Tag: news

Categories
Vape-Jet

Vape-Jet 2022 Company Review

As we kick off the new year, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the growth of Vape-Jet in 2022. From expanding our on-site operations to growing our international network of developers, designers, and engineers, we’ve made huge strides in refining our products and providing industry-leading support to our customers. We even traveled across the U.S. to visit with customers and learn about their needs and experiences. In short, it was a productive year at Vape-Jet!  

Join us as we celebrate the progress of Vape-Jet and look forward to an even brighter future: 

2022 Overall Growth with CEO Ryan Hoitt

As we begin 2023, I am proud to reflect on another incredible year for the Vape-Jet team. The year was full of growth and progress, highlighting the importance of prioritizing innovation and building value for our customers. Throughout 2022, we remained committed to these goals, releasing an upgraded, fully-automatic Vape-Jet 4.0, and a new software platform, MARVIN, to improve our already industry-leading products.  

Vape-Jet 4.0 | The Most Advanced Fully-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More

Another highlight in 2022 was the launch of our partner program. Designed to provide a one-stop shop for our customers’ vape cartridge production needs, we thoroughly vetted several vape hardware companies, a terpene supplier, and an equipment manufacturing team to establish a solid foundation for quality vape solutions. 

At MJBizCon 2022, we were thrilled to see the evolution of our brand into a recognized and highly respected company within the cannabis industry. We have come a long way from being a small, relatively unknown company striving for recognition to a crew that people went out of their way to see in person. If any event could signify the growth of our company at a glance, this was it. 

Last but not least, we doubled our manufacturing crew and customer service team in 2022, providing our customers with quick support and troubleshooting options with more room to expand in 2023.  

—Ryan Hoitt, CEO  

2022 Financial Growth with CFO Brian Kuo 

In 2022, our strategy was to continue the organic, sustainable growth that made 2021 so strong. While the backdrop of the industry was dire, with many companies experiencing low to negative growth, Vape-Jet bucked that trend by having its best year ever, including record-breaking months in the fourth quarter.  

Our mission of innovation (in a space that has grown stale with retrofits and dated equipment) continues to build value for our clients and pushes us to innovate to pass even more benefits to our customers. This mission emphasizes growth alongside our customers, crew diversity and experience, heavy investments in R&D, and local manufacturing, assembly, and support. 

As we look to the new year, I want to take a moment to reflect on some of our accomplishments:  

  • In 2022, our YoY (year-over-year) revenue grew by almost 200%*  
  • We have been profitable and cash flow positive since 2020, with an approximate 428% growth in profitability YoY in 2022*  
  • We have simultaneously increased our total assets by more than 200% with no new long-term debt  
  • Our crew crushed it this year, so we rewarded their hard work by increasing our employee profit share bonus approximately 200%  

—Brian Kuo, CFO  

*Financial data included in this blog is unaudited and not to be relied upon for investment decisions. 2022 has not been closed at the time this blog was written. Some figures are estimates.   

2022 Operational Growth with COO Devon Reid

In 2022, our vape cart filling machines maintained 2021’s stellar growth numbers, allowing us to continue reinvesting in improving the manufacturability of our Vape-Jet cart filler. Now, with the release of our 4.0 model, we can build and ship units much faster than before. Notably, despite the increase in units shipped, remote support handled greater than 99% of customer tickets, with only four issues requiring on-site assistance.  

With increased efficiency on the manufacturing end and scaling product support to maintain our goals, we set our sights on electrical safety certifications for international sales. In that regard, we are pleased to report that the Vape-Jet 4.0 passed its electrical safety inspection on the first attempt (conforming to UL-61010 via CSA SPE-1000); this will enable ETL and CE marks to be obtained in early 2023.   

—Devon Reid, COO  

2023 Vape-Jet Growth Goals 

Entering 2023, we know the importance of setting clear and achievable goals to drive growth and stay on track. However, before we dive into our goals for 2023, how did we fare in 2022?  

✓ Maintained our dedication to post-sales support by increasing accessibility with more written and video resources, troubleshooting guides, in-application assistance programs, and software-based SOPs.  

✓ Stuck to our innovative roots with continued software and hardware improvements.  

✓ Scaled with our customers by adding operational capacity and maintaining inventory buffers by adding office space and on-site storage.  

Having met our goals for 2022, here are our goals for 2023:  

  • Release a major product upgrade in the first quarter 
  • Release a new Vape-Jet product
  • Obtain necessary certifications for Vape-Jet and Jet Fueler to expand into new international markets 
  • Increase support hours and improve response times ever further 

Get Ready for 2023 

As we wrap up 2022 at Vape-Jet HQ, we hope you’ve gained a better understanding of the hard work, dedication, and innovation that went into making this year a success. From expanding our operations and establishing an international network of partners to refining our products and providing industry-leading support to our customers, we’ve continued to build a strong and sustainable business.   

Looking ahead to 2023, we’re excited to focus on new growth goals and continue building on the progress we’ve made. Most importantly, thank you for joining us on this journey, and here’s to another year of growth and success for Vape-Jet!  

If you are interested in partnering with us, reach out to our crew to learn how Vape-Jet can provide next-level products for your customers.   

Read our customer features:  

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other upcoming product announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Categories
Jet Fueler Jet-Fueler Uncategorized Vape-Jet

Customer Feature: Ration, Blue Box Brands & BeGreen Supply

At Vape-Jet, we are always inspired by the innovative ways our customers use our products to drive success in their businesses. That’s why we’re excited to share our interview with a man who truly does it all, Chris Michaud. As the CEO and Founder of Blue Box Brands, Ration Cannabis, and BeGreen Supply, Chris shared valuable insights on how using our products has helped grow his businesses.  

As our newest hardware partner, Chris’s company BeGreen Supply builds custom-branded cannabis hardware and packaging. Moreover, Chris’s team uses our semi-automatic Jet Fueler to fill vape cartridges and disposables for his consumer brand Ration Cannabis, a cause-based cannabis brand dedicated to supporting military veterans. 

Brands like Ration demonstrate that Chris strives to build businesses that give back to the community. So, along with some valuable operational insights and inspiration for other businesses looking to enhance their own workflows, we hope this customer feature serves as a reminder of how the cannabis industry—and associated industries—can give back. 

Without further ado, let’s dive into our interview with Vape-Jet CEO, Developer, and Founder Ryan Hoitt and Chris Michaud. 

Watch the full interview above or check out the written article below.

Who is Blue Box Brands?

With product lines ranging from vaporizers and smokables to mouth sprays and edibles, Blue Box Brands is a collection of high-quality cannabis businesses curated to support community causes and serve niche consumer audiences. 

Chris describes Blue Box Brands as ‘a curator and creator of brands.’ On the macro level, Chris explains, “we work with a couple of organizations in D.C., making sure that we’re paying attention to where policy sits and where veterans have access or don’t have access, or maybe there’s an education hole.”  

On the micro level, Blue Box Brands gives back to more localized organizations. One example is Swim With a Mission. “It’s a great group,” Chris says. “They work with the Navy SEAL Foundation out of Florida. We co-host events every year—this was our second year this past July—where you have a paintball tournament, every team gets a Navy SEAL, and you go through the whole tournament with them.”  

Chris describes these experiences as immersive and rejuvenating, allowing Blue Box to give back to the community and veterans who have laid it all on the line. “We’re able to give back dollars to things like improving household accessibility, giving money towards billing codes, or direct help and counseling.” 

“That’s awesome,” Ryan says. “As a former Navy guy, go Navy.” 

“Whether Ration’s helping on the philanthropy side or Blue Box is helping a brand that’s adjacent to its own portfolio, we’re really about commercializing brands and preparing them for scale,” Chris explains. “We have a good relationship with our sister company BeGreen Supply which helps provide packaging and hardware, and that’s what brings us together with Vape-Jet.”  

Outreach and Advocacy

With philanthropic outreach and advocacy playing a major part in what Chris and his team do, we wanted to highlight the various initiatives his team is involved in and the ways they work to create lasting positive change. 

“Ration does a lot of outreach and advocacy and a lot of philanthropy,” Ryan begins. “Can you tell me more about that, how you got started down that route, and why did you select veterans’ organizations?”  

“Veterans service organizations (VSOs) do a lot, and I’m never going to suggest that we can do their job better. It was important to me to find and vet good VSOs so we could accomplish what we’d like to from a for-profit business perspective,” Chris says.  

The ways Ration works with different VSOs depends on the scale of each organization, Chris explains. “Our favorite component is really getting to find out what these people need. Before starting Ration, we spent the first year down in D.C. talking to different groups and finding out who was going to make sense to partner with, who was not going to be afraid of cannabis, who was going to speak up about cannabis in their lobby sessions, in their peer groups. And we found some fantastic people through that process, whether they be individuals or organizations.” 

