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11 October 2021
Lite(ning) BOLT
We’re excited to now offer New Zealand companies a faster, safer and more sustainable way of hand wrapping pallets.
6 October 2021
In good company
This month’s ‘In Good Company’ visits a very, very busy supplier of microbiology testing systems and consumables.
30 September 2021
Has your stretch film passed its use-by date?
First, let’s be clear, there is no need to hurry about looking for little best before dates on your boxes of pallet wrap.
3 September 2021
The ‘Freight of the Nation’ study needs you!
Tick the boxes, claim your chocolates.
31 August 2021
Wrapping up
Welcome back to another report from the Packaging Appreciation Society (P. A. S). We’ve previously shared some of our favourite shopping bag designs with readers.
30 August 2021
A ‘carrot and stick’ offer
With so many companies battling through challenging times now is not the time to be leaving things to chance while transporting goods around the DC.
17 August 2021
Staying ahead of the stack
The process behind picking and building pallets can be fairly simple or incredibly complex, depending on the load.
2 August 2021
NZ Drinks gets on top of the tails
From their Pokeno site NZ Drinks uses innovative automation and cutting-edge technology to produce, pack and send over 200 million bottles of water per year.
26 July 2021
The focal point of packaging
With 40 years experience in stretch-wrap analysis and application there’s not a lot that Kurt Riemenschneider doesn’t know about the ins and outs of pallet protection.
22 July 2021
A fresh lease on life… and distribution
As consumer behaviour has changed (and the industry landscape has moved with it) we’re noticing leasing arrangements for pallet wrapping equipment are becoming increasingly popular.
20 July 2021
The Hall of Shame
It’s that time again – when we look back on some of the more disastrous images to arrive on our screens over the last few months.
16 June 2021
Testing times
We talk with stretch film expert David Ang about plastics, packaging and innovation with purpose. David Ang has a lot on his plate.
14 June 2021
A class act
With an expanding service team we needed to ensure everyone was up to speed with our equipment range.
4 June 2021
In good company
This month our semi-regular column shares some more of the uplifting news from our customers – stories that are worth celebrating! We’re proud of the innovation and passion that so...
13 May 2021
Sustainable packaging and product damage
As Kiwi companies recognise the common-sense gains to be made from sustainability goals, we’re encountering a greater appetite for improved efficiency and environmentally aware solutions.
12 May 2021
Strapping done right
The light-touch use and heavyweight power of the Orgapack range has been transforming how busy distribution centres reduce palletised product damage.
10 May 2021
It’s the Orgapack perfect-strap proper pizza promo!
We’ll admit that headline is a bit of a mouthful.
6 May 2021
And that’s a wrap!
Foodtech Packtech is done and dusted, wrapped up and sent on its way until next time.
6 April 2021
The Spinny S140 Special
Every S140 purchase in April and May will also receive five free rolls of Nanowrap.
5 April 2021
The UP team’s big day out
On a sunny Friday in March our team traded the work clothes for some fun new t-shirts, the laptops for axes, and the sales targets for archery ones… Admittedly there was...
5 April 2021
In good company
We’re firm believers in the ‘Success breeds success’ adage. When you’re on a roll everything just seems to fall into place that much easier.
2 April 2021
Ribs made resplendent
Summer has now undoubtedly shuffled off to be replaced by the shorter days and dropping temperatures of autumn.
2 April 2021
Foodtech Packtech: Survival tips for attendees
It’s big. It’s busy. And it’s almost here.
1 April 2021
Lessons from Covid (yes, more of them)
In April 2020 we wrote an (admittedly premature) article on the lessons learned from working at distance during the Covid lockdown.
15 March 2021
Working order – Care & maintenance tips for your pallet wrapper
Tough componentry and modern engineering delivers the highest standards in pallet wrapping equipment for New Zealand companies.
25 February 2021
Unwrapping the process
In this installment of ‘Unwrapping the process’ Universal Packaging’s resident expert Jed Goudie looks out at the key causes of film breakages and how to troubleshoot and fix the problem...
14 February 2021
The buzz from above
When it comes to ‘stacking and tracking’ the bigger you are the more chance there is for small issues to accumulate into sizeable losses.
4 February 2021
Wrapping up
Friedrich Nietzsche famously said, “If you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.
