing they are fast and athletic and you can see by the way they play that there is a lot of time and commitment that goes into them being such great teams to compete against.

Was there anything funny that happened on camp?
Yes, I forgot my passport leaving it at one of the hotels and had to get it FED-EX’d back to me.

Would you recommend the camps to anyone else?
Yes I think that anyone that has an interest in playing basketball should consider going on the camp.

Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
I would firstly like to thank Axis Packaging for sponsoring me and giving me the chance to have this wonderful experience.  Also to the All Australian Nike Footlocker Camps that I have attended regularly and who have helped me with my basketball.  And finally a big thank you to Lyndon Dale from Australian Basketball Services and Matt Foster who runs the Perth All Australian Nike Footlocker Camps who organised the teams and the trip which was well planned and one of the best experiences that I have ever been on and hope that I am fortunate enough to get the opportunity to go again.

Aiden Zeverona (Number 4) on tour in the United States. Aiden is pictured here with the WA team at centre court of the Phoenix Suns home court.

Aiden Zerona’s United States Basketball Tour

The following information is provided courtesy of the Nike Foot Locker All Australian Basketball Camp December Newsletter.

On December the first our (sic) tour teams departed Melbourne for this years (sic) basketball tour of the US. After all the
years we have been running these tours this again looks to be our best tour yet.

The NBA being locked out till Christmas is the only negative but we will still get some great NBA experiences we
have put together.

Our teams for this year bring players from all over Australia with players from Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne
and Perth.

Our itinerary this year is very demanding.

So far our 2011 Us Tour has been a great experience.

We arrive into Las Vegas and the very next morning started our training academy at Impact Basketball. We started off at 8 am and went till 10:00am.

Aiden Zeverona at a special training centre, called Impact Academy, that trains NBA players.

As we finished about 15 NBA players came in to work out with the same coaches who had just been coaching our teams. Players of note were Al Harrington Denver Nuggets, Melvin Ely Denver Nuggets, Chauncey Billups was New York now Clippers, Jared Dudley Phoenix Suns, Sebastian Telfair now Phoenix Suns and many others.  We were able to watch their workout followed by a 60 minute scrimmage where we were only about 3 metres from the court.

Over the next week we had many training sessions and several games against Impacts own live in teams.  We also attended a high school game at Bishop Gorman high school one of the top ten high school teams in the US and watched future NBA star Shabbazz Mohammed.  Shabbazz has a choice of going to either Duke, Kentucky or home town UNLV before likely entering into the 2013 NBA draft. He is already predicted to be the 1st or 2nd draft pick that year.  After playing more games in Las Vegas we are now at Impact Sarasota for more tournament games as well as some downtime at the Orlando theme parks.

On Sunday we head back to Las Vegas for 1 last tournament before returning to Australia getting back Christmas Eve.

Click here to download the AABC December newsletter and complete US Tour Story.  1.4 MB

It’s a new CombiLift C-3000 -  which is a Side Loader, Counterbalance Forklift and Aisle Truck rolled into one!

General Manager, Sharon Bagnall, was interviewed on the new COMBiLift.

When was the COMBiLift C-3000 Side Loader acquired?
February 2012.

Why was it acquired?
To enable us to utilize our space in the yard and factory more efficiently.  The COMBiLift C-3000 allows us to work in tighter areas and maneuver around the yard and factory in a safer manner.

How is it different from our other forklifts – what, can it do that the others can’t?
The reasons we changed from a normal forklift was the ability of the COMBiLift C-3000 to access and lift timber cases and crates in tighter more confined areas.  It also allows items to be picked up from either the side or the front.  With our current project of redesigning our factory layout, we felt that this new machine would give us access to load and unload timber more safely and easily.

Does it replace any existing forklifts, or is it an addition?
Our acquisition of the COMBiLift C-3000 did replace a standard front loading forklift.

Did staff require new/extra training?
In-house training sessions are ongoing, but no additional qualifications were required to operate this forklift. At first staff were hesitant in using the new forklift as it works very differently to a standard one.  However, with practice, they have started to build their confidence are now happy to utilize it wherever possible.  We have found that more and more staff are asking to use it as they see the benefits of the COMBiLift C-3000 over our other standard forklifts.

Do you have anything else interesting to tell us?
We are redesigning our yard layout in order to better utilize the space.

Stay tuned for up and coming news stories on the re-designing of our production facilities, which will revolutionise our current packaging production processes.

This story shows the step-by-step process of the packing of a motorbike into a timber crate we custom built at our Kewdale, Perth factory.

The motorbike in its crate, was being transported to an international destination.

