The type of food packaging machinery you buy will be closely linked to your operational efficiencies, food safety, and profitability as it will be a central component of your company’s overall business strategy. Consequently, it is just as important to decide which packaging equipment manufacturer to partner with, as it will dictate product quality and affect the overall operational efficiency of your supply chain and shipping. Finding a suitable partner is especially difficult in terms of your business and operational requirements as well as the production volume, product type and specifications.

This document is designed to assist you with this challenging task. We grouped the world’s top food packaging manufacturers based on their core principles into three groups, namely, Unmatched Reliability, High-End Innovation, and High Customizability. With this information in hand, you should be able to come up with a shortlist of prospective partners and provide them with the appropriate complete standard product lines in a way that it will be the most advantageous to your business and yield fewer returns.

How to Choose Your Partner

It all begins with understanding your company. What is most important to your organization when it comes to digitization to eliminate manual touchpoints, minimizing the equipment’s lifetime cost, or the complexity, custom nature, and uniqueness of the product? This will assist you in your due diligence to find the best equipment.

Category 1: High-End Tech Innovators

Representing the apex of available capital and offering solutions demanded for extreme throughput and most complex compliance requirements. These manufacturers are the ones advancing the food packaging industry integration of proprietary software, robotics and, circular economy concepts into the machinery. Selecting a partner in this case means focusing on the highest OEE and most relevant technology for the decades to come.

Tetra Pak

Founding Year: 1951

Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland / Lund, Sweden

Main Markets: Global (Europe, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Africa)

Target Industry: Liquid Dairy, Juices, Plant-based Beverages, Ice Cream

Key Products: Aseptic Carton Filling Machines, Processing Units, Connected Packaging

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, FSC Chain of Custody

With the development of aseptic technology that freed the liquid food supply chain from the constraints of refrigeration, Tetra Pak was able to streamline the liquid food supply chain. To this end, they provide both processing (homogenization, pasteurization) and final packing. Today they are working to achieve a digital transformation through integrated food processing and packaging and in connected packaging. They are also contemporarily engineering a food packaging line that are able to use fully renewable, plant-based food packaging, which makes Tetra Pak a partner of choice for liquid food manufacturers around the globe. Tetra Pak provides these producers with the highest standards in food safety and environmental sustainability.

MULTIVAC Group

Founding Year: 1961

Headquarters: Wolfertschwenden, Germany

Main Markets: Europe, North America, Asia

Target Industry: Fresh Meat, Poultry, Seafood, Cheese, Medical Products

Key Products: Thermoforming Packaging Machines, Traysealers, Vacuum Chamber Machines

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 50001, DIN EN 15593

MULTIVAC leads the industry in Thermoforming, Sealing, and Vacuum technology for packaging machines for food and MAP. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) is a specialized preservation technique used in the food packaging machine sector. It extends the shelf life of foods by replacing the air in the packaging with a gas (usually nitrogen) that helps inhibit spoilage. Because of the nature of the food products being MAP, namely fresh proteins and prepared meals, a high degree of technological expertise is required. MULTIVAC places a high value on the design of their equipment, maintaining a high standard for hygiene and global sanitary regulations, and being fully washable. MULTIVAC also has the ability to provide custom integration (hardware and software) of high volume food manufacturing equipment, where MULTIVAC retains full control of the systems for slicing, food inspection, labeling, and packaging. This integration will provide the highest level of processing efficiency, with the most stable QC (Quality Control) of the output product.

Syntegon Technology

Founding Year: 1969 (Origins as Bosch Packaging)

Headquarters: Waiblingen, Germany

Main Markets: Global

Target Industry: Bakery, Confectionery, Frozen Food, Dry Food, Pharma

Key Products: VFFS (Vertical Form Fill Seal), HFFS (Horizontal), Cartoners, Pick-and-Place Robots

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001

Syntegon has carried on the legacy of German engineering in the field of high-speed automation and is especially focused on maintaining quality in fragile items like biscuits and confectionery. They integrate entire systems with proprietary robotics and horizontal flow wrappers alongside carton-forming solutions. Syntegon led the charge for Industry 4.0 in the automation of factories where the manufacturing workflows are augmented with smart devices and Syntegon’s machine added advanced sensing devices for real-time data production. Syntegon’s systems provide managers the opportunity to use predictive maintenance and continuous OEE optimization to provide data for the maintenance of the systems. Syntegon is also a leader in sustainable automation with the use of retrofits for a range of existing machines designed to use new eco-friendly paper-based wrap materials.

