Air cushion machines

What is an air cushion machine?

An air cushion machine is an automated system which inflates air cushions for use as in-the-box protective packaging. At Kite, we supply three varieties of Mini Air machines that are scalable to suit businesses of almost any size. The void fill machines use automation to accelerate packing processes through the inflation of air cushions. These air pads are ideal for interleaving, block and brace pack methods, void fill and cushioning. 

In comparison to other in-the-box packaging, the Mini Air cushions are very lightweight and utilise a thin layer of 100% recyclable plastic, hence using a very small quantity of material to produce highly effective shock absorption. This makes it an economical and environmentally conscious system. Moreover, both the machine itself and the rolls of film are space saving by taking up significantly less storage capacity than other popular cushioning products such as loose fill chips or bubble wrap.

Which Mini Air machine is right for me? 

This depends entirely on the size of your operation, how many orders you deal with on a daily basis and your output. This machine is a smart space-saving system, especially for smaller businesses where storage may be limited. Films arrive flat on a roll ready for inflation, conserving considerable amounts of space in comparison to bubble wrap and allowing more room for stock. 

All films are 100% recyclable, consisting of 1% plastic and 99% air, helping you minimise your negative impact on the planet.

All Mini Air machines come with a free 1 year parts and labour return to base warranty beginning on the day of purchase, covering all electrical and mechanical defects. 

See below for more information.  

Mini Air Easi

Mini Air Easi is an entry level version of our popular Mini Air Classic air cushion inflating system. Tailored towards small businesses with low-volume operations, it increases efficiency by providing reliable in-house package production ideal for those sending out under 100 parcels a day. Use Mini Air Easi in conjunction with our filler 200/150 and wrapper quilt small films to create effective interleaving, block and brace, void fill and cushioning protection within packages. 

Mini Air Easi provides impressive low-cost, low-maintenance automation, running up to 8m of film per minute with adjustable settings that are easy to use, requiring no training. Once inflated, the films have very attractive eco-credentials, helping you to cater to increasingly eco-conscious consumers. 

Mini Air Classic  

Mini Air Classic has all the benefits of Mini Air Easi and more. Increase packing productivity with this mid to high level system best suited to businesses with an output of 100-400 parcels a day. Mini Air Classic offers greater versatility, inflating wrapper tube film in addition to the filler cushions and wrapper quilt film also compatible with Mini Air Easi. 

The wrapper tube film comes in two sizes, providing strong shock absorption and filling empty spaces in packages by bending around and in between products to offer block and brace protection. With this system, you have the choice of using up to three sizes of filler cushion for shock absorption, void fill and layering within small to large sized parcels. The wrapper quilts come in two sizes and are great for wrapping, interleaving and moulding around products, acting as a tough barrier against impact. 

Mini Air Classic comes with easy to use, self-explanatory adjustable settings. This multifunctional automated system runs up to 18m of film per minute and is capable of adapting to the specific needs of your parcels, perfect for businesses selling products of varying shapes and sizes. 

Mini Air Paper

The Mini Air Paper system is a compact paper air cushion inflating and dispensing machine which offers an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional plastic air pillows. Producing packaging on demand, Mini Air Paper is easy to store and integrate into existing packing set ups. Cushions used in conjunction are made from 100% recyclable, biodegradable and compostable kraft paper which not only aids sustainable packaging practices, but also provides excellent puncture resistance, ensuring goods are well-protected. Perforations between each cushion facilitate easy tearing and packing, while a starch-based sealant secures each cushion. Mini Air Paper is a plug-and-play system which produces 1000 cushions per roll.

Mini Air Pro

Mini Air Pro is our most advanced offering yet, made for larger businesses sending out a high volume of around 400 or over parcels a day. Its impressive levels of automation will drastically increase productivity and efficiency levels within your operation. Compatible with a larger selection of filler and wrapper films, Mini Air Pro can produce a diverse range of cushions in varying sizes, providing a multifunctional packaging solution for a variety of different products and protective requirements. 

Mini Air Pro has a considerable superior production speed, running up to 32m of film per minute with adjustable settings to allow for flexibility and scalability dependent on your needs. A self-adjusting temperature feature is also integrated into the controls to ensure best quality sealing for different film materials. 

Nine different air cushions in the form of fillers, wrapper tubes and quilts can be used in conjunction with this system for interleaving, cushioning, void fill, and block and brace protection within parcels. Please see the product table for exact dimension of films. Like the Easi and Classic models, our Mini Air Pro is also low maintenance and simple to use. 

What warranty does this void fill machine come with?

The machines are virtually maintenance-free and includes a 12-month return-to-base warranty (warranty does not cover consumable parts such as belts and blades, nor damage caused by misuse of the machine. The machine must be returned to Kite Packaging in Coventry). All machines and films undergo rigorous testing procedures to ensure that they meet our high standards. As a result, our machines have a much lower failure rate than equivalent machines in the market.

Full instructions on how to use the Mini Air machine can be found in the easy-to-follow handbook (click to download a PDF version), and our online video demonstrations show you how to do everything from starting up the machine to using air cushions.

Mini Air calculator: Use our comparison tool to see how much you could save

Cushions used in conjunction with the Mini Air machine:

• Filler cushions - filler cushions are the ideal solution for cushioning and void fill and can be used as a great alternative to loose fill, bubble wrap and many other packaging materials.
• Wrapper tube film - wrapper tube film is ideal for corner protection, blocking and bracing, layering and also for void fill.
• Wrapper quilt film - wrapper quilt film is the ideal solution for wrapping, layering and interleaving.

Click here for our recycling guide

The benefits of air cushions over traditional void fill materials:

• Cost efficient: 1 roll of Filler Mini Air cushions is equivalent to about 15 bags of loose fill chips or 10 rolls of large bubble wrap (*Comparing filler 200x200mm, 900m cushions to an industry standard 15cu ft bag of loose fill chips and 1500mm x 50m roll of large bubble wrap.)
• Space-saving: As they are inflated on demand, air bags take up much less storage space than loose fill chips or bubble wrap
• Presentable: Air bags are less messy than loose fill and are a more presentable way to protect your product
• Versatile: One machine can be used to produce different types of cushion for void fill, corner protection, wrapping and more.
• Environmental benefits: Our 200 x 150mm 13mu filler is the perfect addition to those wanting to be more environmentally friendly. It is produced using 35% less plastic without jeopardising quality, price, strength or appearance Not only is it produced using 35% less plastic, there is now also 29% more on the roll, meaning fewer roll changes, less cardboard core waste and fewer shipping movements - with all of these having a positive impact on the environment.

Quality manufacturing & testing

Our machines are manufactured to the highest standards and comply fully with EU EMC & LVD Directive 2006/95/EC. The following standards are noted:

• EN60335-1:2012 + A11:2014
• EN60335-2-45:2002 + A1:2008 + A2:2012
• EN62233:2008
• EN55014-1:2006 + A1:2009 + A2:2011
• EN55014-2:1997 + A1:2001 + A2:2008
• EN61000-3-2:2006 + A1:2009 + A2:2009
• EN61000-3-3:2013

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