From that first year, Chris and his team identified that what veterans need is true support. “Our business is providing support to individuals, whether that’s getting them involved with therapy plus medication plus alternative medication.” 

Providing support to veterans in this way really hits home for Chris, whose father served in the Air Force. “My father, back in the day, caught a piece of ammunition off of a plane that was very, very large and messed his back up. He’s been very successful since then, but just a couple of years ago, his injuries started to flare up again, and very recently, in the last year, he was prescribed a number of opiates and a nerve suppressant,” Chris says. 

Eventually, Chris got a call from a family member in the clinical community: “She said, ‘what can we do to get your dad off of these things?’” It was an odd call, Chris explains, because this family member is the expert. “So, you know, [I shared] any bit of exposure that we’ve had in this space to help them get through that. Within two weeks, he was off of the entire opiate program. He kept the nerve suppressant, but he was off the opiates, and now he’s, you know, it’s his choice he doesn’t continue to use cannabis, but it got him through that moment, and now he’s clear of everything. Small success stories like that yield great results, and I want to see that continued in that community.”  

Building Brands with Vape-Jet

“I know we were introduced through Vape-Jet,” Ryan says. “I believe it is BeGreen Supply that operated and purchased the machine. Can you tell me more about how you found out about Vape-Jet and how that’s been going for you?” 

“Sure,” Chris says. “I found out about Vape-Jet by walking the floor at MJBizCon a few years ago, but it was totally by chance, and we were super happy to find a great team and you leading that team. I have a background in medical devices and FDA compliance and pushing things forward to the next level, which is why I wanted to build a device company before getting into brands. But I was like, ‘this guy gets it.’” 

“That was a great meeting,” Ryan recalls. “I remember because we didn’t have a booth that year. I believe you and [Vape-Jet COO] Devon started chatting heavily about medical devices and all the insanity of bringing devices through marketing and FDA approval and everything else.”  

“That was fun because the origins of why we started in the cannabis space really followed that track. We were, you know, a couple of friends who wanted to get away from how long it took to bring products to market in the medical device industry. Now, we’re on to onto kind of a faster-paced industry. It’s volatile, but it’s a lot of fun, and there’s a ton of opportunity to help people and brands.”  

“Can you tell me more about what Vape-Jet devices you use and how you’re using them?”  

“My interaction with Vape-Jet is from two different lenses,” Chris says, “whether that’s direct through Ration and some of the other brands that we have in-house or some of the customers that we support from BeGreen Supply. I was truly attracted to Vape-Jet from our origin story, but also the fact that I found real success in my customers’ stories back on the BeGreen front, whether that’s supporting MSOs or direct brands like Ration. [Vape-Jet] has really versatile system[s], whether we’re talking about an individual filler, such as the Jet Fueler or the Vape-Jet, that’s a little bit more comprehensive.” 

Jet Fueler 2.0 The Most Advanced Semi-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More
Vape-Jet 4.0 | The Most Advanced Fully-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More

“From my perspective, I love being able to recommend a myriad of systems, and Vape-Jet is always number one at the top. And it also has a great capping solution, which is pretty rare to find systems that are designed to work together,” Chris explains. “Internally, I love setting up my partners for our own brands. We go in from a manufacturing assessment standpoint, and we ask, ‘okay, what’s the real capacity of this place and what do we want to get them to?’”  

From there, Chris helps teams understand their labor, infrastructure, and facility needs. “We typically like to start groups with a Jet Fueler and then graduate them to a Vape-Jet, and our multistate approach is really aimed at facilitating that conversation through Vape-Jet. So we’re taking Blue Box Brands as a portfolio and going to all these different states, and we’re requiring Vape Jet to be part of that protocol.”  

Currently Filling

With Chris focused on implementing Vape-Jet filling machines into production across brands, we wanted to get an idea of the devices they’ve filled and are filling currently. 

“From the BeGreen front, most of our customers are filling cartridges. 510 remains a pretty strong player in the world of vaporizers, but we have seen an increase in disposables at a national level. Beyond that, though, we have got some things that are being built internally—that [may] be a proprietary pod system that’s coming out here very soon,” Chris hints.  

“Service is King”

“One of my favorite things about Vape-Jet is that, from an executive level, I can pick up the phone and call Vape-Jet, and [you] can log into our machine,” Chris explains. As a benefit he’s enjoyed over the years, Chris knows that he can troubleshoot any Vape-Jet or Jet Fueler issues with our support team and receive quick assistance so his team can get filling again. 

“On that note,” Ryan says, “not a lot of people know this, but our organizational structure is all built around support from the very beginning. Every single one of our departments, it doesn’t matter who they are, reports to support. Sales reports to our support department, manufacturing reports to our support department… Everything is focused around support because I’ve found that with any device you build, any piece of equipment that has moving parts and some that don’t, something is going to break, and the business processes you build around that fact are incredibly important.”  

“Definitely,” Chris agrees. “Service is king; learned that through manufacturing a long time ago, whether it was setting up a big factory or working with mom and pop, it’s all based on service.”  

Thank You

We’d like to thank Chris for taking the time to speak with us and share his insights. It was a pleasure to learn more about the amazing things Blue Box Brands, Ration Cannabis, and BeGreen Supply are doing in the world besides providing high-quality solutions for other businesses and end-users. We wish Chris and his team continued success and fulfillment in the coming years. Keep up the great work supporting veterans, and thank you for making a positive impact. 

Read more of our customer features: 

If you are interested in partnering with us, reach out to our crew to learn how Vape-Jet can provide next-level products for your customers.  

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   

Categories
Events Uncategorized

MJBizCon 2022: Vape-Jet Has Leveled Up 

Three days of cannabis industry pandemonium in Las Vegas? Must be MJBizCon 2022!  

With over 30,000 attendees, industry insiders, and celebrity cameos, this year’s MJBizCon was one to remember. The Vape-Jet booth was packed, our fully-automatic Vape-Jet vape cartridge-filling machine and semi-automatic Jet Fueler took center stage, and our industry friends are thriving—what more could you ask for? 

See how it all went down and why this MJBizCon was the best yet: 

The Evolution of VJ at MJ

Among the returnees to MJBizCon this year, Vape-Jet founder and CEO Ryan Hoitt had a great time reconnecting with friends and introducing newcomers to the world of vape cartridge-filling automation. 

To Ryan, the differences from 2019 to 2022 couldn’t be starker: “In 2019, we walked around, smuggling in brochures and doing guerrilla marketing trying not to get caught.” In those days, Vape-Jet was a fairly new concept, and the potential of an automatic cartridge-filler was not as obvious as it is today. “Our handouts got trashed faster than we could place them, but it brought in just enough interest to bootstrap the first couple of sales,” Ryan recalls. 

In 2021, we set up our first Vape-Jet booth, allowing us to build some brand awareness and connect with folks interested in innovation. “People were starting to take notice, and sales were climbing,” Ryan says. 

If 2019 and 2021 were focused on establishing our brand and generating interest, 2022 was the payoff. “We had to take off our branded shirts just to get a moment of silence during after-hours events and date nights,” Ryan says. “People came purposefully to see us in person. All around town, we ran into existing clients, formed relationships with new ones, and got to experience our 10 seconds of fame.”  

This development, though not entirely surprising given the rapid growth of automated vape-filling processes, was very special to behold. “When we started building a B2B vape cartridge-filling equipment brand, I never for a moment thought we would experience so much recognition, admiration, and command such respect in the industry.” 

“I am incredibly proud of the entire Vape-Jet team for making this a possibility, and I can’t wait to see what 2023 brings.” 

Partners and Friends at MJ

It was great seeing so many familiar faces this year, including: 

Hardware Partners 

Customers 

Equipment Manufacturers 

Terpene Suppliers 

Media

The Evolution of the Vape Market 

Of course, Ryan wasn’t our only representative at MJBizCon. Resident chemist, COO, and co-founder Devon Reid also made his return to the tradeshow floor this year.  

Aside from being chased around MJBizCon (until he took off his branded gear), Devon notes a decisive industry focus on improving QA. “The market is shifting from a fixation on throughput to a focus on quality,” Devon says. “The renewed focus on quality encompasses not only the machine that puts the oil into the cartridges, but the cartridges themselves, the oil itself, the upstream processes for obtaining the oil, and the downstream consequences of implementing all the upstream quality improvements.” 

Why? Because a surplus of supply means customers are faced with more options than ever before. Now, Devon says, many businesses are taking a holistic approach to product planning. “From high-quality equipment to high-quality products, businesses see the positive consequences for end-users (increased sales) and employees (increased retention).” 

