Australian Fruit Bar Manufacturer Improves Packaging Efficiency with the PAKSMART® PC40 Automatic Load Cartoner
- May 15
- 3 min read
Updated: May 18
When an Australian fruit bar manufacturer needed a more efficient way to package its growing range of flow wrapped fruit bars, the goal was to improve packing consistency, reduce manual handling, increase production throughput and create a scalable automation platform capable of supporting multiple carton formats. The project also included the integration of a carton printing system to streamline coding and product identification within the packaging process.
To meet these requirements, Fibre King supplied the PAKSMART® PC40 Carton System — a compact servo-driven end load cartoner designed to automate carton erecting and sealing while supporting flexible production environments.
For this application, the customer chose a semi-automatic configuration with hand loading to suit existing production processes, while retaining the ability to upgrade to fully automatic loading in the future as production volumes increase.
PAKSMART® is Fibre King’s dedicated cartoning machinery brand, bringing together decades of Australian packaging automation expertise with compact, flexible cartoning technology.
Customer Requirements
The manufacturer required a cartoning solution that could:
Improve packing efficiency, volume and carton presentation
Reduce repetitive manual handling
Support multiple carton sizes and pack formats
Maintain simple day-to-day operation for production staff with an infeed system capable of supporting multiple operators during peak demand.
Fit within existing factory space
Provide flexibility for future production growth
The system needed to handle several fruit bar configurations, including:
Product Configuration | Carton Size |
6 x 15g Bars | 110 x 25 x 130mm |
8 x 20g Bars | 120 x 32 x 139mm |
14 x 20g Bars | 138 x 38 x 145mm |
20 x 20g Bars | 180 x 40 x 145mm |
25 x 20g Bars | 180 x 48 x 145mm |
The Fibre King & PAKSMART® Solution
Fibre King supplied the PAKSMART® PC40 — a compact horizontal end load cartoner designed for low to moderate production environments with output speeds of up to 40 cartons per minute.
The system automates:
Carton erecting
Product transfer and loading
Flap tucking
Hot melt glue application
Final carton sealing
Operators manually place products into indexed infeed buckets before automatic transfer into cartons, creating an efficient balance between operator control and automated cartoning.
The servo-driven intermittent motion design delivers smooth and repeatable carton handling while improving packing consistency and reducing unnecessary manual handling.
Flexible Production with Fast Changeovers
A key requirement was the ability to manage multiple product formats efficiently.
The PC40 includes:
Servo motor carton flight adjustment
Adjustable bucket infeed system
Digital readout changeover adjustments
Recipe selection via HMI touchscreen
Automated carton positioning
Optional Batch code/ Best Before date printing
These features allow operators to switch between pack formats quickly while minimising downtime.
Operational Outcomes
By implementing the PAKSMART® PC40, the manufacturer achieved:
Improved packing consistency across multiple product formats
Reduced repetitive manual handling during the cartoning process
Faster and simpler product changeovers
Improved carton presentation and sealing quality
Greater production flexibility without increasing factory footprint
A scalable automation platform ready for future expansion
The solution also simplified operator involvement, allowing staff to focus primarily on product loading, carton replenishment, and system monitoring via the HMI interface.
Compact Automation Designed for Growth
This project demonstrates how compact automation can improve packaging efficiency without introducing unnecessary operational complexity.
By combining ergonomic hand loading with automated cartoning functions and flexible size change capability, the PAKSMART® PC40 provides manufacturers with a practical pathway toward increased automation as production demands evolve.
For higher production volumes, Fibre King also offers the PAKSMART® PC60 and PC120 cartoning systems for increased throughput and automation capability.
Flexible Rental Options Available
Fibre King also offers rental options on selected standard equipment, including the PAKSMART® PC40 Cartoner.
Benefits include:
Reduced upfront capital expenditure
Predictable operating costs
Faster deployment of automation
Included maintenance and service support
Operator training and local technical support
About Fibre King
Fibre King is an Australian-owned manufacturer specialising in end-of-line packaging automation systems for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care and FMCG industries.
With more than 100 years of engineering expertise, Fibre King designs and manufactures:
Cartoning machines
Case packers
Palletising systems
Depalletisers
Conveying systems
Crate handling solutions
Integrated automation systems
Following the integration of PAKSMART® into the Fibre King group, customers benefit from expanded engineering capability, national service support, and fully integrated packaging automation solutions backed by local manufacturing expertise.
Looking to Improve Your Packaging Operations?
Whether introducing your first cartoning system or planning for future production growth, Fibre King and PAKSMART® can help deliver a packaging automation solution tailored to your operational requirements.
Contact the Fibre King team to discuss your packaging automation requirements on
1300 831 330
(+61 7 3293 8800)