2 February 2021
Comfort food
With a little extra time on our hands during lockdown many of us have turned to the kitchen to keep life interesting – with some decidedly delicious results! Yes, by now...
25 January 2021
It’s fire season
As we swelter in peak fire season the risk of forest and scrub blazes is front of mind for many Kiwis.
24 January 2021
Wrap your laughing gear around this…
While our new Marketing Coordinator hasn’t been here long Nadia has fast got up to speed with our processes, our products and, as importantly, our passion for delectable food.
21 January 2021
Meet the team - Nadia Ridsdale
Normally we might wait a little longer with new employees before putting them in the hot seat and grilling them with a quick-fire Q&A.
14 January 2021
A show of strength
While it’s still over two months away we’re busy behind the scenes getting ready for Foodtech Packtech.
12 January 2021
Looking back on the pack
2021 marks three and a half decades that Universal Packaging has been in the business. In this time some things have changed incredibly.
7 January 2021
Tool up. Measure right. Pack tight.
When a high-use item can be utilised in different ways to affect overall efficiency there’s often ‘miles in the millimetres’ – small tweaks that can add up to big gains.
8 December 2020
Big made beautiful
Foodstuffs launches ahead at Landing Drive It’s true that ‘bigger’ doesn’t always mean ‘better’ in the logistics field.
8 December 2020
Hands Off! What to weigh up if considering a move from hand-wrapping to semi-automation.
Weighing up a move from hand-wrapping to semi-automation? The ‘growing pains’ of a busy distribution operation can seem a good problem to have – the orders are flowing in, everyone’s busy...
1 December 2020
An inside job?
Keeping the ‘break room’ under wraps! How well do you know your warehouse and distribution space? Take a good look around.
20 November 2020
Meet the team - Stacey Edwards
Working as a Service Coordinator is a complicated and occasionally challenging role. Quality communication skills, in-depth product knowledge and unerring professional diligence are vital.
10 November 2020
Battling product damage?
It’s time to stick with Stabulon Are you sick of the same old story with products slipping off pallets as they are transported around the distribution centre? Then you might appreciate...
25 September 2020
Wonkey Wonka
Wonkey Wonka For its day it was one of the biggest marketing campaigns ever run – and it was meant to be the sales triumph of the 20th century.
25 September 2020
Big red wraps right - The Warehouse and Wulftec make a great team
Since first arriving in 1982 the ‘Big Red Shed’ has grown into a massive, New Zealand-leading brand.
24 September 2020
September Wrapping Up - What'll it be?
Is this the future of automation? We're all for introducing automation in the DC, but in a bar? Here’s what we think… Pros: Looks cool.
24 September 2020
Foodstuffs celebrate sustainable savings thanks to Nanowrap
Sustainable success for Foodstuffs New Zealand thanks to Nanowrap. Last month we shared the sustainability success DB Breweries has made since switching to Nanowrap.
24 September 2020
The psychology of safety
Improving the protection of your team without compromising one iota of productivity requires a number of expertly scoped, carefully coordinated measures.
21 August 2020
A twist in the tail? What to look for, how to fix it.
For the perfectionists, the sight of a film tail dangling from the side of a wrapped pallet is enough to set the teeth on edge.
21 August 2020
Foodtech Packtech - A Trip Down Memory Lane
We’ve been attending Foodtech Packtech since 2012.
21 August 2020
The journey and the destination: Life on the road for our sales team
The journey and the destination:Life on the road for our sales team With the ever-changing lockdown landscape, we’re carefully negotiating every twist and turn in the road (when and where we...
21 August 2020
Sustainability gains - A toast to DB Breweries
A recent report from a brewing powerhouse highlights how key decisions in the supply chain can make a massive difference to New Zealand’s sustainability goals.
21 August 2020
Store away. NZ moves beyond bricks and mortar
The rise of the Dark Store As some of our country’s well-known brands close bricks and mortar operations to open new distribution centres the breathless reports of ‘dark stores’ have captured...
18 August 2020
Dream Machine
Does buying a pallet wrapping machine seem like a distant dream? We unwrap some of the biggest barriers when it comes to buying a new machine.
30 July 2020
Don't Blow It
Sub-standard results from inferior wrap No, you’re not seeing things. These are not small rolls of pallet wrap stacked on top of others.