Utilizing automatic cartridge-fillers like our Vape-Jet fully-automatic filling machine is a surefire way to improve customer and employee satisfaction. “Fire in, fire out—it’s that simple,” Devon says. 

The Evolution of Vape Producers 

Vape-Jet sales rep Sawyer Sheppard has seen his share of cannabis industry tradeshows and has developed a keen eye for industry trends and matching customers with solutions that fit their long-term goals.  

At MJBizCon 2022, Sawyer highlights a key theme: versatility. “With the rise in different form factors—including disposables, pod-type systems, and higher quality oils like live resin and rosin—heating up in the market, versatility is the name of the game.” 

To improve their versatility, Sawyer noticed that brands are increasingly looking for partnerships. “Many customers are now looking for long-term equipment suppliers that they can grow with,” Sawyer says, emphasizing the word “growth.” “After being burned by tone-deaf ‘product support teams,’ businesses want a partner who is not just selling them equipment, but is dedicated to their long-term growth.” 

MJBizCon Session: Vape Market Breakdown

What’s happening in the vape market as we enter 2023? Industry trends took center stage as insiders discussed consumer and quality developments heading into the new year.  

If you weren’t able to attend, don’t worry, here are some key highlights: 

Consumer Trends 
  • Women now account for 57% of vape cartridge users 
  • Consumers increasingly focus on cannabis growers due to live and solventless processes, whole plant efficacy, and the cannabis marketing ecosystem 
  • Speakers emphasized good manufacturing practices that keep formulations simple and test at every stage of the process 
Quality Trends 
  • It has never been more important to hire people who really love cannabis 
  • Shelf stability is essential, but old cannabis shouldn’t be written off 
  • The days of scarcity are over, so diversification of products is paramount 
What’s Next? 
  • Freeze-dried flowers, cannabis experiences (lounges, serving, sampling, pallet development) 
  • States requiring vapor testing during production 
  • New vape sizes and cannabinoid focus coming to market 

‘Till MJBizCon 2023!

We want to extend a sincere “thank you” to everyone who made it to our booth this year! MJBizCon 2022 could not have been the success it was for our team without your support, and we look forward to building off the positive energy we received. The cannabis industry is driven by innovators who prioritize product quality, responsible scaling, and versatile technology, and we are proud to continue leading the charge in vape cartridge automation. 

If you are interested in partnering with us, reach out to our crew to learn how Vape-Jet can provide next-level products for your customers.   

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.    

Categories
Jet-Fueler Vape-Jet

Fernway: Customer Feature

What better way to enjoy New England’s Fall foliage than paying a visit to our good friends at Fernway in Northampton, Massachusetts? As creators of Massachusetts’ 1st recyclable cannabis vape—The Traveler—and long-time Vape-Jet customers, it was only fitting that we caught up during the changing of the seasons to discuss—well, change.   

Vape-Jet CEO, Developer, and Founder, Ryan Hoitt sat down with Fernway’s COO and co-founder, Kevin Wu, to see how things are going. Read on to learn about Vape-Jet and Fernway’s ongoing collaboration, the move to sustainable industry practices, Vape-Jet tips and tricks, and more:  

The Vape-Jet Experience  

Since their founding in February 2021, Fernway has used Vape-Jet cartridge-filling machines to ensure they maintain high QA standards and have scalable technology to grow with their business. Starting with our Jet Fueler semi-automatic vape cart filler in 2021, Fernway is now up to five Vape-Jet fully-automatic cartridge-filling machines, four of which operate side-by-side in their Northampton facility.  

“How did you learn about Vape-Jet?”  

“It must have been on the internet somewhere… We were just four guys in a house at that time, and we didn’t have the money to spend on a fully automated, big fancy machine,” Kevin says. After testing and evaluating almost every machine on the market, Kevin came across the Jet Fueler — “It was a perfect fit for what we needed and a great machine to learn about oil paths and how distillate and cannabis oil can move through PTFE lines and reservoirs.”   

During those early days, Vape-Jet and Fernway went through the growing pains of high-throughput manufacturing together, allowing both businesses to grow and learn from one another. “You gave us a lot of feedback on things that needed improvement,” Ryan says.   

“Yeah, I think you make it sound a little worse than it was,” Kevin jokes. “I will say that the [Jet Fueler] was repeatable and that was key for us because we wanted to bring a high-quality, consistent vape product to market.”   

When Fernway did run into an issue, Kevin opened a support ticket, and the Vape-Jet support team would stay on the phone until they resolved the issue. “That gave us a lot of peace of mind,” Kevin adds. “If there was an issue with the machine, we wouldn’t be left stranded.”  

“In my opinion, we’ve had a really collaborative relationship,” Ryan says. “A lot of our recent software upgrades—in terms of data reporting, batch records, and whatnot—were direct suggestions from you.”  

“I see us as fellow travelers and kindred spirits in that our products and companies are becoming larger and more sophisticated, and we have to grow together,” Kevin says. “That can only happen if we’re sharing information back and forth.”  

After eventually scaling to three Jet Fuelers, Fernway upgraded to the fully-automatic Vape-Jet. “Now, we have five of them,” Kevin says.  

Growing Together: Switching to a Fully-Automated Workflow  

After realizing their business was scaling too quickly to fill every vape cartridge manually under a needle, the Fernway team realized it was time for some automated assistance.  

“The transition was actually fairly easy because of how familiar we were with the Jet Fuelers,” Kevin says. “The Vape-Jet team helped create profiles that are unique to each piece of our hardware.” So, whether Fernway is filling their 510 half-gram vape cartridges or one of their Traveler sizes, a customized hardware profile is ready to quickly and accurately fill to spec.  

“Beyond setting up those initial profiles, the process of loading the reservoir into the machine, pressurizing the machine with the nitrogen assist, [and] setting the temperature zones was all very familiar to us,” Kevin continues. “It was big relief when we saw that platform and the needle moving around, and we knew we didn’t have to fill those cartridges one by one anymore.”  

Vape-Jet 4.0 | The Most Advanced Fully-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More
Scaling and Sustainability—Friends at Last  

Now selling half and full-gram 510 vape cartridges and Massachussettes’ first recyclable vape cartridge, the Traveler (available in 0.3 and 0.7-gram sizes), Fernway is moving the industry toward more sustainable practices that consumers demand.   

“We’ve been seeing a lot of movement in the market away from 510s toward more disposable packaging,” Ryan Hoitt says. “Could you tell me the challenges involved with setting [the Traveler] up?”  

“We saw the same [trends] you did,” Kevin Wu agrees. “Customers really enjoy the all-in-one form factor with the oil and the battery connected, but we didn’t like the environmental impact of that product form.”   

The solution? Fernway found a recycling partner. “After one of our recyclable [vape cartridges] are spent, [and] the oil is consumed, the customer can bring [the Traveler] back to where they purchased it and deposit it in a recycling box.”  

A few times a year, after the Fernway team collects all the recycled Traveler vapes in their facility, their recycling partner collects the spent devices, dips them into liquid nitrogen, then pulverizes them. “Then they heat it to recover different materials found in the devices,” Kevin says.  

An Innovative Trio: Vape-Jet, Fernway, and Cilicon

“So, I know with the Traveler you’ve been working with Cilicon as the hardware manufacturer,” Ryan says. “Can you describe the experience of developing and launching that product with such a tight feedback loop between their team, the Vape-Jet team, and yourself?” 

“We selected Cilicon as our all-in-one hardware vendor almost a year ago,” Kevin explains. “We went through several rounds of testing and decided that the performance and the profile of [their] product was exactly what we wanted. The missing piece was ‘how are we going to fill these at scale?’ That’s when we reached out to you.”  

When Fernway decided to launch the Traveler, they sent photos of the device and asked if our team could get a Vape-Jet to fill them. “To my surprise—and to our good luck—you were already in contact with [Cilicon] and we were able to design a custom jig which was rapidly prototyped by the Vape-Jet team,” Kevin says. Within a week of that discussion, Fernway validated their new product’s workflow with Vape-Jet automation, ensuring they would not have to invest in additional equipment.   

A few months later when the devices arrived, they came with additional jigs based on Vape-Jet’s initial prototype. “Now, we’re selling tens of thousands a month,” Kevin says. “I would categorize [the Traveler] launch as smooth as [a product launch] could possibly go. So I think that’s a credit to you and a credit to the Cilicon team.”  

Kevin’s Vape-Jet Tips and Tricks

  1. ‘Keep the machines clean!’: “Make sure you’re fully cleaning out the reservoirs after every batch.” Kevin highlights the importance of running isopropyl alcohol through the PTFE lines to ensure operators won’t encounter residual oil from the previous batch.  
     
  2. ‘Take it slow!’: “Once the [Vape-Jet] is up and running, it’s filling a tray of 100 vape cartridges in five or six minutes. There’s no reason to rush the manual parts of the process along.”  

