Food and consumer goods manufacturers face growing pressure to reduce plastic packaging while maintaining speed, cost efficiency, and shelf appeal. For Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, this meant designing entirely new secondary packaging machines capable of replacing plastic shrink-wrap with paper.
Since 1969, Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH has specialized in developing and manufacturing single machines and complete lines for end-of-line packaging. The company is one of the leading international manufacturers of film and carton packaging machines, as well as equipment for palletizing, buffer, and conveyor technology, with more than 13,500 machines installed worldwide.
Plastic shrink machines depend on heat tunnels that consume large amounts of energy and limit sustainability gains. Paper alternatives introduce new challenges around material handling, adhesion, reliability, and speed. At the same time, Meurer customers required solutions that fit existing footprints, matched upstream line speeds, and minimized investment risk.
Meurer developed two complementary paper-based multipack solutions: a paper sleeve solution for premium packaging and a low-material tape solution for cost-sensitive applications. The company needed a platform that could support rapid innovation, high-precision motion, and data-driven reliability while helping customers navigate a market that is still learning how to adopt new packaging formats.
By eliminating heat tunnels, the solutions achieved up to 90% lower energy consumption while maintaining the same footprint and speed as legacy plastic packaging machines.
Rockwell Automation technology helped make this level of performance possible. Modular programming based on the OMAC standard accelerated development and commissioning, even for machines with 18 synchronized axes. In addition, FactoryTalk® Optix™ provides built-in data visibility, helping operators and engineers monitor performance, diagnose issues, and optimize operations.
The new machine concepts delivered measurable benefits. Machine efficiency exceeded 99%, outperforming contract targets. Manufacturers also gained greater flexibility to meet sustainability goals with lower investment risk and a faster time to market for entirely new machine concepts. The solutions also maintained the same footprint and speed as legacy plastic packaging machines for easy replacement.
“We typically contract for 98% efficiency. But achieving more than 99% is a huge benefit when you calculate total output,” explains Matthias Look, Global Sales and Marketing Director, Meurer Verpackungssysteme.
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