28 July 2020
Measure up
Measure up Be it packaging, equipment, or other processes, our constant refrain when it comes to suggesting new approaches is “if we can’t measure it, we won’t recommend it”.
28 July 2020
Listen up! Noisy hand wrap is damaging ears
Last month we focused on how inferior hand wrap can hold operations back, with weight, product damage and health and safety issues all causing potential negative effects.
1 July 2020
Not very handy - 4 ways inferior hand wrap is holding you back
Not very handy Necessary evil or easily fixable? We take a look at how sub-standard pallet wrap is affecting New Zealand’s distribution efficiency and workplace health and safety.
20 June 2020
Boxing clever
The Siat Carton Erector This is an offer that’s truly ‘out of the box’ – a high quality semi-automatic single box case forming and sealing unit that’s incredibly helpful for reducing...
15 June 2020
Outside the box. What our on-site assessments look for.
With over 35 years combined experience in assessing distribution centres and their dispatch processes, Universal Packaging’s consultant team are experts in their field.
5 June 2020
State of the Union
State of the Union Within the incredibly challenging global environment of 2020 most Kiwi businesses are now doing everything they can to stay competitive and cut costs without diminishing one iota...
27 May 2020
Stepping up to the challenge
We’ve come across some great examples of Kiwi ingenuity and determination. Here are some of their stories…
27 May 2020
Growth strategies
Growth StrategiesWith recycled pallets providing extra value and pallet wrap going beyond its everyday use this innovative approach to native seedling propagation is growing strong.
28 April 2020
Distance learning - Five lessons from lock down
Five lessons from lock down The life-changing challenge of Covid19 has allowed us all the time to ponder what positive adjustments can be made and grown for the future.
28 April 2020
Connections that count
Connections that count With some quick calls and a supportive network, we helped an important Kiwi charity deliver to those who need it most during New Zealand’s lockdown.
20 April 2020
Pallet Pro - Our latest Pallet Furniture Finds
There’s a lot of bad pallet furniture out there. Occasionally however something comes across our desk that surprises us.
31 March 2020
Why read a label? Make the smart move to coloured pallet wrap.
Make the smart move to coloured pallet wrap. Companies with a few key product lines will often require a quick identification system for establishing what products are which.
31 March 2020
Business as (un)usual. Covid19 and pallet wrap supply
Business as (un)usual As an essential business it’s now our job to stay open safely and ensure our customers can maintain a reliable source of pallet wrap.
31 March 2020
A stitch in time… Why servicing matters
A stitch in time…Why servicing matters Over the last year we’ve been completing on average close to 20 machine services each month.
30 March 2020
Cast film vs blown film. What’s the difference and why is cast film (in our opinion) better?
Cast film vs blown film. What’s the difference and why is cast film (in our opinion) better? The numbers don’t lie.
26 February 2020
Hand wrapping H&S
There’s a right way, a wrong way and an in-between way to hand wrap pallets.
26 February 2020
3 Ways D.Cs can improve sustainability measures
Not-so hidden savingsWhen it comes to introducing effective sustainability measures there are a lot of big and bold decisions that can be made when establishing a new building or operation.
7 February 2020
Jamestrong Auckland Hits It's Straps
Jamestrong Auckland Hits It's Straps When the new Jamestrong plant in Auckland opened in March 2019 the company invested in new equipment to ensure the team there could effectively handle the...
4 February 2020
Driven in our work - Our 4 goals for a great 2020
Our 4 goals for a great 2020 As everyone moves passed the holiday period and into 2020-proper we’re taking the opportunity presented by some recent forward-thinking exercises to share a little...
4 February 2020
By the numbers. Now’s the time to audit your pallet film use
By the numbersNow’s the time to audit your pallet film use You’ve now got data from the entire span of 2019 to help improve and evolve your packaging processes over the...
21 January 2020
NanoWrap - Environmentally-friendly plastic wrap that doesn’t compromise on cost or performance
Making a sustainable choice in your distribution centre is simple with NanoWrap.
19 December 2019
From little things, big things grow… 5 small steps that lead to big sustainability gains
With some innovative thinking, and the willingness to evolve, many modern businesses are delivering the goods without overwhelming the environment.
