Every now and then, a project comes along that reminds me why I love what I do. This recent deployment in the beverage sector did just that. It started with a phone call, moved fast, and ended with a small manufacturer punching well above their weight. 

A beverage producer on the rise

This customer is a smaller operation, but with big growth ahead. They had just secured major contracts with household-name retailers and needed to show they could scale. Fast. Automation was no longer just a nice-to-have.

They reached out through their trusted network at Universal Robots. That initial trust laid the groundwork for an efficient and confident sales process. I quickly brought in our local partner, ACS, and within a week they were on-site evaluating the space, the conveyors, the product types, and the line setup.

Bottling line, high expectations

When I heard “bottling,” I’ll admit I braced for speed challenges. Beverage applications can move fast, and packaging can be tricky. But today’s palletizing solutions are much more capable than they were even a year ago.

With UR20 and UR30 robots in the mix, and our improved gripper design, we are now picking and stacking multiple beverage cases at once. This customer needed to palletize 24-pack cases and was also preparing for two 12-pack SKUs to roll out soon. We were able to create a dual-zone gripper that could handle both: a future-proof solution right out of the gate.

Driven by growth, not just labor

Yes, labor shortages played a role in the decision to automate. But what really drove the urgency was demand. This manufacturer needed to demonstrate to their new retail partners that they could meet volume and delivery expectations. We see this more and more in the food and beverage space — small businesses landing big contracts and needing to scale up fast.

Understanding those pressures is key. These companies are navigating strict requirements from customers like Costco and Walmart. When we show them that our systems are flexible enough to meet those packaging and throughput demands, the conversation becomes a lot more relevant.

Fast decision, faster results

What stood out about this deal was the speed. We were speaking directly to the owner. He knew what he needed, trusted the solution, and could move quickly. From first contact to closing, it all happened in about a month.

He even plans to do the integration himself, which is another great reminder of where this industry began: small manufacturers adopting cobots for practical, hands-on reasons. It was inspiring to watch this come full circle, with a small producer adopting an advanced yet accessible solution

Looking to future-proof you own palletizing process?

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