The way people consume music has continually transformed over the decades. Vinyl records turned into tapes and then CDs, which eventually turned into devices like iPods and MP3 players. These shifted into music streaming platforms. With music mediums changing over the years, people now have more ways than ever to listen to their favorite artists and genres.

In the beverage industry, packaging equipment has shifted and changed over the years as well to fit consumer preferences. The increased need for a variety of beverage products has influenced case packing and wrapping equipment.

Jamie Barber, director of product development at Brewerton, N.Y.-based Schneider Packaging Equipment, a Pacteon company, shares how the need for flexibility and changeovers have impacted case packing and wrapping equipment.

“The growing demand for product variety — such as multiple SKUs, seasonal flavors and personalized packaging — requires case packers and wrappers to be highly flexible,” Barber says. “Advanced automation, intuitive HMI designs and smart sensor technology help streamline changeovers, ensuring repeatability and reducing operator dependency.”

Peter Fox, CEO of SOMIC Packaging Inc., Inver Grove Heights, Minn., says that enhancing the flexibility of case packers to handle diverse pack patterns, primary packages and case styles requires meticulous planning.

“It begins by identifying the necessary range of formats and desired primary packages, and configuring the case packer with standardized, tool-free change parts to facilitate easy adjustments,” Fox explains. “Ideally, design adjustable components and systems will allow automatic transitions between formats.”

Robust systems often combine automatic adjustments with essential manual change-out components, he adds.

“Therefore, you want to thoroughly assess current and future format needs to ensure the machine’s capacity accommodates these sizes,” Fox says. “Both the machine’s control system and mechanical functionality must be adaptable to handle changes swiftly and consistently, enabling rapid restarts after changeovers with built-in repeatability.”

Carolyn Hardy, CEO of Memphis, Tenn.-based Hardy Beverages, a hydrogen-infused water brand, had a SOMIC 424 wraparound case packing system installed in October 2022. Like the other experts, she notes that flexibility and changeover has been instrumental in setting Hardy Beverages’ HTWO brand apart from other emerging brands.

“Customers and retailers have different needs and requirements which, without automation, tend to be labor intensive, cost prohibitive and not scalable,” Hardy shares. “You need to have the ability to efficiently and effectively offer different package types to meet consumers financially, such as lower price points, while meeting the retailers’ capacity needs and distribution delivery systems to create competitive advantages.”

SOMIC’s Fox meanwhile notes that beverage trends like the rise of small multipacks also are contributing to the need for flexibility and changeovers in case packing and wrapping equipment.

“This requires building machines that have the capability to run rather large case sizes, such as 24- [and] 36-pack counts, while at the same time being able to downsize to a four to six count,” he explains. “The carton or case rate of a four-pack versus a 36-count is significantly different and must be taken into consideration.”

SOMIC has the ability to run its 434 case packer as a single-up format, Fox shares, or when running the small count cartons as a two-up or three-up, to ensure the overall products a minute is not compromised.

Pacteon’s Barber says that the rise of functional beverages, craft drinks and sustainable packaging formats is creating complexity in secondary packaging.

“Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, plant-based drinks and premium bottled water often require unique pack styles and configurations,” he explains. “Additionally, eCommerce growth has increased demand for shippable multipacks and protective packaging, further necessitating adaptable machinery.”

Likewise, Hardy Beverages’ Hardy states that beverage trends show that consumers are demanding healthier products with sustainable packaging. She notes that consumers will trial new products in smaller packages first before buying larger packages. And they demand product transparency.

“Younger beverage consumers are willing to try new innovation since they are aware of environmental impact,” she says. “They show their concern through their purchasing power.”

One of the tenants of sustainability is waste reduction, Hardy adds, requiring programs that encourage recycling, composting and reducing consumption.

“Case packers support this tenant by supporting the use of lighter weight boards and/or a unique box configuration requiring less cardboard,” she explains. “Equipment design can require less energy. Retailers want to know brands’ sustainability initiatives; therefore, our flexible case packer is always a great example of where our investment in this innovation helps meet our sustainability goals.”

Pacteon’s Barber notes that sustainability is pushing beverage companies to adopt eco-friendly materials like recyclable shrink film, fiber-based wraps and lightweight corrugated cases.

“This shift impacts equipment design, requiring precise film control to achieve desired load containment, optimized case sizes and compatibility with alternative adhesives or tape,” he says. “Equipment must also be energy-efficient, incorporating regenerative braking, reduced air consumption and automated material optimization to cut waste.”

Similarly, SOMIC’s Fox states that sustainability initiatives have significantly influenced case packer design, necessitating the increased use of recycled materials and the reduction of material content.

