Czech deli meat producer PRANTL modernized its operation with two processing and slicing lines. However, the end of these lines lacked a connection to the next stage of the production process, so the final step was done manually: removing the filled, sealed trays, counting them, arranging them into groups, placing them into sales cartons, and sealing the cartons.
To achieve the required output of up to 100 trays per minute (per machine), a faster solution was needed — one that would also fit into a limited space.
BOX GROUP POLO - compact, efficient semi-automatic cartoning machine.
Automatic counting, grouping, inserting into carton.
PRANTL Masný průmysl continues a long-standing tradition of producing cured meats in Žirovnice. Alongside traditional production methods, the company continually invests in modern technology. When expanding production with two new lines, it also needed to address the secondary packaging of sliced salami and ham products in plastic trays. Deploying two semi-automatic cartoning machines automated the most demanding part of the assembly process while saving 2–3 workers per shift, without the need to rebuild the production hall.
A single tray weighs approximately 100 to 150 grams. Each line produces up to 100 per minute. Ten pieces go into each sales carton, meaning that every minute, each line needs ten precisely filled boxes prepared — without slowing down production.
With manual packing, workers have to pick up, count, and arrange the trays. The faster the preceding technology produces, the greater the pressure at the end of the line. If the operator can't keep up, the investment in high-performance slicing technology runs into a bottleneck at the final stage of production.
For complete packaging lines, it's therefore not enough to monitor only the main machine's output. Each individual part must be able to keep the same pace — otherwise the bottleneck simply shifts elsewhere and limits the output of the entire line.
A fully automatic cartoning line could also have handled grouping, filling the cartons and closing and sealing the box. In PRANTL's facility, however, two practical constraints were decisive: available space and a sensible level of automation.
NOMATECH therefore supplied two semi-automatic BOX GROUP POLO cartoning machines — one for each slicing line. The operator unfolds a flat cardboard blank with an automatic base and fits it onto the machine's outlet. The counting, grouping, and insertion of the trays into the box then happens automatically. Closing and sealing the carton remains the operator's task.
This division of tasks made it possible to automate the most demanding part of the process without having to install a large, fully automatic line.
The design also allows for a possible future change in retail packaging. The pocket size on the carriers is prepared for a 15-piece carton option, should the market require it in the future.
The result is a compact solution that automates the most time-consuming part of the process while also reducing the risk of errors in manual assembly — without requiring space for a fully automatic cartoning line.
"The layout was constrained by space — given the longitudinal axis of the slicing and packaging line, the cartoning machines had to be repositioned to allow for proper operator access."
Automation took over a task that required counting and precisely arranging products at a fast pace simultaneously. At the same time, the semi-automatic solution kept carton handling simple and fit into a space where a fully automatic solution would have been unnecessarily bulky — while delivering a saving of 2–3 workers per shift.
The operators also had to learn the new packing method — working in rhythm with the whole line and handling the trays so that production flowed smoothly and the correct number of pieces always went into each carton.
The PRANTL project shows that the right solution doesn't have to be the biggest or the most automated. What matters is eliminating the specific bottleneck, matching the output of the preceding technology, and respecting the conditions of the facility.
In this case, it made sense to leave assembling and closing the carton to the operator, while handing the machine the precise counting, grouping, and insertion of the trays into the packaging. The result is higher productivity, a saving of 2–3 workers per shift, more consistent assembly quality, and the ability to use existing production space without costly construction work.
"We were looking for a solution that could keep pace with our new slicing lines, without requiring construction work on the facility. NOMATECH's semi-automatic cartoning machines met both requirements — they sped up product assembly, simplified the operator's work, and helped us reduce the number of workers needed at the end of the line."
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