Automated Wraparound Case Packing Delivers Material and Labor Savings
Situation
A leading food manufacturer was looking to modernize its end‑of‑line packaging operations to support growing retail demand for stand‑up pouch products while reducing operational risk on the plant floor.
At the time, the operation relied heavily on manual labor. Eight to ten employees were required to hand‑pack product into traditional RSC (Regular Slotted Container) cases, with additional personnel dedicated to palletizing finished cases and transporting them by forklift to a stretch wrapper located in another area of the facility. This labor‑intensive process limited throughput, consumed valuable warehouse space, and created ongoing safety concerns due to forklift traffic in tight quarters.
Labor availability further compounded the challenge. Staffing shortages made the operation vulnerable to downtime, with production at risk if even one or two employees were unavailable. In addition, the existing box‑and‑tray packaging configuration used excess corrugate and required multiple handling steps downstream at retail.
The customer needed a scalable, automated solution that could reduce labor dependency, improve safety, optimize space, and lower material usage without compromising product integrity for delicate stand‑up pouch packaging.
Solution
Group O partnered with the customer to design and implement a fully integrated end‑of‑line automation solution centered around wraparound case packing, inline palletizing, and stretch wrapping.
The system includes two Sotemapack WA20 Racetrack automatic wraparound case packers engineered specifically to handle stand‑up pouches. Rather than dropping product into cases, the wraparound process gently places and secures product while forming the corrugated blank around it—preserving product integrity and ensuring consistent case quality.
To support the customer’s space constraints and safety goals, Group O integrated palletizing and stretch wrapping directly into the end of the line. This eliminated the need to transport unstable pallets across the facility and reduced forklift traffic in active work areas. Finished pallets are now built and wrapped in a single location before being removed by one forklift operator.
The project included a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) at the manufacturer’s facility in Italy, allowing the customer to validate equipment performance, case quality, and line efficiency prior to installation. Additional collaboration and training across multiple Aetna Robopac Group facilities further strengthened the solution design, exposing the team to complementary technologies across semi‑automatic packaging, high‑speed shrink and stretch systems, and advanced palletizing solutions.
By delivering the system through a single, coordinated integration strategy, Group O provided a cohesive end‑of‑line solution without relying on multiple third‑party suppliers.
Results
The packaging automation project is delivering measurable operational improvements across labor efficiency, safety, material usage, and space optimization.
The solution highlights Group O’s ability to deliver end‑to‑end packaging automation systems that improve performance today while supporting long‑term growth.
By automating case packing, palletizing, and stretch wrapping, the customer significantly reduced labor requirements at the end of the line. Manual packing and palletizing positions were eliminated, allowing employees to be reassigned to higher‑value production and shipping roles.
What once required more than ten people now operates with a single forklift operator removing completed, fully wrapped pallets. This shift stabilized staffing needs, reduced reliance on hard‑to‑fill manual roles, and lowered the risk of production downtime caused by labor shortages.
The transition from traditional RSC cases to wraparound cartons reduced corrugate usage while improving packaging efficiency. The new die‑cut wraparound case design eliminated the need for a separate box and tray combination.
Each case features perforations that allow the top portion to be removed at retail, leaving a display‑ready tray formed from a single piece of corrugated. This design reduced corrugate consumption by approximately 30%, lowering material costs and supporting sustainability initiatives. In states with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, this reduction may also help lower reporting volumes and associated fees.
Automation reduced space requirements throughout the facility. Carton blank storage needs were reduced by approximately 50%, freeing up warehouse space for finished goods.
Additional space savings were achieved by integrating palletizing and stretch wrapping directly into the line. By eliminating the need to move pallets across the plant, the customer reduced congestion, improved traffic flow, and avoided the footprint challenges associated with standalone equipment.
The transition from traditional RSC cases to wraparound cartons reduced corrugate usage while improving packaging efficiency. The new die‑cut wraparound case design eliminated the need for a separate box and tray combination.
Each case features perforations that allow the top portion to be removed at retail, leaving a display‑ready tray formed from a single piece of corrugated. This design reduced corrugate consumption by approximately 30%, lowering material costs and supporting sustainability initiatives. In states with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, this reduction may also help lower reporting volumes and associated fees.
Inline palletizing and stretch wrapping significantly reduced forklift traffic and pedestrian interaction on the plant floor. Pallets are now secured immediately after being built, eliminating the risk of shifting loads during transport and reducing OSHA concerns related to manual handling and forklift operations.
The automated system consistently produces high‑quality wraparound cases optimized for stand‑up pouches and retail presentation. Because the product is placed rather than dropped, case integrity and product quality are maintained throughout the packaging process. The result is a durable, retail‑ready package that supports both transportation performance and shelf display requirements.