19 December 2019
Be-yooo-diful! - The UP team rolls up to get it done
In the second week of December the team used Friday afternoon for a mission to Himatangi Beach.
29 November 2019
Welcome to pallet packaging
As New Zealand businesses grow from small start-ups to larger enterprises some will need to make the step from sending a few boxes to sending pallets.
26 November 2019
Measure by measure
How do you measure how much your pallet wrap is costing your company? In New Zealand, our work involves a lot of analysis to ensure we can provide absolute clarity...
26 November 2019
Bind together - Matt Goddin's grilled goodness
We look behind the scenes to share some of what makes our team so great! The Universal Packaging team is a diverse bunch, and the people here have many unique...
26 November 2019
Care package
This Friday the 13th December is a good luck day for us. That’s because, from 12.
4 November 2019
Unwrapping the process - Scope, wrap, rope
Do you have issues with stretch film riding up on pallets during transportation? Don’t worry – there’s a cost-effective, time-efficient answer.
1 November 2019
Maintenance missions (and how to avoid them)
Regular maintenance on pallet wrappers is obviously highly important to deliver a healthy ROI on the equipment.
31 October 2019
Snooze and lose - Five ways to future-fail at business
We’re obviously happy as more New Zealand companies are making the pallet wrapping change to Nanowrap and Futurewrap. Those on the vanguard are reaping the benefits.
29 October 2019
Box Fresh - Wulftec's Reliability at Oji Fibre Solutions
In 2011 Oji Fibre Solutions decided it was time for a change. The company was experiencing considerable growth and they needed to ensure a future-focused ethos could continue unabated.
4 October 2019
Improving DC Efficiency
It’s often easy to focus simply on what’s in front of you in a busy distribution centre or warehouse.
3 October 2019
Street View delivers again
It’s been scientifically proven we will often exaggerate the impact our mistakes have while others quickly forget such incidents.
29 September 2019
How Yashili New Zealand is saving for tomorrow
With our help Yashili New Zealand has in 2019 been making small changes in packaging approaches that have delivered big results.
15 September 2019
Five dodgy pallet decisions...
While historically in New Zealand we’ve been proud of our ‘she’ll be right’ attitude as you’ll see from these images it seems like ‘relaxed’ work standards happen all over the...
30 August 2019
Time to hand it over?
Is a ‘cash in hand’ pallet wrapping approach costing your company? Here are four key aspects to ponder for the move from hand wrapping to semi-automated pallet packaging.
28 August 2019
Tight n’ hasty - How Sanitarium’s packaging got good to go
Some things in life just go together perfectly. At Sanitarium that’s obviously Weetbix and fruit, Light n’ Tasty and UP & GO.
26 August 2019
Plan your packaging - What you need to know about SASO
If you’re exporting to Saudi Arabia or a number of other countries in 2020 you’ll need SASO-compliant biodegradable pallet wrap to meet the change in standards.
18 August 2019
Trains of thought - How Italians are paying with plastic
How will you be paying today? Cash, card or bottle? In Rome travellers can now finish their refreshment and put the waste to good use, the recycled plastic helping to...
12 August 2019
Revolutionising recycling - Kiwi companies leading the way
Check out five of our favourite companies that are thinking global and acting local when it comes to recycling plastic.
31 July 2019
Spot what goes wrong
Sometimes small errors can have subtle effects on the DC environment. While they’re not always easy to see over time these effects can prove somewhat costly.
31 July 2019
Still waters run dependable
Pallets of full individual drink bottles are some of the most challenging to transport while avoiding load movement and subsequent product damage.
31 July 2019
Don't chance your arm - Use our handy hand-wrapping hints
Need a hand with pallet wrapping? Here’s our go-to guide for making sure everything is where it should be… While the variables between pallets can be massive some simple techniques...
31 July 2019
Crunching the numbers (not the goods)
In May and June we ran a survey and competition to help find out where the pain points were for our customers, and how we can help them wrap up...
31 July 2019
Ready to roll?
Distribution centres need to ensure their equipment is fit for purpose to make the most of an increase in sustainability gains and productivity profits from new wrap products.
3 July 2019
Pack and save and save and save
The Foodstuffs distribution centre in Palmerston North is a 35,000m², state-of-the-art facility running 24 hours a day and distributing more than 600,000 pallets of dry goods to the Lower North...
