High-Performance Centralised Palletising System for Multi-Line Food Manufacturing
- 13 hours ago
- 5 min read
Smart automation designed to streamline complex end-of-line operations
As production demands continue to increase across the food manufacturing sector, manufacturers are looking for smarter ways to improve throughput, reduce manual handling and create safer, more efficient production environments.
That was the challenge facing a major Australian food manufacturer at its Victorian facility.
The site operated multiple production areas handling chilled sauces, pasta products, fruit pies and tray meal products, with each line operating its own palletising process in separate areas throughout the factory. Existing processes relied heavily on manual pallet movement and forklift interaction, creating inefficiencies within the facility and limiting opportunities for future expansion.
To support continued growth and improve operational efficiency, Fibre King was engaged to design and deliver a fully integrated central palletising automation system capable of servicing four key production lines from one streamlined platform.
Engineering a smarter end-of-line solution
Following detailed consultation with stakeholders and a comprehensive review of the available floor space, Fibre King developed a centralised modular palletising hub built around four Fibre King Compact Modular Palletisers (CMPs).
Designed and manufactured by Fibre King as part of the company’s palletising systems offering, the CMPs were selected for their compact footprint, operational flexibility, independent line function (compared to a central robotic solution) and reliable performance across multiple production lines. Manufacturing the palletisers in-house also enabled Fibre King to tailor the solution specifically to the operational requirements of the facility while ensuring seamless integration across the broader automation system.
The project was designed to streamline product flow, automate pallet handling and reduce forklift traffic throughout the operational area while creating a scalable platform for future production growth.
“Projects like this are about much more than palletising,” said Fibre King.“It’s about understanding touchpoints in the current process and engineering an automation solution that improves the overall operation.”
Site feedback throughout the project also reinforced the value of working with an Australian automation partner. Having direct access to local engineering expertise, responsive support and a team that understood the operational requirements of Australian food manufacturing environments was seen as a significant advantage throughout the delivery process.
“We often hear from customers that they’ve experienced challenges working with offshore suppliers where support and responsiveness can become difficult,” Fibre King said.“Being Australian designed and engineered means we can work closely with customers throughout the entire project lifecycle and provide ongoing support long after commissioning.”
The final solution integrated automated conveying, intelligent product sorting, Fibre King palletising technology, pallet handling and stretch wrapping into one coordinated end-of-line system.
Project scope
The centralised palletising solution included:
Four Fibre King Compact Modular Palletisers (CMPs)
Automated pallet dispensing, handling and transfer system
Spiral Lowerator Conveyors
Intelligent case conveying and sorting
Automated pallet shuttle system
Barcode identification and product routing
Integrated stretch wrapping system
Centralised controls and safety systems
Installation, commissioning and operator training
Built-in redundancy for operational reliability
During the design phase, Fibre King also evaluated alternative palletising approaches, including a single robotic palletising system servicing multiple production lines.
While robotic palletising was considered, the final solution was intentionally designed around four dedicated Fibre King CMP palletisers — one assigned to each production line.
This approach provided an important layer of operational redundancy across the facility. By decentralising palletising operations, the manufacturer could continue running unaffected production lines even if maintenance or downtime occurred on another line.
“In high-volume food manufacturing environments, operational uptime is critical,” Fibre King said.“Designing the system with dedicated palletising capability per line gave the customer greater flexibility and significantly reduced the risk of a single point of failure impacting the broader operation.”
The approach also provided improved line independence, simplified product flow management and greater flexibility for future production scheduling and expansion.
Intelligent conveying and product handling
To support efficient product flow from multiple production areas, Fibre King engineered an integrated conveying and sorting network designed to feed products into the central palletising system.
Products from the sauce and pasta operations were conveyed through automated spiral lowerators before entering the palletising area, while separate conveying infrastructure managed product flow from the remaining production lines.
Automated sorting technology and barcode identification systems enabled products to be directed to the appropriate palletising lanes, helping streamline end-of-line handling across the facility.
The modular design also provides flexibility for future throughput increases and system expansion as operational requirements evolve.
Compact palletising technology with maximum flexibility
At the centre of the installation were four Fibre King Compact Modular Palletisers.
Designed for applications requiring flexibility, reliability and compact footprint efficiency, the CMP systems automatically pick and place cartons onto pallets using Fibre King’s gantry-style vacuum picking technology.
The palletisers were configured to accommodate multiple carton sizes and pallet patterns while allowing rapid product changeovers between production runs.
“Manufacturers are increasingly dealing with greater product variation and changing production demands,” Fibre King explained.“The ability to adapt quickly while maintaining reliable throughput was a key focus of this project.”
The system also incorporated automated pallet exchange functionality, allowing completed pallets to transfer directly into the pallet handling network while new pallets were introduced without interrupting production flow.
Reducing forklift traffic through automation
A major objective of the project was reducing forklift interaction within operational areas.
To achieve this, Fibre King delivered a fully integrated pallet transport and handling system incorporating automated pallet dispensing, powered pallet conveyors, dual-level shuttle transfer technology and pallet accumulation leading into stretch wrapping and dispatch.
Completed pallets were automatically transferred into a rotating arm stretch wrapping system, helping improve load consistency and operational efficiency across the facility.
The result was a cleaner, safer and more streamlined end-of-line operation with improved product flow throughout the production environment, and segregated forklift movements from operational staff.
Operational outcomes
The completed automation solution delivered significant operational improvements across the facility, including:
Reduced and segregated forklift traffic
Improved pallet handling efficiency
Streamlined end-of-line product flow
Reduced manual handling requirements
Improved workplace safety
Increased operational scalability
Greater automation across multiple production areas
Importantly, the modular nature of the system provides the flexibility to support future expansion as production demands continue to grow.
A century of engineering innovation
As Fibre King celebrates 100 years of engineering and manufacturing excellence, the company continues to deliver intelligent end-of-line automation solutions for manufacturers across Australia and internationally.
From palletising and conveying through to integrated packaging and materials handling systems, Fibre King designs practical automation solutions tailored to the real-world challenges facing modern manufacturing operations.
Let’s Talk About Your Line
Whether you’re upgrading an existing facility or designing a new one, Fibre King delivers automation solutions built around your operation—not the other way around.
Talk to our team about your next palletising or end-of-line automation 1300 831 330, +61 73293 8800