Krones AG

Founding Year: 1951

Headquarters: Neutraubling, Germany

Main Markets: Global

Target Industry: Beverages (Water, CSD, Juice, Beer), Liquid Food

Key Products: Blow Molding, Filling, Labelling, Packing, Palletizing

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, TÜV SÜD

Fully integrated processing and packaging systems manufacturer, Krones AG, dominates the sector and has specialized in offering fully integrated “turnkey” process and packaging systems. Krones has introduced industry-leading systems “EBL” which integrated the three most energy-consuming and inefficient processes during production (blow molding, printing, barcodes on labels, and filling) into a single self-contained unit. Krones AG has the capacity to process in excess of 100,000 containers per hour. Krones AG also has pioneering systems in the industry in the recycling of PET to food grade recycled PET, a process which closes the loop in the use of plastics.

Category 2: Value & Reliability Experts

This category of manufacturers has introduced machines which have the design, principles and philosophy of engineering to stand the test of time. Their systems promise minimal operational friction, and simple streamlined maintenance. Their primary offering to the market is systems and machinery which provide maximum reliability and performance. For those manufacturers which reliability in production is a priority, this category of manufacturers provide the most attractive value proposition in the market.

Ishida

Founding Year: 1893

Headquarters: Kyoto, Japan

Main Markets: Global

Target Industry: Snacks, Dry Food, Fresh Food, Frozen Food

Key Products: Multihead Weighers, Checkweighers, X-Ray Inspection, Bagmakers

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001

Ishida was the first company to develop the multihead weigher, revolutionizing the industry by removing the costs associated with overfilling product, known as “giveaway.” Their technology is unrivaled and considered the gold standard as it calculates the exact weight and combination of the product to be packaged without overfilling. Their machines waste no product. Customers appreciate their equipment because of the durability and reliability of Ishida’s machines to achieve the Japanese standard. Clients stay with the company for X-ray inspection equipment along with structural firm testers for protection and quality compliance. Ishida is the only choice for producers who profit by weighing product faith as it is the industry leader.

Levapack

Founding Year: 2008

Headquarters: Guangzhou, China

Main Markets: North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia

Target Industry: Dry Powder, Granules, Sauce/Paste, Canned Snacks

Key Products: Can Sealing Machines, Nitrogen Filling Machines, Capping Machines, Labeling Machines

Certifications: ISO 9001, CE, CSA, RoHS

While the giants focus on the Fortune 500, Levapack has carved out a vital niche as the champion for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and specialized producers. They understand that a growing business needs automation that is accessible without being “cheap.” Levapack focuses on the packaging of cans and jars, including items like coffee powder, infant formula, cannabis, and premium nuts. What sets them apart is their mastery on the “high-end” sealing and nitrogen flushing which is vital to keeping premium products fresh. More than simply providing the sealing or nitrogen flushing, the full solution rests on the shelf life of the product.

Levapack has a nimbleness that larger firms do not have. They are able to do CNC-machine precision (with tolerances 2 microns) and are able to do some flexibility with round cans, aluminum tins, or composite paper tubes on the same line. The entities are constructed with high-grade #304 or #316 stainless steel to withstand corrosive environments with salt or acidic sauces. More so, they close the “knowledge gap” for smaller manufacturers with smart-control lines that are user-friendly, do not require a PhD to operate, and are intuitive. For the entity that requires transitioning from semi auto to fully operational automation with a rapid delivery and customized technical support partner, Levapack is the dependable growth engine offering significant cost savings.

BW Flexible Systems

Founding Year: 1885 (Barry-Wehmiller roots)

Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (and global locations)

Main Markets: North America, Europe, Global

Target Industry: Bakery, Produce, Frozen Food, Pet Food, Personal Care

Key Products: VFFS, HFFS, Bagging Machines, Palletizing

Certifications: PMMI Member, ISO 9001

BW Flexible Systems is a major part of Barry Wehmiller platform which started its global journey over 135 years ago. BW Flexible Systems is a major supplier of flexible packaging solutions in large quantities with machines working at high speed having minimal down time. High uptime machines which handle flexibility in the packaging of bags, pouches and wrappers with co-packers is a major consideration. Rapid designed machines are easy to modify to handle different sizes of packaging and films. The global support and maintenance services offered by BW Flexible Systems to its customers is unmatched in the industry reducing the downtime of the entire packaging process. BW Flexible Systems is a reliable packaging machine manufacturer and a good investment in the market with admirable profiles of Total Cost of Ownership reducing operational risks to achieve good machine availability and stable stacking on pallets.

