# Co-Packing Automation and End-of-Line Solutions for Co-Packers. Robotic palletizing, case packing and conveyor systems for contract packaging lines that change products often. Source: https://trfautomation.com/industries/co-packers/ Co-packing automation from TRF Industrial Automation covers robotic palletizing, case packing and conveyor systems at the end of the line, after primary packaging. TRF Industrial Automation is a U.S.-based company and part of the Torfresma Group, and it works with every co-packer that wants the end of the line to follow the customer, the product and the pallet pattern of each job. A co-packer runs products for several brands, so the primary packaging machines change with the contract. TRF concentrates on the steps that repeat across contracts: packing into cases, conveying and building pallets, with settings stored per customer. ## Co-Packing Automation Solutions: What TRF Automates TRF Industrial Automation automates three steps at the end of the co-packing line. Each one is evaluated for your products, rates and plant, and each one can be a project on its own or part of an integrated system. The typical package is cases, bags, trays and cartons, and TRF confirms the fit for each real product. ### Robotic Palletizing Robotic palletizing replaces manual stacking with a robot that builds stable pallets from stored patterns. TRF offers the [TRFCobot](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/cobot-palletizer/) collaborative palletizer, the [TRFCompact](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/compact-palletizer/) compact industrial cell and the [TRFSpeed](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/high-speed-palletizer/) high-speed palletizer, plus a [custom palletizer](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/custom-palletizer/) when the unit, rate or layout falls outside the standard platforms. The [robotic palletizing](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/) page compares them. ### Case Packing Case packing places packed product into shipping cases. [TRFRapidpack](https://trfautomation.com/case-packing/robotic-case-packer/) is the robotic option, [TRFOnepack](https://trfautomation.com/case-packing/integrated-case-packer/) erects, packs and seals in one machine, and [TRFDroppack](https://trfautomation.com/case-packing/drop-packer/) loads by gravity. The [case packing](https://trfautomation.com/case-packing/) page explains how to choose among them. ### Conveyor Systems [TRFIntraflow](https://trfautomation.com/conveyor-systems/case-conveyor-intralogistics/) conveys, accumulates, merges and diverts cases between the packer, the palletizer and the next area. Where the area calls for hygienic design, [TRFCleanflow](https://trfautomation.com/conveyor-systems/hygienic-food-conveyor/) is evaluated per application. ## How TRF Evaluates a Co-Packing Line A co-packer on a contract packaging line changes customers, products and pallet patterns often, so changeover speed and recipe storage weigh heavily in the review. A TRF Sales Engineer reviews the line with you and covers the same points for every project: - **Application:** the products, packages and cases you run today and plan to run. - **Line speed:** the rate in packs or cases per minute, including peaks. - **Weight:** the weight of the heaviest and lightest case or unit. - **Pallet pattern:** pallet size, layer pattern and stacking height. - **Space:** the floor area, ceiling height and access available at the end of the line. - **Integration:** how the new equipment connects to the machines, controls and conveyors already in place. The result is a recommendation of which platforms fit, in which order to phase them, and what an integrated project would include. One partner for the whole end of the line is often the simplest way to run the project. When the case packer, the conveyors and the palletizer are engineered, controlled and started up together, the handoffs between them are designed once, and one team answers for the agreed scope. TRF can also start with a single step, such as the palletizer, and leave room for the other steps to be added later. ### What to Send for a First Review The review starts from your real co-packing line, so the more specific the information, the more precise the first recommendation: - A list of products and package formats, with case sizes and weights. - Target rates, shifts per day and expected growth. - Pallet size and pattern, and any customer requirements for the pallet. - Photos and a rough layout of the end of the line, with the floor space available. - The equipment already in place that the new system must connect to. ## Platforms That Often Join a Co-Packing Automation Project Any of the nine TRF platforms can be part of a co-packing project, and TRF engineering confirms the fit for each product, rate and plant. These are the ones that most often come up: | Platform | Role at the end of the line | When it comes up | |---|---|---| | [TRFCobot](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/cobot-palletizer/) | Collaborative palletizing for lower-rate lines, many SKUs and limited floor space | Many SKUs, short runs and limited space, with recipes recalled at the operator screen | | [TRFCompact](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/compact-palletizer/) | Industrial robot in a compact cell with a higher duty cycle than a cobot | Industrial duty cycle in a compact cell for busier lines | | [TRFSpeed](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/high-speed-palletizer/) | High-volume or multi-line palletizing, from a dedicated cell to a centralized system | High-volume jobs or several lines feeding one palletizing area | | [TRFRapidpack](https://trfautomation.com/case-packing/robotic-case-packer/) | Robotic, vision-guided case packing for flexible production lines | Robotic case packing for a mix of package types | | [TRFOnepack](https://trfautomation.com/case-packing/integrated-case-packer/) | Erects, packs and seals the case in one machine | Case forming, packing and sealing in one machine for smaller jobs | | [TRFIntraflow](https://trfautomation.com/conveyor-systems/case-conveyor-intralogistics/) | Case conveying, accumulation, merging, diverting and elevation between machines | Routing and buffering cases between lines and palletizing | *Capacity depends on the product, pack pattern and plant. TRF engineering confirms the final figures for each application.* ## Co-Packers Projects and Videos TRF gathers projects and videos of applications in co-packing and related segments. During the evaluation, the Sales Engineer shows examples that are close to your line, so you can see how similar steps were solved before you decide. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How Can a Co-Packer Evaluate Automation When Every Customer Has Different Products? List the products, case sizes and pallet patterns across your current and expected contracts, then group them by similarity. TRF uses that list to see how many changes are recipe-only and how many need a hardware adjustment, and proposes a platform that covers the range. ### Can One Palletizing Cell Serve the Pallet Patterns of Several Customers? Yes, within the limits of the platform. Pallet patterns are stored as recipes and recalled when the job changes. A customer with a very different case or pallet may need another tool or a layout change, which TRF identifies during the review. ### What Should I Prepare Before Contacting TRF About a Co-Packing Line? Prepare the product list, package formats, case sizes and weights, target rates, shifts, floor space and photos of the current end of the line. That is enough for a Sales Engineer to map each step of the line to a platform. ### How Do I Measure Payback When Volumes Change From Contract to Contract? Use a realistic average of labor hours replaced per shift and shifts per week across your contracts, and compare it with the installed cost. Test a lower-volume and a higher-volume scenario. The [palletizing ROI calculator](https://trfautomation.com/tools/palletizing-roi-calculator/) gives a first estimate, and TRF builds the full model with you. ## Start Your Co-Packing Automation Project Co-Packing Automation works best when the case packer, conveyors and palletizer are chosen together, around your products, rates and floor space. Send your product list, package formats, case sizes, target rates and shifts, and a TRF Sales Engineer will map each step of your end of line to a platform. Related industries: [Consumer Packaged Goods](https://trfautomation.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/), [Food Processing](https://trfautomation.com/industries/food-processing/), [Distribution Center Automation](https://trfautomation.com/industries/e-commerce-and-distribution/). You can also compare the [robotic palletizing](https://trfautomation.com/robotic-palletizing/), [case packing](https://trfautomation.com/case-packing/) and [conveyor systems](https://trfautomation.com/conveyor-systems/case-conveyor-intralogistics/) pages. [Talk to a Sales Engineer](https://trfautomation.com/contact/) [Calculate Your Palletizing Payback](https://trfautomation.com/tools/palletizing-roi-calculator/) --- TRF Industrial Automation | 14840 W 107th St, Lenexa, KS 66215, United States | (913) 242-8019 | Serving the United States