The Power of Partnership 

“I really do appreciate our partnership here. I feel like, even though you’re across the country, we’ve got a partner that’s not going to leave us stranded. If we have a problem, I know someone on your team will help us, and you’ll take the time and clear out the schedule. That’s so rare to find out in the market.”  

“It’s been amazing to watch your business grow,” Ryan says. “It’s been one of the highlights of my career to be able to be that partner in this and just work with you guys. And yeah, we’re a solutions provider, but that feedback loop and the connections we’ve made over the past couple of years… it’s been a highlight of my career, so I really appreciate it.  

What’s next for Fernway?

Kevin mentions a new seasonal pumpkin spice flavor for their Traveler (released in October) and launching a line of live resin vape cartridges for the ultimate cannabis experience. 

Want to share your Vape-Jet story?

Reach out to our crew and let them know you’re ready for your customer feature. Check out our other customer success stories: C3 Industries, True North Collective, Terrapin Care Station.

If you are interested in providing the highest-quality product for your customers, reach out to our crew to learn how Vape-Jet can provide next-level products for your customers.    

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  

Categories
Uncategorized Vape-Jet

Ask a Vape-Jet Filling Machine Operator

In this article:

‘What’s Going On’ at MJBizCon

It’s that time of year again, and the Vape-Jet team is happy to join the cannabis industry folks at MJBizCon in Las Vegas, Nevada, from November 16-18! This year, we’re bringing along brand representative, Vape-Jet operator, and owner of Natural Roots Extracts, Demetre (James) Janness to answer questions and provide insight into what it’s like working with a Vape-Jet fully-automatic filling machine and Jet Fueler semi-automatic cartridge-filling machine every day.   

If you’re at the expo, make sure to stop by booth #6851 and say “hi!” We’ll provide you with all the information you need about our products and some cat memes for the road!  

A look back at MJBizCon 2021 from our friends at AVD.

Ask a Vape-Jet Operator: Demetre Janness from Natural Roots Extracts 

With the news that our good friend Demetre would be joining us for MJBizCon, it was only fitting that we sat down and discussed his experience with Vape-Jet. Along with some insights he’s gained from the field, we also talked about our new partnership with his vape hardware company, TerpLogic, and how we work together to share benefits with our customers.  

Demetre’s Vape-Jet Experience 

“I’ve been using Vape-Jet filling machines for quite some time,” Demetre says. “I would say at least three and a half years now. I am absolutely pleased with the results.” During those years, Demetre has used several of our products, including the Vape-Jet 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, Jet Fueler 2.0, and Squish-o-Matic 1000.   

Why has Demetre partnered with Vape-Jet through the years? “We’ve been able to increase our volume of work with less people over a very short amount of time.” Vape-Jet cartridge-filling machines are perfect for guaranteeing his company will meet deadlines. Demetre says that their Vape-Jet ‘pretty much guarantees’ that the filling process will always be smooth. “In fact,” Demetre mentions, “[the filling process] is where we usually make up most of the time.”  

When you’re working with automated technology, it always helps to partner with a company that has your back long-term. Demetre explains that one of the great things about Vape-Jet is being able to get in touch with product support and technical assistance in a reasonable timeframe—“Next thing you know, they’re like ‘here, let me fix this for you,’ and, BAM, it’s done!” “Then, with the small exception where I’ve broken my own parts from carelessness,” Demetre continues, “I’ve ordered a new [part] and was able to get it very fast and at a fair, reasonable price.”   

Asked how Vape-Jet cartridge-filling machines compare with other filling systems he’s used, Demetre explains, “like many people in the industry, I started filling by hand. Compared to that you might as well be launching me into space and setting me on Mars because it’s out-of-this-world different.”   

Some of the negatives Demetre points out about hand-filling include stress, physical strain, and employee turnover. Not only does hand-filling have labor consequences, Demetre continues, but it also results in substantial product loss. “When you can reduce the amount of touchpoints to your packaging, you can make the job fun because it’s really great watching the machine do its job… I mean, you can’t compare. You really can’t.” 

Watch Demetre fill and cap simultaneously with the Vape-Jet 3.0 and Squish-o-Matic 1000 side by side.
Vape-Jet Insights 

We asked Demetre if he had any tips for new (and experienced) operators of our vape cartridge-filling machines: “the biggest tip I can give to an operator to [get] the most out of your systems is making sure that you take time to prep,” he says. “Take your time, do your prep work, heat your oil properly, and develop a great SOP for that whole system, so if you have other people working when you’re not around, they’re not going to break the machine.”  

When asked how difficult it was to operate a Vape-Jet fully-automatic cartridge-filling machine as a rookie, Demetre says: “By the end of the [first] day, I was able to jump in comfortably, knowing that the next day, when I’m completely on my own, I don’t have to rely on calling anybody or anything like that.” In fact, Demetre quickly trained most of his staff to operate the machine after just learning it himself. Asked what he considered the hardest part of operating a Vape-Jet, he says, “honestly, whatever I’ve run into thus far has been nothing compared to what we were doing before.”  

With a valuable perspective (having operated several Vape-Jet iterations over the years), Demetre states that the Vape-Jet 4.0 is much quieter than previous generations. Noting the superior speed, build quality, ease-of-use, and built-in touchscreen as key benefits of Vape-Jet automation, Demetre says the upgraded 4.0 software is “outstanding” in its ability to locate and fill vape cartridges and pods quickly. “I was able to test TerpLogic Ally pods with the original 3.0, and it worked great, but the 4.0 is just faster. I think we’re hitting around 4 minutes per tray of 50 pods with a dual fill, full gram with .5g on each side. So, 50g in 4 minutes with caps and everything. And we are able to utilize the Squish-o-Matic in that process, so it’s great.”   

Vape-Jet 4.0 | The Most Advanced Fully-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More

When considering whether to invest in a Vape-Jet cartridge-filling machine, Demetre advises companies to consider how it impacts labor. “You’re allowing your employees to have a job that avoids work-related injuries from repetitive motion and things like that. I think that relates heavily to turnover with staff. It also translates big when it comes to losses. If you’re constantly training someone, then you’re losing money. You need someone there to make sure this machine runs, and that’s it. And it’s going to keep running until your power runs out. And that’s on you.”   

By streamlining their production with Vape-Jet hardware—from the Vape-Jet 4.0 to the Squish-o-Matic 1000—Demetre shows how quickly investing in a Vape-Jet automatic cartridge filler can pay off. Whether it’s labor, product loss, quality control, or scaling considerations, Vape-Jet has the solutions to help you increase revenue and innovate for the future.  

If you want to hear more from folks operating Vape-Jet products in the field, check out our other customer features (Terrapin Care Station, C3 Industries, and True North Collective) and stay tuned for upcoming customer features on our blog page. 

Our New Hardware Partner: TerpLogic Solutions

Since the launch of our new partner program, we’ve teamed up with a solid group of like-minded companies to bring our customers the most streamlined vape cartridge-filling workflow possible. With the addition of Demetre’s company TerpLogic Solutions, our mission to provide high-quality, comprehensive, and scalable filling processes to the cannabis industry continues.

Who is TerpLogic?  

TerpLogic manufactures The “Ally” All-In-One Rechargeable Vape, one of the most efficient vapes available that ensures proper voltage output for maximum performance, all in a sleek, discrete design with no cotton wicking required.   

Due to his experience with our company, Demetre wanted to ensure The Ally would work seamlessly with our Vape-Jet fully-automatic cartridge-filling machine. “[The Vape-Jet] is able to identify [the Ally’s] center post and two filling holes that exist within our design very quickly. In fact, we’re able to push the limits if we really want to, but, personally, I’m a firm believer in efficiency, and I try to find numbers where everyone can keep up.”   

Demetre also points out that the Vape-Jet saved profile configuration feature allows TerpLogic to quickly switch from 510 cartridges to Ally pods, allowing them to run two cartridge platforms without downtime or wasted product.  

Vape-Jet 4.0 filling the TerpLogic Ally all-in-one pod.

“One of the things that’s great about the TerpLogic Ally pod is it’s an all-in-one with a rechargeable low-capacity battery,” Demetre says. This reduces the amount of lithium needed to operate the device, allowing TerpLogic to reduce their carbon footprint. “We’re able to reduce [emissions] due to The Ally’s lower shipping weight.”  

The Ally also uses a non-cotton-based atomizer with a quartz heating element and ceramic insulator system that protects the oil from rapid changes, so the end-user gets excellent flavor all the way through. “We’ve had great success with our full-gram pods, various thicker oils, and rosins,” Demetre notes.  

