Palletizers: Putting product in its place

Building a pallet, especially a mixed SKU, or rainbow pallet, can be a challenge, but it’s a vital link in the supply chain.

While the palletizing needs of a manufacturer with limited SKUs may differ from a DC with hundreds, both can see the bottom line impacted by the palletizing process. “In all cases, companies today are working from a continuous improvement perspective,” explains Tom Eagan, vice president of industry relations for the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI).

Here’s a look at how five companies took proactive steps to solve their palletizing problems and how those solutions have contributed to successful process improvements.

Pallet positioners reduce strain, increase control
HVAC industry leader, Belimo invests in pallet positioners to safeguard workers from fatigue and injury.

Palletizing system increases throughput, cuts labor costs
Graphic Packaging International installs a complete palletizing solution to meet throughput goals and reassign workers to more skilled positions.

Palletizer offers flexible patterns and eliminates hand stacking
High-infeed palletizers at Producers Rice Mill increase production and uptime while reducing expenses.

Robotic layer picker increases safety, quality and productivity
Nestlé turns to an integrated robotic layer picking solution to transform workplace safety and significantly improved the productivity of mixed case palletizing.

Articulated arm robotic palletizer picks up 220 pounds at one time
In its new DC, Dunn-Edwards uses a specially designed robotic system to handle today’s palletizing needs and accommodate future company growth.