When projected growth surpassed manual palletizing capabilities, Paramount Citrus looked for a solution that combined the speed of automation with flexibility to accommodate multiple packaging types.

There’s tired and there’s down for the count. Eugene, Oregon-based grain processor Grain Millers, Inc. was both before changing bagging machines in 2008. Today, with a new machine on its floor and workers who no longer have to break their backs to get the bagging job done, Grain Millers increased its production by about 40 percent.

From Twinkies to Ho Hos, Ding Dongs and Cup Cakes, Hostess’s various product brands are a part of the childhood memories of many Americans. Not surprisingly, the news of them vanishing forever from store shelves at the end of 2012 started a large public outcry with last supplies being bought out within hours of the news and the temporary development of a flourishing market on eBay.

Intelligrated integrates Alvey robotic and conventional palletizing system to handle Hershey’s wide range of product.

For Washington Fruit & Produce, Co., one of Washington state’s largest shippers of apples, maintaining the most effective technology possible for distribution center (DC) operations is a constant requirement.

A Philly cheesesteak sandwich is a culinary indulgence to some and a dietary staple to others. Thin slices of beef, chicken or pork piled high on an Amoroso-style roll with lots of melted cheese is a palate-pleasing treat that originated in Philadelphia, but can now be found in sandwich shops all over the world.

In the food industry, it is important to consider that sterilization isn’t a “one size fits all” type of formula. Certain product-sensitive foods, such as baby food, require the utmost sterilization.

Here is what you need to know: the global packaging market is sustaining growth. According to Smithers Pira, the 2015 global packaging market was valued at about $400 billion. Growth underlines a shift in balance toward emerging markets, such as BRIC. North America showed a moderate increase from the prior year and is valued at $108 billion. Food packaging is the largest segment, accounting for 51 percent of the total market value. Beverage packaging accounts for 18 percent, followed by 6 percent for pharmaceutical.

Pucks are common in the cosmetics industries, particularly fragrances, where they are needed to hold odd shaped bottles. Highly finished bottles are sometimes run in pucks to keep them from getting scuffed by guide rails or other bottles on the line. Pucks with metal inserts are be used with a magnetic conveyor to carry aerosol cans through a water bath to check for propellant leaks.

For craft beer and other beverage manufacturers, business is booming. So it’s no wonder that these new and growing companies are seeking packaging and labeling solutions that help them compete effectively in the market.

By asking the right questions, companies can design robotic systems that maximize end-of-line efficiency and ROI.

Conventional automatic palletizers have been available since the 1950’s. In the 1990’s, gantry and then jointed arm robots made significant inroads in palletizing, leading many to conclude that the conventional palletizer’s days were numbered. Rather than getting immersed in ambiguous statistics and marketing buzzwords like “flexible” or “fixed automation,” this paper will look at the specific applications that favor each technology to determine if the future of palletizing is exclusively robotic.