How can interested parties test TerpLogic hardware? The best way is to get samples through their website. “Pick up one of our sample kits for a very nominal fee, and, if that’s a great price for you already, you’ll be excited to know that our wholesale pricing jumps down drastically from that price point,” Demetre says. “We are working with Vape-Jet to help provide potential customers with samples so you can test our product partnership.” With other exciting announcements on the horizon, be sure to follow TerpLogic’s Instagram and website for updates.  

Provide Optimal Cartridge-Filling Solutions for Your Customers with Vape-Jet x TerpLogic 

With Demetre’s deep knowledge of Vape-Jet vape cartridge automation, our partnership with TerpLogic is a great route for companies looking for a streamlined workflow that decreases overhead, increases throughput, and provides premium user experiences with high-quality oil vaporizing hardware.  

Have your own questions for Demetre? Find him at the Vape-Jet booth (#6851) at MJBizCon November 16-18 in Las Vegas, Nevada!

If you are interested in providing the highest-quality product for your customers, reach out to our crew to learn how Vape-Jet can provide next-level products for your customers. While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.     

Categories
Uncategorized Vape Hardware

Vape-Jet Hardware Partner: AVD

Cutting Edge Filling Technology Meets Hardware Innovation with Vape-Jet’s Latest Collaboration

Early on, our team at Vape-Jet recognized that developing superior products for our customers meant working with like-minded companies who prioritize cannabis expertise. That’s why we structured our Vape-Jet Partner Program to provide customers with seamless hardware solutions that maximize the efficiency of their fully-automatic Vape-Jet or semi-automatic Jet Fueler workflow. Teaming up with Advanced Vapor Devices (AVD) was an obvious choice. This partnership creates a streamlined vape and cartridge filling system that makes it easier than ever to produce at scale. AVD cartridges are among Vape-Jet’s most frequently filled vape cartridges. We also share core company values like equipment accessibility, advanced customer support, and hardware reliability.

“AVD’s commitment to consistency, innovation, and quality control is the reason all Vape-Jet systems get pre-shipped with AVD profiles. Their hardware is what we use for final validation because we can count on it to be reliable.”  

Ryan Hoitt, Vape-Jet CEO

AVD: Industry-Leading Technology that Delivers Flavor and Reliability   

Innovation backed by expertise. After cultivating decades of cannabis knowledge, AVD understands the relationship between cannabis extraction, formulation, absorption, and heating. This allows them to develop a superior vaporization delivery experience trusted by hundreds of cannabis oil brands across North America.  

As a leading vaporizer technology company, AVD provides:  

No-Burn Technology™ — designed exclusively for the cannabis extract industry for true-to-strain flavor, terpene and cannabinoid preservation

Reliable Technology — with an almost zero failure rate. 

Cannabis Expertise — 20+ years of cannabis industry experience and extensive QA protocols for premium user experiences.

Rapid Stock Replenishment – stock orders fulfilled in 1-3 days and custom orders in 4-6 weeks.

Post-Sales Support — the industry’s longest 180-day end-user warranty backed by knowledgeable North American-based support.

Quit burning your oil with carts that run too hot.  

Overheating cannabis obliterates the terpenes and the very essence of the plant that makes each strain unique and flavorful.  

AVD recognized that live resins, sauces, and full-spectrum extracts need consistent low heat to prevent burning and preserve terpenes. That’s why AVD cartridges and batteries are crafted with No-Burn Technology™.

Every AVD cart and battery is specifically engineered to provide consistent heat to deliver incredible flavor and keep terpenes and cannabinoids intact. Delivering this type of quality for their customers has secured AVD’s reputation as one of the most trusted vape cartridge providers in the market.  In addition to their products’ incredible reliability, AVD’s total control over their raw material supply chain ensures that inventory shortages and long lead times are a thing of the past. That’s a huge win during an era of global supply chain disruptions.

Driven by Innovation

No-Burn Technology™ 

After thousands of hours of R&D, testing, and quality control, AVD’s patented No-Burn Technology™ is at the heart of every AVD cartridge. This industry-leading science creates a safe and superior sensory experience with every hit. With SmartPulse™ Power Control, even long smoking sessions are heated smoothly from the first hit to the last. 

AVD EZ Click™ Solutions 

EZ Click™ hardware represents one of the proprietary technologies that make AVD so special. With this 50-at-a-time, snap-on filling and capping system, EZ Click™ cartridges are designed for rapid high-end, automated vape cartridge production at scale. Because our Vape-Jet works extensively with the EZ Click™ line, no capper is required, meaning lower costs for end-users. In short, when you pair AVD EZ Click™ cartridges with Vape-Jet automation, you have one of the most optimized vape cartridge productions on the planet.  

AVD EZ Click™ Cartridges 
  • AVD Glass EZ Click™ — The industry’s first glass cartridge designed for rapid filling and capping.  
  • AVD Polyresin EZ Click™ — Powerful, durable, and true-to-strain flavor.  
  • AVD All-Ceramic EZ Click™ — Using Zirconia medical-grade ceramic, AVD’s all-ceramic cartridge is designed for premium oils and chemically inert for exceptionally clean flavors.   
  • GoodCarts by AVD – Built for less complex oils like distillates, botanical terpene blends, Delta-8, and other novelty cannabinoids. GoodCarts Glass and Polyresin EZ Click™ Cartridges come pre-racked in two trays of 50 units each and are put through the same rigorous quality control practices that you would expect from AVD.
    • GoodCarts Glass EZ Click™ Cartridge
    • GoodCarts Polyresin EZ Click™ Cartridge

Once capped, all AVD and GoodCart vape cartridges are non-refillable and tamper-resistant, which is critical for selling to highly regulated markets. 

Mouthpieces 

Choose from 20 distinctive mouthpieces to create a unique vaping experience and set the tone for your brand. AVD mouthpieces are compatible with all AVD cartridges.

Disposables  

AVD all-in-one cartridges offer discretion and convenience to users, but they also let you take control over the way your oils are heated for the best vaping experience possible.

Batteries  

Your consumers will enjoy a superior vaping experience by pairing AVD’s cartridges with their universal 510-thread batteries.

  • AVD Stik Battery with SmartPulse™ technology, high / low voltage switch that allows users to prioritize big clouds or flavor, and universal 510 thread.
  • AVD Seed Battery with SmartPulse™, high / low voltage switch that allows users to prioritize big clouds or flavor, and haptic vibration feedback for intuitive use.
  • AVD Alpha Pen with SmartPulse™,high / low voltage switch that allows users to prioritize big clouds or flavor, and a discrete removable cap.
  • AVD Stik Button Battery with SmartPulse™, push–button activation, and three voltage settings for flavor, well-rounded, and cloud experiences.
Make it Your Own with AVD Design House  
  • AVD Design House offers superior customization options to match your unique brand personality.  
  • Classic Customizations — finishes, colors, and textures that make your product(s) pop.  
  • Premium Customizations — exclusive form factors that differentiate your brand to stand out on the dispensary shelf.   

Vape-Jet x AVD 

As two tech-driven companies at the leading edge of the cannabis vaporizer industry, our partnership with AVD has many benefits for our customers:  

  • Seamless Cartridge Production — unlock end-to-end efficiency with Vape-Jet filling and capping automation and AVD’s reliable, designed-to-scale hardware.
  • Proprietary Technology — backed by decades of cannabis, chemistry, and engineering knowledge, Vape-Jet and AVD both navigate the cannabis space with innovation and quality at the forefront.
  • Expert Support — both the Vape-Jet and AVD teams are available for expert product support and guidance with superior customer service.
  • Tested in the Field — Vape-Jet partners are thoroughly vetted for hardware compliance and integration with our products. Just ask our customers.
  • Precision Calibrated — protect your oil with two companies that don’t take shortcuts. Rigorous R&D and quality testing goes into every product delivered by both AVD and Vape-Jet to ensure the best possible end product.
  • Dependable Supply — Vape-Jet and AVD emphasize strict inventory management and in-house development, allowing total control of stock inventory. Exceptional lead times and reduced product delays decreases your stock outage risks and maintains your products consistently on the shelf.

Customer Success  

True North Collective MI  

Maybe you’ve read our customer feature with the good folks in Michigan at True North Collective. For those who haven’t, True North’s dedication to safety, compliance, and consistency makes their cannabis flower, edibles, and concentrates some of the highest quality products out there.   

The team at True North Collective are devoted users of Vape-Jet’s vape cartridge-filling machines – not only for their reliability and speed, but for their ability to scale. This allows them to meet demand at a moment’s notice.

With their move to Vape-Jet cartridge-filling automation, True North also switched to AVD EZ Click™ cartridges for a seamless production workflow.

Distillation Director Joey Stutz reports, “We did R&D on a bunch of different disposables, pods, and other carts that aren’t EZ Click™. Ultimately the best flavor came from the EZ Click™ AVD [cartridges].”