2 July 2019
Exporting to Saudi Arabia?
Exporters to Saudi Arabia and countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will need to make sure they’re ticking the sustainability box with their packaging before they send any literal...
2 July 2019
Packaging Appreciation Society - 5 shopping bag designs we rate highly
Just because we’re passionate about pallet wrap that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the finer details of other forms of packaging.
2 July 2019
Stay cool - Our top tips for pallet wrap in winter
Cold temperatures can affect many things – the car starting in the morning, your brain after eating ice cream too quickly, the ability of teams to play free-flowing rugby and...
31 May 2019
Yes, we can
Jamestrong knows the importance of a good reputation and their customer’s peace of mind – and how both can only be achieved with an unerring focus on the highest of...
30 May 2019
The future arrives tomorrow
It’s time to invest in tomorrow with sustainable pallet packaging in New Zealand.
30 May 2019
Your pallet can-do checklist - 5 tools you shouldn’t be without
If “a poor craftsman always blames their tools” in the modern distribution centre it’s often the case of blaming the tools for not even being used in the first place.
30 May 2019
Worried about product slippage? It’s time to get a grip.
If loose lips sink ships then loose products can… well, it’s nothing quite that dramatic, but it’s destructive and costly all the same.
30 May 2019
Oh humble pallet...
When you see something all the time it’s sometimes easy to overlook unique strengths in design and construction.
30 April 2019
Travel report
In 2019 the AUSPACK expo was the most successful event in its 34-year history with big crowds, innovative presentations and two Universal team members making the rounds to report back...
30 April 2019
Setting, an example
How do you ensure your pallet-wrapping equipment is ready with the settings to go? There are actually a number of ways… We live in a time of ‘bespoke’ this and ‘unique’...
30 April 2019
End (Of Line) Game
As the latest Avengers film hits movie theatres across the planet we take a look at what superheroes have the skills to make it in our industry Ant Man.
18 March 2019
Reduced to Tears
Product damage during transportation is obviously one of the main focuses in our work. When pallet wrap tears and breaks occur during transit products move.
18 March 2019
Columns, bricks or Tetris?
While much of our work takes place after the pallet is assembled we still take a pretty close look at pick and build processes.
18 March 2019
Meet the Team - Dave White
What brought you to the role at Universal Packaging? While I’m the Universal ‘newbie’ (I only started in January) I’m loving the role, the team and the business.
12 March 2019
Trust me, I'm a scientist
Has years of advertising conditioned us into trusting the overall competency of a person provided they are wearing a lab coat? If so, do we need to wonder why only...
28 February 2019
Proper pallet stacker or attention grabber?
Some commentators wondered if running time required far too many back-up units, and were concerned that this technology would only work with uniform pallet loads.
28 February 2019
Silver linings – Seales Winslow’s Spinny revolution
After a massive fire gutted a significant part of the Seales Winslow plant, the company rose from the ashes to evolve and improve its packaging capability.
28 February 2019
Take it for a spin – How to test the benefits of semi-automation without budget over-commitments
After a massive fire gutted a significant part of the Seales Winslow plant, the company rose from the ashes to evolve and improve its packaging capability.
28 February 2019
That’s rubbish. Five ways to ‘spark joy’ with an uncluttered DC
After a massive fire gutted a significant part of the Seales Winslow plant, the company rose from the ashes to evolve and improve its packaging capability.
25 February 2019
Your New Year’s equipment resolutions
The new year is always a good time to take a realistic look at what you aim to achieve and to start in with some good habits to make these...
24 January 2019
Your New Year’s equipment resolutions. Get into good habits with a machinery health check.
Realistically, these should be done weekly. So now’s the time to get into a best-practice mindset with the scheduling of a regular equipment check-up. 1.
23 January 2019
Signed, sealed…but delivered?
Sometimes we wake in the middle of the night, eyes wide open, startled by a nightmare of never-ending packaging failure. This is what we dream of…
23 January 2019
Profit from the pallet
IKEA is a brand like no other, with their ethos of good design being “the perfect combination of form, function, quality and sustainability, all at an affordable price” making it a furniture...
23 January 2019
Uncovering the process – Wrap parameters
There is always more than meets the eye when it comes to making the most of your wrapping equipment.