1. The custom built timber crate arrives in the packing yard.	2. The crate is forklifted off the vehicle bed.	3. The crate is designed for quick disassembly for easy loading of the motorbike.
4. The motorbike is loaded into the crate.	5. The motorbike is secured to the crate floor.	6. Dunnage is use to prevent forward movement of the motorbike.
7. Dunnage is used to prevent rearward movement of the motorbike.	8. Blankets are used to protect the bike as it is strapped to the crate floor.	9. More protective blankets are placed over the motorbike.
10. The crate sides are reassembled and bags of packing are added for further protection.	11. The lid is attached then the crate is strengthened with metal strapping.	12. Ready for transportation!

Click here to download this Success Story. 1.8 MB

The Certificate IV in Competitive Manufacturing is part of the Australian Apprenticeships Scheme and is an Australian Government Initiative.

Course training gives participants the skills and knowledge they need to improve production using best practice methods, and covers the following key areas of learning -

• Competitive Systems and Practices
• Statistical Control
• Theory of Constraints
• Morale Improvement and Team Building
• Occupational Health and Safety

We would like to acknowledge and thank Reg Mifflin (pictured right with Axis Packaging staff), from the National Institute of Training who conducted our Certificate training and assessment.  Out staff found Reg to have a wealth of knowledge and experience and he was very motivating in all aspects of training.  We would also like to thank Reg for coming out to our Kewdale, Perth office to present the certificates to our proud employees.

Paweena (pictured right top), Tenetta (pictured right centre) and Thanaphong (pictured right bottom) commenced their training in March 2010 and completed their Certificate in September 2011.

Sharon Bagnall, General Manager of Axis Packaging was pleased with the dedication and commitment of the employees who participated in the training and said -

“The skills training Paweena, Tenetta and Thanaphong have gained has been invaluable.  It has been great to see improvements in the production of our timber crates and cases, and other areas of our packaging products and services.

The training has been so successful, we have another three employees Chris, Sayan and Vichai who commenced their training this month and another three currently registering for training.”
Sharon Bagnall, General Manager.

Pictured left are the latest round of Axis Packaging employees currently working towards their Certificate IV in Competitive Manufacturing. From left to right – Chris Lee, Sayan Kaewphaluk and Vichai Phanno with Reg Mifflin.

In continuing Axis Packaging’s commitment to training, Sharon Bagnall – General Manager, and Lea Unsworth – Production Manager, are both about to commence their Diploma of Management. We wish them every success.

A large crowd turned up to enjoy the many activities for adults and children, delicious food, and the art & craft market stalls.  Axis Packaging were pleased to support the fair by donating the funds that allowed the hire of a stage for the excellent live music and entertainment.

“I cannot thank you enough for providing the stage for the fair.  It would not have been the event it was without it so from the bottom of my heart I say thank you, thank you thank you.”
Gail Pillai – Head Co-ordinator, Melville Primary School Community Fair.

Our congratulations go to the hardworking team, headed by Gail Pillai, on the hugely successful fair that raised over $26,000.  We would also like to thank the team for allowing us to set up a display in the undercover area to showcase some of our timber pallets, plastic pallets and Pelican cases.

Sharon Bagnall, General Manager (left) and Tammara Duncan, Account Manager (right), setting up the Axis Packaging display at the Melville Primary School Community Fair.

We would also like to, congratulate Bruce Wharton (pictured right) who was the successful winner of the Axis Packaging gift box, and thank Bruce for coming out to our Kewdale office to collect his prize from Sharon Bagnall our General Manager (pictured left).

Client Requirements

• To secure a 1500kg high voltage electrical cable drum for transport on an international passenger aircraft.
  (Although height restrictions are not as limiting on airfreight flights, there were no international airfreight flights out of Perth.  If the drum could not be secured on a Perth international passenger flight, then it would have to be road transported to the eastern states before uplift on an international airfreight flight.  This would have resulted in a significant delay in international delivery.)

Our Challenges

• The potential for cable drooping required that the cable drum be transported upright with no lashings, dunnage or bracing coming into contact with any of the cable.  This meant that the entire weight of the cable drum was born on the outside circular rim of the drum and therefore the rim alone had to be used to secure and support the full drum and cable weight.
• The drum required the strength of a reverse base pallet to fully support its weight.  A standard reverse base pallet is 250mm, but there was only an allowance of 155mm between the drum height of 1450mm and the maximum external cargo height of 1600mm.

Our Solution

•  A standard reverse base pallet was modified to allow the cable rim to drop into the base and therefore meet the height restrictions.
• The pallet modification included creating a cradle to distribute the weight of the cable drum across a greater area of the rim
• To increase stability of the drum, lateral and vertical dunnage was incorporated into the modified pallet design and two 2500kg ratchet straps were used to further secure the drum to the pallet.

Click here to download this Success Story. 1.1 MB