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Animal Feed Producer Palletizes with Glue Instead of Plastic Shrink

For this animal feed manufacturer, even when pallet heights increased thanks to a new bagging system, it still turned out that shrink-wrapping would require more effort, space, and higher material and acquisition costs than the incumbent hot melt system.

Palletstabilization Antislipgluing Robatech 01

Rightly or wrongly, plastic is currently getting a bad name among consumers. UFA AG, a Swiss manufacturer of compound animal feed stock, mineral salts, and milk powder, had long ago investigated how to avoid plastic when palletizing their feed sacks. Back in 2008, the company opted for the AntiSlip Gluing solution ysubng Robatech hot melt glue applicators, a system that would glue feed sack stacks on top of one another on a pallet for transport, rather than require stretch wrap for stabilization.

But in 2018, when a new bagging system was purchased for a specialty plant in Sursee, Switzerland, the glue-based palletizing process was put to the test. Upstream updates increased throughput in such a way that raised the possible pallet stack height.

New challenges
“With the new bagging system, we have been able to increase from eight to ten layers. That is a logistical advantage,” says Urs Steiner Head of Production, UFA Sursee. “However, not only did the gravity-controlled pallet rack have to be modified, but the existing adhesive application process had to be adapted as well. In the past, we just glued on one side. That worked well. But with the increase to ten layers per pallet, we had to increase the stability.” 

    Watch a brief video about the application by clicking here

Steiner had an open mind with the new system and explored all his options. But when he inquired within the company for feedback, he found the decision was clear in favor of remaining hot melt adhesive application. 

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