So, if you were still on the fence about combining Vape-Jet and AVD hardware, True North’s success might help ease your mind. After all, True North Collective couldn’t be happier with the quality oil they can offer their customers, which allows them to scale in a highly competitive market.  

Punch Edibles  

At Punch Edibles, the partnership potential of Vape-Jet x AVD quality is no secret either. To get the inside scoop, we spoke with Lab Director Brennan Beasley, who uses AVD EZ Click™ Cartridges, combined with AVD’s EZ Click™ jig, a Vape-Jet fully-automatic for filling, and the Squish-o-Matic 1000 for capping. 

“Vape-Jet makes filling our AVD cartridges seamless,” Brennan says. “The technology of the two together provides an elevated filling experience with little to zero downtime.”  

As Brennan explains, “[Combining AVD and Vape-Jet products] allow us to fill with precision and provide our customers with an end product that expresses all the qualities we are trying to preserve. I recommend Vape-Jet and AVD hardware for anyone serious about keeping the quality of their product intact, volume filling, and having the best support in the market.” 

Perfect Your Production Process

If you are interested in taking your production to the next level, while providing a premium product for your customers, reach out to our crew to find out how AVD and Vape-Jet together provide a seamless solution for your production needs. 

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.   

Categories
Jet-Fueler Uncategorized Vape-Jet

How the Global CO₂ Shortage Affects Cannabis Oil Extraction

Industry Insight

For cannabis oil producers, the importance of CO2 cannot be understated. As the primary solvent in one of the most popular cannabis oil extraction methods in the industry today, the recent CO2 shortage has profound implications for oil production processes. With so much volatility in the market, let’s take some time to think about this CO2 dilemma and propose some solutions so oil producers can keep meeting customer demand while maintaining the same high-quality products consumers deserve. 

How did this CO2 Shortage Begin? 

As with any global shift in market availability, the reasons for the current CO2 situation are varied. Perhaps most significantly, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created extensive oil and natural gas supply interruptions in Europe, leading to volatile petrochemical and agricultural markets which directly affect fertilizer production, of which food grade CO2 is a byproduct.  

This market uncertainty, tied to lack of supply, has already affected other industries close to cannabis. In the brewing industry, for instance, the impact of the CO2 shortage is already playing out, leading to increased input costs which have numerous upstream and downstream workflow ramifications.  

The Significance of CO2 for Vape Cartridge Producers

The benefits of using CO2 for cannabis oil extraction are well-documented, but it’s worth revisiting just how vital CO2 is for vape cartridge production.  

As the most common solvent for Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE), CO2 earns its place because of multiple factors: 

  1. It is one of the safest non-polar solvents 
  2. It is more dependable during SFE for preserving the compounds found in cannabis 
  3. It can pull various cannabinoids from the plant through fractioning 

When Will the Cannabis Oil Extraction Industry Feel the Shortage?

“[CO2 demand] from the cannabis industry, for cannabinoid and terpene extraction, [has] been growing quickly, and not enough new capacity is coming online to compensate.” – Craig Bettenhausen, “US faces CO2  shortage” 

The worlds of cannabis production and retail are accustomed to fluctuating markets. Most post-legalization markets, for example, overinvest in production capacity leading to wholesale cost reductions. Dealing with lower prices isn’t new, and it usually leads to consolidation and restructuring until the supply and demand for cannabis come back into alignment. How is this CO2 shortage different, and how is it similar? 

Well, although it can be difficult to predict when and how certain industries will react to a decreased CO2 supply, there are some reasonable expectations of when we will start seeing the shortage affect the cannabis industry. 

The first people to feel the CO2 supply shortage will be grow and cannabis oil extraction facilities, especially when natural gas and oil consumption spike in winter (Butane Hash Oil extractors will likely feel this pain as well). Accordingly, all cannabis flower, extract, and distillate will probably see cost increases by the end of 2022, which will squeeze profit margins on vape cartridges. 

Of course, this spike in the price of natural gas during wintertime will undoubtedly be exacerbated by increased gas exports to Europe from North America. As energy costs inflate due to decreased supply and increased demand, input costs for cannabis cultivation, extraction, and refinement will rise, ultimately yielding lower margins on cannabis products across the board and increasingly small returns. 

In short, with high electricity costs, high CO2 costs, and high butane costs, every step in the cannabis product chain will be affected.  

So, What’s the Solution?

“Wholesale and retail marijuana prices continue to fall in most states, with production often outpacing consumption… The glut of cannabis products and brands have retailers in many states increasingly discounting their merchandise in hopes of shrinking bulging inventories and boosting sales amid growing competition.” – Andrew Long, “Midyear State Cannabis Sales a Mixed Bag Across the United States”

With such clear indicators of pesky inflation and increased input costs on the horizon, we ought to think of some solutions. After all, we shouldn’t just read this information and run to the closest bar. It’s what we do with the information going forward and how we use it to stay ahead of the curve and prepare for the uncertainty that matters. 

So, what can you do? 

Solution 01: Invest in Automation

As input costs rise due to CO2 and other raw materials—and oversupply issues continue for the cannabis industry—prices will continue falling, ultimately squeezing out many operators with high costs and low returns. In other words, cost reduction is key, and reducing labor costs with automation may be the only way to compete.  

Luckily, this solution is our specialty. At Vape-Jet, we manufacture the most advanced fully-automated (Vape–Jet) and semi-automated (Jet Fueler) vape cartridge-filling systems on the market. In fact, we’ve discussed how vape cartridge automation is one of the most proactive, crucial investments you can make in your cartridge filling process quite a bit. 

Not only do our vape cartridge-filling machines fill your cartridges faster, more accurately, and help you overcome cartridge hardware challenges, our team also provides unmatched after-sales support to keep your operation running. That means higher productivity, decreased labor input, and satisfied customers. 

Vape-Jet 4.0 | The Most Advanced Fully-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More
Jet Fueler 2.0 The Most Advanced Semi-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More
Solution 02: Plan for a New Pricing Strategy

As Krista Raymer writes in her article, “to combat price compression, cannabis retailers can use psychology and consumer behavior tendencies to guide them toward certain products or shopping patterns. One important tactic to do this is through the lens of price perception.”  

Krista lists three strategies cannabis companies can use to stay ahead: ‘visualization of pricing,’ ‘in-store signage,’ and ‘insignificant numbers.’ Read detailed descriptions of these strategies in “Dispensary Pricing Strategy: How to Combat Price Compression.” 

Solution 03: Solventless Cannabis Oil Extraction

As we discussed earlier, CO2 is a dependable solvent for Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE). But what if you moved your workflow away from solvents? Well, it is safe to assume that solventless processes will see a significant boost if solvents inflate high enough. If you want to learn more about this cannabis oil extraction method and how it affects production, product quality, and operation costs, start with this article—“Extracting the Bottom Line.” 

And That’s Where We Come In

As we watch the CO2 shortage impact other industries around us, cannabis businesses should start preparing for the necessary strategies (cultivation, production, sales, etc.) to combat the inevitable results of price increases in our industry. Automation is one of the most straightforward ways to set your business up for success now and especially when uncertainty starts affecting the markets on which we depend. 

Reach out to the Vape-Jet team today, and let’s optimize your operation now and secure your workflow for the long haul. 

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  

Interested in our new partner program? Learn more here. 

Categories
Uncategorized Vape-Jet

Vape-Jet’s Six Star Service and Product Support

Six Star Service & Product Support

Optimizing Your Cartridge-Filler with Our Six Star Service

When it comes to investing in technology, especially automated technology, it can be difficult to put a price on product support. In the cannabis industry, moving to vape cartridge automation can feel like a big step with many unknowns. Luckily, with Vape-Jet, you’re never flying solo.  

With our Six Star approach to product service and support, we work with our customers to improve their workflows, troubleshoot issues, predict maintenance needs, and even integrate their design suggestions into our machines. We believe pairing our advanced cartridge-filling technology with fast, accessible product support is the best way to ensure every person involved, from vape producer to end-user, is satisfied.  

See how our Six Star approach affects our customers and streamlines post-sales support: 

  1. Consultative Approach to Sales 
  2. Post-Sales Support 
  3. Remote Access 
  4. Proactive Maintenance 
  5. Service Warranty & Response Times 
  6. Customer Feedback Integration 

Consultative Approach

Sales 

What is a consultative approach? For us, it means building an informed relationship with our customers that takes a holistic view of their operation. This relationship begins with our sales process, which focuses on your business’s particular needs. In fact, we won’t suggest investing in a Vape-Jet fully automatic cartridge-filling machine unless it’s the right fit for your production demands.  

