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Industry

Consumer Goods

Automation for filling and packaging lines, palletizing and secondary packaging — from beverages to FMCG end packaging.

Context

Modular automation for the Consumer Goods industry

The consumer goods industry lives on volume and fast format changes. Beverages, cosmetics, household products, food — high volumes, short product life cycles, seasonal peaks and constantly new pack sizes. Classic, rigidly linked lines deliver baseline productivity, but reach their limits with every product-range or format change.

Modular automation is the pragmatic complement here: cells for secondary packaging, case packing and palletizing that can be changed over in hours instead of days. NEXOS.Motion gantries palletize, NEXOS.Cube cells with NEXOS.Nova handle bundling, labelling and end-of-line packaging — and HERROX.250 supplies the lines with empties and replenishment, and transports finished goods to goods receiving.

For hygiene-sensitive areas (dairy, fresh products, cosmetics) the NEXOS.Cube can be supplied in a stainless steel specification — same building blocks, same control, only a different material specification.

Challenges

What makes this industry challenging to automate

Frequent format and recipe changes

Product-range management means constant adaptation — new pack sizes, seasonal variants, promotions. Setup times become the limiting factor.

Hygiene for food contact

Dairy, beverages, fresh products — systems must be cleaned daily. Smooth surfaces, EHEDG design and suitable materials are mandatory.

OEE pressure

Consumer goods production calculates in cents per unit. Every percentage point of OEE improvement is a business case.

Typical applications

What NEXOS automates in the Consumer Goods industry

Relevant products

Components that make these applications possible

Why NEXOS for Consumer Goods

Three reasons for modularity in this industry

Fast format changes

Repeatable cells with documented recipes — changeover in hours instead of days. Product-range and pack changes no longer slow the line down.

Hygiene specification available

For dairy, cosmetics and fresh products: NEXOS.Cube in a stainless steel variant, smooth surfaces, cleaning-friendly. Same modular logic, different material specification.

Scalable for seasonal peaks

The HERROX fleet can be expanded temporarily and additional cells added. Peak load without new investment in fixed conveyor technology.

How we work

From inquiry to running system in four steps

1

Analysis

Free initial discussion (30–60 min). We clarify the parts spectrum, cycle times, environmental conditions and integration into your existing IT/OT.

2

Concept

Component selection, layout, schedule, cost framework. On request with virtual commissioning in NEXOS.XR before manufacturing starts.

3

Quotation

Fixed-price or milestone contract, with clearly documented scope of delivery, acceptance criteria and maintenance options.

4

Implementation

Prefabrication in the workshop, on-site assembly, programming, acceptance per documented FAT/SAT. Optional: remote service via NEXOS.DSP.

Standards & Certifications

Relevant standards for the Consumer Goods industry

These regulations are considered in our conception, implementation and documentation. Not every standard applies to every project — the specific selection is clarified in the project kick-off meeting.

EC 852/2004EU Regulation on the hygiene of foodstuffs — fundamental hygiene rules for all food businesses.
EHEDG GuidelinesEuropean Hygienic Engineering & Design Group — design guidelines for hygienic equipment.
DIN EN 1672-2Food processing machinery — general design principles, hygiene requirements.
ISO 22000Management systems for food safety — internationally recognized HACCP-based framework.
BRC / IFS FoodRetail standards for food safety — a prerequisite for supplying large retail chains.
ATEX 2014/34/EUExplosion protection — relevant for combustible dusts (milk powder, flour, sugar) or solvent vapours.
Frequently asked

FAQ on automation in the Consumer Goods industry

Are your cells approved for food contact?
Direct product contact is usually delegated to specialized systems (filling, dosing). NEXOS cells handle secondary and outer packaging, labelling, palletizing — with a cleaning-friendly stainless steel specification and EHEDG-related design principles. For direct product contact we develop project-specifically together with your QM and hygiene requirements.
How fast is a typical format change?
With parameterized recipes and quick-change fixtures under 15 minutes — including palletizing pattern adjustment. For structural changes (e.g. new carton size with different fixture) 30-90 minutes. Target: SMED-compliant (Single-Minute Exchange of Die).
Can we implement the specification within a few weeks?
For standard configurations from the modular kit: yes, 8-16 weeks from order to production. For project-specific special versions 4-8 months. The first conversation clarifies which category your project falls into.
Do you offer retrofit solutions for existing lines?
Yes — modular cells can be connected as an extension to existing conveyor technology. Most common case: palletizing cell at the end of the existing line or labelling module between filling and end-of-line packaging.

Discuss your application?

Talk to us about your specific automation task in Consumer Goods.

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