Category 3: Flexible Customization Experts

These companies employs modular design and robotics, allowing them to build highly customized solutions. They are the greatest collaborators of off-the-shelf automation solutions when the intricacy of the geometry, specialty dosing, and secondary assembly needed exceeds the standard offerings for specialty, premium, niche, and oddly shaped products. Their differentiating capabilities are flexibility and rapid changeover.

Optima Packaging Group

Founding Year: 1922

Headquarters: Schwäbisch Hall, Germany

Main Markets: Europe, North America, Asia

Target Industry: Coffee Capsules, Milk Powder, Pharma, Cosmetics, Paper Hygiene

Key Products: Filling and Closing Machines, Turnkey Lines for Portion Packs

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001

Optima has made a name for himself in the loss-leading segment of highly accurate portioning and filling of high-value goods, for example in infant nutrition, coffee capsules, and pharmaceuticals. Their solutions are designed to the modular formats for customers to optimize the filling at the desired flow characteristics for the product in question, be it a sticky paste or a dusty powder. Optima combines several fillers and functions in a single unit and integrates them into the line, such as measuring scoops for milk powder containers, perfect nitrogen flushing for coffee capsules, and others, for which primary product loss and degradation of high-value goods are major concerns.

Cama Group

Founding Year: 1981

Headquarters: Garbagnate Monastero, Italy

Main Markets: Europe, North America, Asia

Target Industry: Bakery, Confectionery, Pet Food, Dairy (Yogurt/Ice Cream)

Key Products: Secondary Packaging, Robotic Cartoning, Sleeving, Case Packing

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 45001

Cama Group offers the best automation services for secondary packaging. They master the loading of tricky products into cartons, trays, or sleeves with great accuracy. Their specialization in loading products that are flow-wrapped and flexible, and the integration of advanced robotics and custom vision systems, let them achieve the best results in the market with their extreme precision pick and place systems including case packers. The BTG (Break-Through Generation) systems have a unique “cabinet-free” layout for hygiene and easy cleaning. High-quality and rapid packaging that meets the demands of the food industries are always attained.

Schubert Group

Founding Year: 1966

Headquarters: Crailsheim, Germany

Main Markets: Global

Target Industry: Confectionery, Bakery, Pharma, Cosmetics

Key Products: TLM (Top-Loading Machines), Pick & Place Robots, Flowpackers

Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001

This family-owned business was a trailblazer in modular TLM robotic packaging systems, abandoning rigid mechanics for a design based around the versatility offered by multiple intelligent robots working independently. This design philosophy allows them to handle some of the most difficult product formats, such as intricate chocolate configurations and other assorted multi-component kits. One of the notable technical advantages of the Schubert system is the ability to switch product formats quickly (tool-less changeover) within a few minutes, rather than the few hours offered by competitors. Such changeover flexibility is a must in today’s fast-changing consumer markets. Schubert’s proprietary vision systems and in-house designed robots deliver the scalability of manual assembly combined with the efficiency of high-speed robotics; truly a unique solution in the marketplace.

Conclusion

The efficiency and quality of the packaging equipment you choose provide the foundation for the capacity and profitability of your factory. The best packaging machine manufacturer is always the one with the flexibility and capacity to deliver the best on your vision for success. This could be the aseptic armor of Tetra Pak; the relentless precision of Levapack; or the fast customization of Schubert.

Don’t just purchase a bench-top packaging machine. Build a relationship that will grow with you, and understands where you are today and where you want to go. Review your production statistics and find your biggest bottleneck. Look closely – is it your labour costs, your speed, or your flexibility? Then contact specialists on this list who best fill that need.

Adopting advanced packaging technology not only enhances production efficiency but is also a key step for enterprises to achieve sustainable development and ROI. If you are looking for high-quality, automated food packaging machine solutions, please feel free to contact us. We will provide you with professional consultation and tailored services to help take your business to the next level.