End-of-line automation for shipping cartons with Seeberger

Seeberger GmbH implemented automated food palletizing at the end of their production line in Ulm to stabilize throughput across up to three shifts per day, reduce staffing pressure, and shorten changeover times. The cell combines a KUKA KR20 R1820-2 E, a Schmalz FXCB vacuum gripper (one tool for all sizes), and LUNA – an intuitive interface for quick carton type and pallet pattern changes. System platform: MalocherBot PAL M. Performance: up to 5 cartons/minute and up to 6 pallets/hour for 6–10 kg shipping cartons.

Customer Profile Seeberger GmbH

Seeberger GmbH is a family-owned company founded in 1844 and headquartered in Ulm (Hans-Lorenser-Str. 36, 89079 Ulm). Seeberger is Germany's leading manufacturer of nuts, dried fruits, and coffee, importing, processing, and distributing products from over 60 countries.

With around 850 employees (2021 revenue: €293.2 million; export share ~20% to France, Austria, Switzerland), Seeberger is the European market leader for nuts and dried fruits. Over 600 employees work at the Ulm location, featuring a fully automated raw material warehouse (2013) and a new nut roastery (2023).

Sustainability initiatives include recyclable packaging (since 2020 for dried fruits/nuts; 2022 for coffee), photovoltaic systems, and long-term supplier partnerships.

Challenge Multi-shift throughput & changeovers

High product volumes and synchronous feeding to packaging machines required reliable palletizing across multiple shifts. Manual handling limited throughput, increased changeover effort, and tied up personnel. Seeberger needed a compact, reliable cell that could handle up to 3 shifts per day, quickly handle 6–10 kg shipping cartons, and support fast changeovers without programming effort.

Solution KUKA KR20 + Schmalz FXCB with LUNA for quick adjustments

Unchained Robotics delivered a palletizing cell based on the MalocherBot PAL M. The KUKA KR20 R1820-2 E works with a Schmalz FXCB vacuum gripper – one tool that covers all required carton sizes. With LUNA, operators can add/change carton types and pallet patterns directly in the interface, allowing the system to respond to SKU and pattern updates.

Why this works for food & shipping cartons

Up to 5 cartons/minute and 6 pallets/hour for 6–10 kg cartons. A single Schmalz FXCB tool makes tooling and maintenance simpler. LUNA reduces changeover time and operator workload. The robust KUKA platform supports reliable multi-shift operation.