“Recycled corrugated or paperboard materials often exhibit less consistency compared to virgin materials, presenting unique challenges in packaging processes,” he explains. “For instance, vacuum picking of recycled content blanks can be problematic due to varying degrees of material porosity.”

Recycled materials are more susceptible to warping caused by moisture fluctuations, Fox adds. Warping can compromise the consistency of the blanks.

“Handling warped blanks requires additional care and the implementation of ancillary devices, such as hold-down rollers, to ensure proper carton tracking,” he says. “Moreover, the trend toward reducing carton blank sizes to minimize material usage demands more precise adhesive application and smaller bonding surfaces. Therefore, it is imperative to design case packers with these material variations in mind, ensuring precision handling and an increased tolerance for such inconsistencies.”

Other trends within the beverage market are affecting case packing and wrapping equipment.

“The diversity of primary packaging in the beverage world has created an entirely new category of case packers,” SOMIC’s Fox notes. “At SOMIC, we build a standard platform with functional groups, which can run pouches, bottles, cans or paperboard packages. Each machine is fitted with various collection devices that are specific to the package style we are running.”

SOMIC’s definition of flexibility is being able to adapt one machine to these various and diverse package styles, he adds.

Meanwhile, Pacteon’s Barber lists the following trends as having influenced case packers and wrappers in recent years:

• Direct-to-consumer (DTC) packaging: As online beverage sales rise, packaging must be both retail- and eCommerce-friendly, balancing protection and presentation.
• Automation and labor challenges: The industry faces workforce shortages, increasing the need for robotics, cobots and the intuitive automation to reduce reliance on manual labor.
• Smart packaging integration: QR codes, RFID tracking and tamper-evident seals are influencing how secondary packaging interacts with consumers and supply chains.

Barber shares what solutions the company offers for beverage operations.

“At Pacteon, we provide flexible case packing and stretch wrapping solutions tailored to the beverage industry,” he says. “Our case packers handle wraparound, RSC, HSC and tray packing in both conventional or robotic integration for high-speed applications. Our stretch wrappers ensure load stability while minimizing film usage, aligning with sustainability goals.”

Pacteon offers fully automated palletizing systems that streamline end-of-line operations as well.

Meanwhile, SOMIC offers case packing solutions with the capability of running a variety of primary packages into a paperboard wraparound carton or corrugated case on the same machine, Fox shares.

“This same machine can be fitted to run a variety of display case and trays, with the additional option of applying a cover or lid to the tray using paperboard or corrugated,” he adds.

A glance ahead

It is possible that artificial intelligence (AI) could influence the future of case packing and wrapping operations.

“AI is set to revolutionize case packing and wrapping with predictive maintenance, real-time analytics and adaptive automation,” Pacteon’s Barber states. “AI-powered vision systems can enhance quality control by detecting packaging defects, while machine learning algorithms can optimize material usage and improve equipment efficiency.”

Additionally, Barber expresses that AI-driven predictive maintenance will help minimize unexpected downtime by identifying wear patterns before failures occur.

He expects the following advancements in the coming years:

• Robotics: Expect more robotic case packers and palletizers designed for high-speed, mixed-SKU environments.
• Enhanced IoT and data-driven insights: Smart sensors will provide deeper real-time visibility into equipment performance, enabling proactive decision-making.
• AI-driven optimization: Adaptive learning systems will adjust on the fly to production needs, further improving efficiency and reducing changeover times.

SOMIC’s Fox agrees that AI has the potential to revolutionize case packing by enabling machines to monitor inputs and adjust operations in real-time.

“One of the primary challenges in automated packaging is managing variable inputs, such as inconsistencies in corrugated and paperboard materials, as well as flexible products,” he explains. “AI can address these issues by continuously analyzing data from sensors and cameras to detect variations in material properties and product dimensions. This allows the system to make immediate adjustments, ensuring performance without unintended consequences.”

AI-powered packaging machines have demonstrated significant improvements in efficiency, Fox shares, noting a case study that revealed incorporating AI enabled a packaging machine to wrap 33% more boxes a minute.

“By integrating AI, case packers can become more adaptable and resilient, maintaining optimal performance despite the inherent variability in packaging materials and products,” he notes.

Looking ahead, Fox says that advancements in AI and the development of lighter, stronger materials — including those produced through 3D printing — are poised to enhance the efficiency, durability and longevity of packaging materials.

“AI integration can simplify human-machine interfaces (HMIs), providing operators with intuitive assistance for daily machine operations,” he concludes. “SOMIC is actively pursuing these innovations to deliver more productive and reliable packaging solutions for both current and future customers.”

Regardless of what the future holds, it is clear that AI will become a major player within the beverage industry, especially in terms of case packers and wrappers. And it is clear that these companies are willing to deliver on consumer demands.