As part of our consultative approach, we leverage the combined knowledge and experience of our team to discuss not only your filling and packaging needs but your hardware challenges and process bottlenecks. Our aim—through our vape cartridge-filling machines and industry experience—is always to increase the efficiency of your entire production. Our resident cannabis chemist, Devon Reid, will even diagnose your product formulations or extraction process and offer suggestions for improvement. 

Post Sales

Shipping your brand new fully-automatic Vape-Jet, semi-automatic Jet Fueler, or Squish-o-Matic 1000 is only half our sales process. The other half begins when the equipment ships to your facility. 

  • Our dedicated product support team will guide you through onboarding and shipping. So, when your machine arrives, your team is prepped and ready for installation. 
  • The Vape-Jet HelpDesk allows you to submit support tickets, coordinate remote installations, request hardware compatibility reports, report errors, schedule meetings, and more. 
  • You’ll receive unlimited training and hardware calibration assistance  

Did we mention that our industry-leading Vape-Jet support team boasts same-day response times? And that’s just the beginning of getting your filling process on the right track. 

Remote Access 

There is nothing quite like hands-on technical support when you need it most. That’s why—in addition to its machine vision alignment camera—each Vape-Jet fully-automatic cartridge-filler comes equipped with an internal system overview camera.  

Using the system overview camera in conjunction with Microsoft Teams, our engineers will walk you through installation, training, machine calibration (per your specific oil needs), and any support needs as if they were physically by your side. That means no matter where your operation is located, our expert team of in-house engineers can diagnose and troubleshoot machine errors and misconfigurations.  

A look at the Vape-Jet product support team at work using remote access to help customers through needle calibration and support.

Proactive Maintenance 

When it comes to automation, you want to partner with a business that cares about constantly improving their machines in the field. With advanced platforms like our Vape-Jet fully-automatic and Jet Fueler semi-automatic cartridge-filler, our technical team can actively manage and support our entire fleet of machines from HQ. This means we are constantly reviewing data reports, analyzing equipment configurations, looking out for repeat errors, and guiding businesses on how they can optimize the performance of their machine. In short, with proactive guidance, our team saves your operators from wasting time and product. 

The Vape-Jet support dashboard showing an overview of all active machines in the field, which allows our product support technicians to proactively monitor the fleet.
What is Active Deployment?

Active deployment means we are constantly working to improve our software based on customer feedback. As a partnership focused on quality vape cartridge production, we listen to our customers, regularly adding new features, custom modifications, and software updates to ensure your vape cartridge-filling machine runs as efficiently and smoothly as possible.  

Vape-Jet Service Warranty & Response Times

We know how important it is to keep your machines running at their best so you can continue offering optimal solutions for your customers. That’s why all Vape-Jet filling and capping machines include a renewable one-year warranty with a service level agreement. This agreement includes access to our dedicated support team, free troubleshooting and how-to articles, self-guided repair and maintenance documentation (including manuals for our Vape-Jet, Jet Fueler, and Squish-o-Matic), and so much more. 

Need urgent support? Our support response times are as quick as 15 minutes and always the same business day. As Joey Stutz from True North Collective MI explains, “Anytime we have an issue, I go online or send a support message, and they’re on it within a day. If it’s super time-sensitive. Just the other day, we had an issue with the needle, and they got on within 30-45 minutes. Customer service is great.” 

We will also provide free overnight shipping for any materials or parts you need to get your operation back online as swiftly as possible. “You guys are very responsive and get parts overnighted,” Kimberly Long from Terrapin Care Station says. “I come in and fix [the Vape-Jet], and we get things going.” 

Customer Feedback Integration

We recognize that our customers are the best resource we have for improving our machines. In fact, several features of our vape cartridge-filling machines are the result of customer feedback, including: 

  • Automated workflow improvements 
  • Multi-shot dispensing options for tinctures 
  • Non-standard fill pattern optimization for irregular trays 

Want to read more about our customers’ experiences and interactions with the Vape-Jet crew? Check out our customer features: Terrapin Care Station, True North Collective-MI, C3 Industries.   

See How Six Star Service and Support Benefits You

“Best filling machine out there, not just because of the technology and efficiency of the machines, but because of the people in this company and the support they continuously provide. You can’t put a price on what you get with Vape-Jet.” – Vertical Supply Company  

If you’re looking for an automated vape cartridge-filling solution provider that embraces achieving more together, then you should see how we can optimize your operation for the long haul and contact our sales team today. 

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  

Interested in our new partner program? Learn more here. 

Categories
Uncategorized Vape Hardware

Vape-Jet Hardware Partner: CILICON 

Introducing the Vape-Jet Hardware Partner Program 

At Vape-Jet, our team has spent the last four years developing our filling technology to create the most versatile, advanced vape cartridge-filling machine on the market. With compatibility being a major demand in the industry, we’ve focused on delivering the ultimate freedom of choice for our customers. That’s why our filling machines work with many styles of 510 cartridges, pods, and disposables, so our customers can make their vape hardware selections with confidence. 

But why stop there? 

So far, we’ve chosen to recommend hardware manufacturers based solely on our customers’ experiences. And while our customers provide valuable feedback, we decided to take things a step further and really dial in compatible hardware vendors to assure the highest quality filling operation for Vape-Jet users. With the new Vape-Jet Partner Program, we’ve done just that.  

Vape-Jet hardware partners are thoroughly vetted by our team, extensively QA-tested in the field, and are dedicated to optimizing their hardware to run seamlessly on our equipment. With this program, we will provide a comprehensive, one-stop solution for all your vape production needs, from hardware to filling to capping. This is the future of vape cartridge production. 

Our First Official Vape Hardware Partner: CILICON  

CILICON+ Logo
CILICON+ Vape Hardware

What makes a true partnership work? A shared set of values and the desire to achieve more together. By partnering with CILICON, we recognize a company with a similar drive for innovation and technology that made our equipment so successful in the field. Equally as important, CILICON shares our belief that by working together, rather than competing, we can do more to help our customers achieve success.  

By focusing our efforts on collaboration, we combine our industry-leading automated filling machines with CILICON’s extensive product catalog and enhanced market analysis to inform future hardware designs. But that’s not all. With guaranteed hardware compatibility and standard operating procedures, your vape-filling experience has never been easier or more efficient. 

Together, CILICON and Vape-Jet provide an Integrated Vape-Filling Solution.  

Elevating Your Vape Cartridge Production Together 

Vape-Jet 

  • Premier vape-filling automation technology 
  • Innovation driven product design and development  
  • Industry-leading proactive product support, data analytics, and fleet management  

CILICON 

Vape-Jet x CILICON 

  • Driven by Technology—two businesses built on a foundation of independently-developed equipment and informed by real-world data analysis. 
  • Cannabis Synergy—end-to-end vape cartridge services. 
  • Customer Focus—market research and hardware alignment solve equipment problems faster and make your life easier. 
Vape-Jet 4.0 Filling CILICON Vape Hardware (510 Cartridges)
Vape-Jet 4.0 Filling CILICON Vape Hardware (Machine Vision System)

Work Smarter by Working Together 

Integrated Services: Comprehensive product solutions

Optimize your vape-filling process with confidence using Vape-Jet x CILICON as a one-stop solution for all your production needs, from filling to capping, with the flexibility of choosing a fully-automatic Vape-Jet or semi-automatic Jet Fueler. 

Streamlined Workflow: Reduced communication, manufacturing, and labor costs

Cutting out the middleman and working together directly creates the ultimate cost-effective workflow with fewer delays and lower communication, manufacturing, and labor costs. 

Guaranteed Compatibility: Confirmed hardware integration

Our teams have worked tirelessly to set and confirm optimal hardware compatibility, so you don’t have to. See compatible hardware. 

Standardized Operating Procedures: Tailored hardware support

Effortless filling begins with automated workflows and precise documentation specifically for each hardware type.  

Unified Mission: Collaboration over competition

Why waste time and energy competing when we can achieve better results together? As strategic partners, our sole focus is customer success. 

Cutting-Edge Innovation: Driven by technology

Two businesses built on a foundation of independently developed equipment and informed by real-world data analysis.

How Vape-Jet x CILICON Supported Fernway’s “Traveler Collection”  

At Vape-Jet, we want the best results for our customers. That’s why real-world success is one of the most important components of our new Hardware Partner Program. Recently, we worked with CILICON on the successful release of Fernway’s new Traveler collection. 

Fernway Traveler Collection - Filled by Vape-Jet 3.0 Using CILICON Hardware
Image Source Fernway Traveler Collection
Fernway Traveler Collection - Filled by Vape-Jet 3.0 Using CILICON Hardware
Image Source Fernway Traveler Collection
Fernway Traveler Collection - Filled by Vape-Jet 3.0 Using CILICON Hardware

Who is Fernway? Fernway is a cannabis oil and hardware provider located in Northampton, Massachusetts. Partnering with CILICON to design the ultimate recyclable, all-in-one cannabis vape makes perfect sense when you consider Fernway’s emphasis on providing high-quality cannabis products. Since Fernway is also a devoted Vape-Jet user (we said they ‘emphasized providing high-quality cannabis products,’ right?), we reached out to get the inside scoop. 

