How food manufacturers in Europe are automating palletizing without adding headcount

Across Italy and the DACH region, food manufacturers are facing the same reality:

• Increasing production demand
• Labor shortages and rising costs
• End-of-line processes limiting throughput

And more often than not, the bottleneck isn’t where you think.

It’s palletizing.

The challenge: Scaling without hiring

A premium Italian manufacturer of chocolate, pastries, and snacks recently faced this exact situation.

Their setup was simple — but limiting:

• 1 operator per palletizing station
• €40,000/year labor cost
• 1 shift, 1 line

Scaling production meant only one thing:
Hiring more operators

But in today’s labor market, that’s:

• Expensive
• Unreliable
• Hard to sustain long-term

So they asked a better question:

“How can we increase output without increasing labor?”

The application: typical (and challenging) food industry constraints

This wasn’t a niche use case. It’s exactly what many manufacturers deal with daily:

• Cardboard boxes up to 17 kg
• 6–10 picks per minute
• Pallets up to 1,700 mm
• Interlayers required
• Boxes arriving via conveyor, consistently oriented

In other words:

Too demanding for manual scaling
But traditionally seen as too complex for flexible automation

The solution: Robotiq Lean Palletizing (PE20 model)

Instead of going with a rigid, high-cost automation system, the manufacturer selected:

Robotiq PE20

Because it’s designed specifically for manufacturers who need:

Fast deployment

No major layout changes. No long integration cycles.

Safe collaboration

Operate without fencing — ideal for existing production environments.

flexibility

Handle multiple SKUs, box sizes, and pallet patterns without re-engineering.

Ease of use

Operators can run the system without robotics expertise.

The results: Immediate ROI and scalable growth

€40,000 saved per year — per station

By removing one manual palletizing role:

• Labor costs dropped instantly
• Payback became highly predictable

Increased throughput

With a stable pick rate of 6–10 picks/min:

• No more end-of-line bottlenecks
• Production can scale with confidence

Better pallet quality

• Consistent stacking
• Integrated interlayer handling
• Reduced product damage

Future-proof operations

As production evolves:

• New products? No problem
• New formats? Easily configurable
• New demands? Already covered

Why this matters for Italian & DACH manufacturers

If you’re running a food production line in:

Italy
Germany
Austria
Switzerland

You’re likely dealing with:

• High labor costs
• Workforce shortages
• Pressure to increase efficiency

The reality:
Manual palletizing doesn’t scale anymore.

The opportunity:
Automation doesn’t have to be complex or risky.

The smartest first step in automation

Many manufacturers think they need to automate entire lines.

But in reality:

Palletizing is often the fastest, lowest-risk entry point into automation

• Quick ROI
• Minimal disruption
• Immediate impact

Is your application a good fit?

Not every palletizing setup is the same.

The real question is:

Will this work for your boxes, your rates, your layout?

Try the Palletizing Fit Tool (2 Minutes)

Get a clear answer instantly:

• Check if your application is compatible
• Estimate ROI based on your inputs
• Get a recommended configuration

Start your evaluation now with the Palletizing Fit Tool