Case packers
A case packer is a machine that loads finished packs into shipping cases or trays and closes them ready for palletising. Case packing is the last step of the packaging station. It receives bags, cartons, bottles, jars, cans, cups or trays after they have been sealed, coded and inspected, groups them into the right count and pattern, places them into a case and closes it. Sealed cases then pass to case coding, a case checkweigher in some plants, and the palletiser. The case protects product through storage and distribution, and for many retailers it also becomes shelf-ready packaging that goes straight onto the shelf. The main types differ in how product enters the case. Pick-and-place case packers, usually robotic, lift groups of products with grippers or suction and place them into the case, which suits fragile items, bags and mixed patterns. Drop packers collate products and let them fall into the case below, which is simple and fast for robust containers such as bottles. Side-load or horizontal case packers push product into a case lying on its side and suit cartons and rigid items. Wrap-around case packers fold a flat blank around the product group and glue it, giving a tight, strong case. Tray packers and shrink bundlers produce trays or trays with film for beverages and canned goods. Many lines include a separate case erector upstream of the packer and a case sealer, taping or gluing, downstream. Case packers are used across the food industry: for snack bags, frozen foods, dairy, bakery, confectionery, beverages, sauces and canned goods. Cost and performance depend on speed, the number of pack formats and case sizes, the loading method, product fragility, the need for shelf-ready cases, changeover time and the level of robotics. Case packers often replace repetitive manual work, so the comparison should include labour savings, ergonomics and the flexibility to handle new products and pack counts without major rebuilds.
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Buying criteria
List every product, pack count and case size the packer must handle, now and in the near future. Flexibility matters as much as speed. Choose the loading method for the product. Bags and fragile items often need robotic pick-and-place; rigid containers can use drop, side-load or wrap-around packing. Check changeover time and whether format changes are tool-free and stored as recipes. Consider case design and material. Shelf-ready and wrap-around cases can save board and handling but need a matching machine. Ask about board quality tolerance. Include the case erector, sealer, coding and palletiser interface in the comparison, and review guarding, footprint and service support. Ask how easily the packer can be reprogrammed or retooled for a new product or pack count, since retail requirements change more often than the machine is replaced.
Buyers ask
How much does a case packer cost?
It depends on the loading method, speed, the range of products and case sizes, and the level of robotics. Simple drop packers or semi-automatic systems cost less than robotic pick-and-place or wrap-around case packers with automatic changeover. Case erectors, sealers, coding and conveyors are often quoted separately and add to the total.
What is a robotic case packer?
A robotic case packer uses a robot, often a delta or articulated arm, with grippers or suction heads to pick groups of products and place them into cases. It handles fragile items, bags and varied patterns well and can be reprogrammed for new products and pack counts.
What is shelf-ready packaging?
Shelf-ready packaging is a case designed to go straight onto a retail shelf. It usually has a tear-off front or top that turns the shipping case into a display tray. Case packers must place products neatly and consistently so the display looks right when opened.
What is the difference between a case erector and a case packer?
A case erector takes flat case blanks, folds them into open cases and seals the bottom. A case packer then loads product into the open case. Some machines, such as wrap-around case packers, combine erecting, loading and closing in one unit.