My cost per bag looks high — how do I reduce it?

Cost reduction almost always lives in three places: (1) film structure and thickness — switching from PET/PE laminate to mono-PP where your product allows can save 15-25% on material; (2) line speed and OEE — moving from 65% to 80% OEE cuts labor + energy per bag by ~19%; (3) operator staffing — auto-loading and auto-splicing eliminate one operator on most VFFS lines.

What OEE should my line actually target?

Industry benchmarks: 65% OEE = typical for a new line in its first 6 months (still ramping); 75% OEE = an established FMCG line (this calculator's default); 85% OEE = world-class, achievable after 18+ months of SMED and TPM discipline. If you're below 65%, your problem is changeovers or micro-stops — not machine capacity.

How is payback period calculated for a new machine?

Payback (months) = machine price divided by monthly savings vs. your current method. The calculator shows this automatically when you fill in the Current method cost/bag field in section 4. Healthy payback for a packaging machine: 12-24 months. Beyond 36 months, you're usually overbuying capacity or undercounting savings.

Should I upgrade my current machine or buy new?

Rule of thumb: if your current machine is under 7 years old and the issue is speed or OEE, upgrade (multi-head weigher, better film registration, auto-splice). If over 10 years old and spare parts are getting scarce, replace. If not sure, send us 3 months of downtime logs and we'll tell you honestly — even if the answer is keep what you have.

Which machine type fits the bag I just specified?

The calculator works for any line type, but choosing the wrong machine is the #1 cause of cost overruns. Pillow bags → VFFS. Stand-up pouches → rotary premade pouch. Stick packs → dedicated stick machine. Doypack → premade pouch with spout applicator. If you haven't locked in a machine yet, run our 7-question selector first.

How accurate is the film weight calculation?

The formula (area × thickness × density) is exact for monolithic film. For laminated structures (e.g. PET/PE), the density is a blended approximation; the calculator lets you override it. The biggest real-world variance comes from scrap rate during changeovers and start-up waste — not the math itself.

Buyer's Decision Platform

Plan your packaging line in 15 minutes.

Five free tools that take you from “I want to package a product” to “I have a spec'd line, a real cost per bag, and a quote-ready RFQ.” Built by Lintyco packaging engineers. Trusted by FMCG and pharma brands in 80+ countries.

First time? Start here → I know what I need — jump to calculator

Start here: your 5-step path to a packaging line

First time buying packaging machinery? Follow this order. Already an expert? Jump to any step.

~15 min total

Done all 5? Email sales@lintyco.com with your saved results for an engineer-validated quote within 1 business day.

Skip to RFQ →

Step 3 · Cost Calculator

Calculate your cost per bag

Know your true cost per bag — film, labor, energy, depreciation. All in. No black boxes.

① Product & Bag Style Product category Bag style

Width (mm) Length (mm) Gusset (mm)

② Film Specifications Film structure

Thickness (μm) Price ($/kg)

Density (g/cm³) — auto-filled, editable Film flat width (mm) — auto-calc, editable

③ Production

Speed (bags/min) Hours/day Days/month OEE factor (0-1) Operators Operator $/hr

④ Machine Investment (optional)

Machine price ($) Lifetime (years) Power (kW) Electricity ($/kWh) Current method cost/bag ($) — leave 0 to skip payback

Your cost per bag

$0.0000

Monthly output:: — bags
Monthly film:: — kg
Film spec:: — mm × — m
Payback:: — months

Email *

Country (optional, for time-zone routing) Role (optional)

Company (optional) Purchase timeline (optional)

I agree to receive the report and follow-up emails from Lintyco. (Required for EU users.)

How packaging cost per unit is calculated

The total cost to package a single unit breaks down into four components: the flexible film itself, the labor to run the line, the energy consumed by the machine, and the depreciation of that machine across its lifetime. Most packaging cost calculations dramatically under-count by including only the film — our calculator includes all four.

Want to verify every formula by hand?

→ See the full methodology page

PS. Already ran your numbers? Email sales@lintyco.com with your inputs and our engineers will validate them against your real production line — usually within one business day.

Now that you've calculated your cost…

These are the questions buyers ask immediately after seeing their cost-per-bag number. For deeper references, see our Support Center and cost optimization guides.

Email sales

Get a tailored quote within one business day. Our engineers know VFFS, HFFS, pouch, stick pack, cartoning, and case packing.

sales@lintyco.com →

Verify the math

Every formula, every default — derived step by step. No black boxes. Bring this to your engineering review.

Read methodology →

Talk to an engineer

Free consultation. Tell us your product, target speed, and current pain points — get a recommended machine configuration.

Book a call →

Plan your packaging line in 15 minutes.

Start here: your 5-step path to a packaging line

Pick bag style

Find your machine

Calculate cost / bag

Plan throughput

Configure full line