19 December 2018
Fit for Purpose
Yes, New Year’s resolutions are always helpful. However sometimes it’s even better to get some healthy momentum before moving into the silly season of bad habits and worse diets.
19 December 2018
Meet the team – Matt Goddin
What brought you to the role at Universal Packaging? I had the opportunity to join early on and, while I have mainly worked in the sales and marketing side I’ve also...
19 December 2018
Honey glazed barbeque?
There was a great response to our BBQ&A and some interesting results coming through from many of your answers.
26 November 2018
Unwrapping the process – A heads-up on neckdown
A Heads-Up on Neckdown. Power pre-stretching film is the secret to safe and stable loads.
26 November 2018
Witness the Fitness
When things get busy it’s easy to get wrapped up in your work and forget about what else is important in life.
19 November 2018
Meet The Team – Charlotte McNicol
What brought you to Universal Packaging? I had gotten to the stage in my career where I was looking for a new challenge, something that was completely different from what I...
19 November 2018
Nest egg - Nanowrap helps Ingham’s save for the future
Back in 1918, Walter Ingham bought his son 6 hens and a rooster to look after on their bushland property in Sydney’s southeast.
16 November 2018
Connect and Conquer - How connected technology delivers big gains from small measures.
On a recent research trip to the United States our visits to Pack Expo 2018 and a world-leading pallet wrapping test facility provided plenty of food for thought with how...
31 October 2018
Unwrapping the Process - Film force
Our resident Application Specialist Jed Goudie is back with more packaging insights. In the last article, Jed enlightened us on the best way to match wrapping with load profiles.
31 October 2018
It is easy being green
The change to a more sustainable use of resources (and the reasons why we must do so) often seems overwhelming.
31 October 2018
It just doesn’t stack up. 4 pallet disasters waiting to happen
1) You know ‘light stuff on heavy stuff’ isn’t some kind of solution for everything, right?
30 October 2018
Fresh Thinking
When handling more than 36 million boxes of fresh produce each year, and managing commercial relationships across 87 countries in seven continents, you need your logistical processes to be the...
4 September 2018
Unwrapping the process – Load profiles
The first thing we do when assessing a client’s wrap needs is to carefully examine the load profiles required. We need to understand the pallet contents first and foremost.
24 August 2018
Meet the team - Emily Barnier
We are proud to announce the arrival of Emily Barnier to our Marketing Coordinator position.
22 June 2018
Testing the laws of physics with Newton
Three of the Universal Packaging team visited Malaysia in May to see up close our innovative pallet wrap put to the test by the laws of motion.
24 May 2018
Doing more with less
Let’s not pretend anything else – we’re a high profile supplier of plastic. Due to this we occasionally receive colourful comments on social media about our work.
12 March 2018
Foodstuffs packs it safe
Improving staff protection without compromising productivity required a number of expertly scoped and carefully coordinated measures.
22 February 2018
Five ways to stop your pallet wrap breaking
Regular pallet wrap breakage is often expensive and undoubtedly frustrating to New Zealand companies.
20 September 2017
The Tilt Test
A pallet of goods has to endure (very extreme) forces when in transit. The consequences of accidents and incidents can be costly and, sometimes, pretty spectacular.
18 August 2017
Just how much should a stretch wrap stretch?
Believe it or not, the world of plastic wrap is a busy and complex place.
10 August 2017
Secrets of superior load containment, exposed!
After decades in the business of packaging, we’ve got load containment locked down. Here are our tips for reducing damage in transit. 1.
24 July 2017
The complete package
The last thing you want to be thinking about when buying a new stretch wrapper is it breaking down.
21 June 2017
Inside look : Seymour Distribution
After close to four decades dispatching quality home wares and household goods around New Zealand, Seymour’s knows that seconds and grams really matter.
14 June 2017
Inside Look: Tuatara Brewing Co.
On a standard day Tuatara Brewery bottles, labels and packs 7000 litres of their award-winning beer.
13 June 2017
Inside Look: Sealed Air
New Zealand’s food industry relies on Sealed Air’s packaging solutions to keep food safe and waste to a minimum.
12 April 2017
Meet the team - Garth Hill
Our Technical Sales Representative spends a lot of time in traffic… and occasionally on traffic.
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