In spring 2020, a frozen foods manufacturing facility out of Jackson, Ohio, installed two collaborative robot cap-sheet placers from Pearson Packaging Systems. The project followed the installation earlier in the year of 12 Pearson robotic palletizers with conveying at the same facility—fully automating what was previously an entirely manual end-of-line operation.
Shortly after the palletizing system was installed, the food manufacturer introduced a new, tear-open case into its mix of RSC and bulk-pack boxes to meet the shelf-ready requirements of retailers. Accounting for about 30% of the facility’s total production volume, the new box styles incorporated a cutout top intended to help shelf stockers easily grasp and open the cases for freezer display. Unfortunately the opening also allowed dust and other particle contaminants to enter the cases during transit and storage, so the manufacturer returned to Pearson for a top-sheet dispensing/application solution.