Q. What product launch did you develop with CILICON and Vape-Jet?
A. “This month, Fernway launched the Traveler Collection, Massachusetts’ first recyclable all-in-one vape product, available in 0.3g and 0.7g sizes.” 

Q. What challenges did you face during this process, and how did these brands work together to help you overcome them?
A. “Despite the new form factor, the CILICON and Vape-Jet teams worked together to rapidly design and produce a custom filling solution that allows us to fill the TRAVELER devices just as efficiently as our 510 cartridges.” 

Q. What was your customer experience while bringing this product to market?
A. “CILICON and Vape-Jet have both supported Fernway with excellent customer service by being responsive to issues and proactively working with us to improve our product and processes. Any time we have an issue with our equipment, the Vape-Jet team is just a phone call/video call away to resolve our issues, and their ability to remote into the machines from their office has proved invaluable to diagnose new issues.” 

“By having Vape-Jet and CILICON work together to launch the Traveler, we were able to shorten our launch schedule by more than 6 weeks.” 

#notadroptowaste 

As your integrated vape-filling solution provider, CILICON x Vape-Jet are determined to protect your oil with the finest hardware because, when it comes to filling oil, there is #notadroptowaste.  

If you are interested in becoming another success story and providing the highest-quality product for your customers, reach out to our crew to learn how CILICON and Vape-Jet can work together to elevate your vape-filling operation.  

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements including more CILICON x Vape-Jet customer features to come. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

Vape-Jet 4.0 Filling CILICON Vape Hardware (510 Cartridges)
Vape-Jet 4.0 Filling CILICON Vape Hardware (510 Cartridges)
Vape-Jet 4.0 Filling CILICON Vape Hardware (510 Cartridges)
Categories
Jet Fueler Jet-Fueler Uncategorized Vape-Jet

True North Collective MI: Customer Feature

A Shared Dedication to Quality

When it comes to offering transformative solutions for your customers, you have to embrace a growth mindset that challenges the status quo. Every day, our team at Vape-Jet has lived by this ethos, and we love when others do too. That’s why it should be no surprise that today, we’re focusing on True North Collective—an unapologetically authentic purveyor of craft cannabis products.  

As one of Michigan’s premier cannabis brands, you can bet that the True North Collective (TNC) team doesn’t take any shortcuts. Since 2019, they’ve emphasized the healing potential of cannabis and have cultivated multi-award-winning products for medical and recreational users alike. 

True North Collective - From Michigan, For Michigan | Click to Learn More

With three brands in the TNC family, it didn’t take long before their vape cartridge-filling production needed a boost. Most importantly, this wasn’t a time to take shortcuts with their operation. Recognizing the innovation and quality behind Vape-Jet products reflected their own high standards, Vape-Jet automation and True North Collective were a perfect match. TNC decided to invest in our Vape-Jet 3.0 fully automatic and a Jet Fueler 2.0 semi-automatic filler, and that’s where our story begins.  

This week, we sat down with TNC-Michigan’s Distillation Director, Joey Stutz to see how their operation had changed since acquiring our cartridge-filling machines: 

Vape-Jet in action at True North Collective’s Michigan facility.

Before and After 

Before investing in their first Vape-Jet, TNC was filling cartridges by hand with a generic cartridge-filling gun. Since there were no heating elements in the filling gun, fill techs had to heat the oil separately. With this heating variable added to an already physically intensive filling process, TNC had to dedicate up to six employees at a time for filling and capping, which limited them to filling 50-100 cartridges at a time and up to 1,000-2,000 a day. 

And after they bought a Vape-Jet? 

With the Vape-Jet they can fill about 4,000 distillate cartridges per day—and that’s with one person for filling and capping. Needless to say, that was a huge improvement over hand-filling! 

With the speed and precision of a Vape-Jet in their facility, TNC saw an opportunity to use our semi-automatic Jet Fueler to generate new products, like a line of premium sauce cartridges coming to market soon. For businesses looking to accelerate their growth by adding product lines—or rapidly boosting their throughput to meet demand and enter new markets—the flexibility of a Vape-Jet and Jet Fueler tandem is highly effective. 

With their move to Vape-Jet automation, TNC also switched to AVD EazyPress cartridges (one of Vape-Jet’s most filled hardware suppliers) for a seamless production workflow. “We did R&D on a bunch of different disposables, pods, and other carts that aren’t EasyPress, but ultimately the best flavor came from the EasyPress AVD [cartridges],” Joey says. 

Jet Fueler 2.0 The Most Advanced Semi-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More

Labor Cost 

By switching to Vape-Jet, True North Collective reduced its labor needs by 83% while doubling its production output.  

“The Vape-Jet is automated, so you need someone in the room watching it, but they can also be doing something else while the machine is running itself. It’s not like that person is just dedicated to filling the entire time or just dedicated to one other process. The machine makes it so that one person can get carts ready, they can get the oil ready for the carts and mix the terpenes into it, they can watch the machine and cap at the same time. [The Vape-Jet] makes it very easy for us to reduce the amount of labor overall,” Joey says. “We don’t even have to use the VJ every day right now because it can fill so many, and it’s so efficient.”  

What about fill accuracy? Any improvement there?  

Although their hand-filling operator was very skilled and experienced, it would have been difficult if they had to train someone new. “Whereas the Vape-Jet comes in, and you just work a computer a little bit, and you’re good to go,” Joey says. “There’s not a lot of skill required to operate this machine, just knowledge.”  

How easy is it to operate a Vape-Jet? Contact our crew to request a live demo and see for yourself.

Vape-Jet Product Support 

Creating an extensive, easily accessed online product support library has been, and remains, a main focus for the Vape-Jet team. With an abundance of resources for new Vape-Jet users and veterans alike, folks can easily find: 

Joey emphasizes this comprehensive approach to product support as a key component of the success TNC has had with their machines. “Anytime we have an issue, I go online or send a support message, and they’re on it within a day. If it’s super time-sensitive,” Joey continues, “[Vape-Jet support] is right on it. Just the other day, we had an issue with the needle, and they got on within 30-45 minutes. Customer service is great.”   

Operator Tips from Joey 

  • For faster changeover between batches, make sure to purchase an extra reservoir for oil so you can have it ready as soon as your cleaning cycle ends. You can also get a DropTank Oil Preheater to perform hot swaps and save more time. 
  • Try to run the same cannabis strain back-to-back so you don’t have to wait for the cleaning process. 
  • Always be aware if the nitrogen is connected or disconnected to the oil reservoir (depending on the task at hand) because it can make a huge mess.  
Vape-Jet 4.0 | The Most Advanced Fully-Automatic Vape Cartridge Filling Machine - Click to Learn More

Why Vape-Jet? 

Ease of use 

“I really like the efficiency of your machine. You literally just put the brick in there, it fills the brick, and then you take the brick out. It’s that easy,” Joey explains. “Every other machine that we saw was a little bit more manual or had some other things that you had to do to them.”  

Operation Consistency 

“I also liked that the Vape-Jet was a single fill vs. filling 100 cartridges at one time because I’ve never seen that work correctly.”   

Pricing 

“The price is excellent. It’s probably 50-66% the cost of the machines that claim they can do a similar amount.” And that’s without getting into fill repeatability, where the Vape–Jet outpaces all competitors with a fill variability of ±0.25%. That’s more precise than a single drop of oil! 

Look 

“And,” Joey emphasizes, “it looks cool! It’s something that when someone is touring the facility, they look at it and they’re like ‘That looks pretty cool!’ instead of a big clunky machine just sitting there that we have to explain what it does.” 

“10/10 Would Recommend” 

Before we said goodbye, we asked Joey how likely he was to recommend our vape cartridge-filling machines to others: “10/10—would recommend,” Joey said. We can’t ask for a better score than that! 

As they look to ramp up production soon (and possibly bring another Vape-Jet on board), we wish True North Collective the very best moving forward. We couldn’t be happier to watch their customer-centered focus on quality pay off. We also want to thank Joey Stutz for taking the time to speak with us and share his unique insights. It’s always a pleasure speaking with other folks who are passionate about cannabis and process development. 

If you want to experience freedom from workflow, labor, and product quality constraints that Joey describes, contact our sales team and join the Vape-Jet Revolution! 

Interested in learning more? Browse one of our other informational blogs:  

While you’re at it, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly Re:Fill newsletter to get early access to company updates, product releases, and other exciting announcements. Follow us on the essentials, too: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.