Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on innovative solutions for the packaging sector. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising robotic packaging startups.
Heat Map: 5 Top Robotic Packaging Startups
Using our StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 1.379.000+ startups & scaleups globally, we looked at innovation in the field of packaging. For this research, we identified 202 relevant solutions and picked 5 to showcase below. These companies were chosen based on a data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and relevance of technology, among others. Depending on your specific criteria, the top picks might look entirely different.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 startups & scaleups developing innovative robotic packaging solutions. Moreover, the Heat Map reveals regions that observe a high startup activity and illustrates the geographic distribution of all 202 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
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PP Automation – Robotic Bagging & Case Packing
Almost every stage of the packaging process has the potential for implementing robotic solutions. From bagging and filling, case erecting, packing, and sealing to palletizing and stacking goods, robotic systems significantly improve productivity. Bagging systems, for example, are usually optimized to funnel precise amounts of any product into different bags, including products such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Emerging robotic packaging startups develop integrated bagging and packing tools to further simplify the process.
British startup PP Automation offers Pacepacker, automated bagging and robotic case loading solutions. The startup’s open-mouth bagging systems employ automated sack placers to reduce manual labor. Pacepacker’s articulated, Cartesian robotic arms are capable of picking and placing packages of varying sizes and weight to keep up with production line speed. Additionally, Pacepacker offers robots for palletizing.
Arxium – Robotic Pharma Packaging
Robots used for pharmaceutical packaging are significantly faster than human workers as they eliminate productivity losses during the production process. Further, advancements in industrial robotic arms, especially end-of-arm tooling, offer pharma companies increased flexibility when it comes to packaging. Robotic pharma packaging also reduces human error and provides a safer packaging environment.
Arxium is a Canadian startup providing FastPak, a line of scalable packaging solutions for medical facilities that utilize unit-dose or multi-dose order packaging. FastPak Elite is an oral medication packaging equipment for retail, long-term care, and hospital pharmacies. Featuring smart canisters, which can be placed anywhere in the device, FastPak Elite enables its customers to automate all solid oral medication fulfillment. The system’s dynamic bag sizing function selects the correct pouch size based on the packed contents to further provide significant savings.
Sunvato – Robotic Sorting
Companies that manufacture low-volume products usually require a sorting system at the time of packaging. Robotic sorting systems come equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and computer vision technology, or other scanning tools such as barcode scanners. This improves the sorting speed and, in turn, the overall packaging efficiency. Startups develop turn-key robots to enable quick sorting for secondary or tertiary packaging, independent of industry or product.
Chinese startup Sunvato builds mobile robots and intelligent sorting technology for packaging in express delivery, e-commerce, warehousing, and manufacturing, among other industries. The startup’s intelligent automated guided vehicle (AGV) sorting system utilizes QR code-based navigation and significantly reduces the package miss rate. The startup’s patented intelligent scheduling feature allows multiple robots to work simultaneously, supporting companies to cut costs.
Smart Robotics – Robotic Palletizing
Tertiary packaging, the final step in the packaging process involves stacking the products onto pallets to be loaded for transportation. Traditionally, this is a labor-intensive task with workers at risk of injury. Robotic palletizing systems are capable of handling heavier products, thus eliminating the need for employing workers to manually move such products. With different products requiring nuanced handling, robotic palletizing solutions are also customizable to fit the product’s needs.
Smart Robotics, a Dutch startup, develops intelligent software for robotic applications in the packaging, logistics, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sectors. The Smart Palletizer is an end-of-line solution for the flexible palletizing of products. With the help of 3D printed grippers, the Smart Palletizer palletizes many different types of boxes, both open and closed. The Smart Palletizer is able to handle up to 8kg.
XYZ Robotics – Robotic Picking & Rebinning
Advances in machine intelligence create numerous opportunities for robotics startups to offer accurate pick-and-place systems. Robotic picking eliminates the need to employ workers to perform the repetitive task while also offering higher rates of productivity. Robotic pick-and-place systems typically employ some form of machine vision to read codes, tags, and colors to place products into the correct boxes.
The US-based startup XYZ Robotics specializes in robotic picking and rebinning systems. The startup’s 3D-AI Vision Processor utilizes deep learning algorithms to automate the binning of stock-keeping units (SKU) and industrial spares. XYZ Robotics also offers easy-to-deploy tooling solutions such as clamping, gripping, and bagging, with a tool changing mechanism. The startup’s solution is capable of picking 900 items per hour and currently caters to the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), cosmetics, apparel, consumer electronics, medications, and packaged food industries.
What About The Other 197 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence and enable you to achieve your goals faster. The 5 robotic packaging startups showcased above are promising examples out of 202 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria, get in touch.
