Bakery packaging combats COVID-19 disruptions with roboticized automation and circular economy solutions

10 Nov 2020 --- The value of bakery packaging is defined by its production, preservation, storage, transportation and marketing capabilities – all of which the COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting.

Consequently, the sector has been forced to rethink its parameters: Physical distancing measures have renewed interest in machinery automation and contact-less operations in the bakery packing process. 

Manufacturers are looking for smart solutions to guarantee productions can continue even when there is a lack of personnel. Likewise, easy-to-clean equipment attenuates consumer concerns for hygienic packaging. 

In this Special Report, experts from Gerhard Schubert, Syntegon Technology and Waddington Europe – a Novolex company – detail how the pandemic is impacting the bakery packaging sector under the eco-conscious consumer’s watchful eye.

Robots replace humans amid social distancing
Even in pre-pandemic times, the bakery packaging sector demanded a high production flexibility. Notably, baked goods are pressure- and heat-sensitive and come in irregular shapes, sizes, and textures. 

Bakery packaging materials also need to protect against moisture loss or gain, retain taste and aroma, and be hygienic and safe for food contact. They also must ensure machinability, printability and cost-effectiveness. 

The sector’s go-to solution for providing production flexibility has traditionally been manual labor, says Andreas Schildknecht, industry management bakery at Syntegon Technology. “Now, the pandemic has forced manufacturers to reduce operator and product contact.”

Robotics like in Syntegon’s flexible bakery packaging line cater to the industry’s need for increased flexibility.The solution? Robots. “Other than enhancing hygiene standards, robotic technology caters to the industry’s need for increased flexibility since it can be used for a wide range of products and tasks, such as handling random product streams,” Schildknecht explains.

Entry-level robots for feeding and loading, as well as cobots – short for cooperative robots – for palletizing, present an innovative operational method to avoid contact between employees and products.

Syntegon’s flexible bakery packaging line features a Paloma robotic pick-and-place solution that arranges cupcakes for downstream tray-forming equipment. 

Meanwhile, Schubert also features cobots that can perceive their environments, feed belts and format parts with the help of AI on baked goods packaging lines.

“With our robot-based packaging machines, baked goods manufacturers can produce cost-effectively and efficiently and therefore remain competitive in the market,” says Martin Sauter, head of sales at Schubert.

“Thanks to the modular design of our machines and fast tool changes, manufacturers can react immediately to new requirements in the market and the trade.”

From bulk to singles
The closing of restaurants, bars and various other public food venues has increased the demand for industrial pre-packaged bakery products – resulting in a dramatic shift from bulk to more individually wrapped bakery products. 

Schubert sees how flexible packaging systems enabling fast changes are high in demand.“Even small local bakery and snack producers have shifted from bulk-supply to single-serve packaging, requiring higher levels of automation, mainly for hygienic and efficiency reasons,” notes Schildknecht at Syntegon Technology

When it comes to horizontal form, fill, seal (HFFS) machines in particular, flow-wrapping processes become “more complex” once individually wrapped products are at play. 

“In this case, band sealers can offer temporary support: pre-made bags can help to overcome the first hurdle in individual packaging. Another, equally short-term solution are hand-fed flow wrappers for individually packaged portions,” adds Schildknecht.

Plastics versus paper debate
The subsequent growing demand for plastic packaging means “a higher profile focus than ever” on the long-term environmental impact of that packaging, explains Eduardo Gomes, managing director at Waddington Europe, a Novolex company.

“At Waddington Europe, we found that the pandemic has, in some cases, increased demand for rPET rigid packaging. Retailers and consumers were reminded of its many benefits, enjoying the reassurance that their baked food is as safe and as well protected as possible”

The company recently launched Eco Blend Pura – a premium range of 100 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) rigid trays that are also fully recyclable. 

“These high clarity packaging products bring to life the ideal practice behind a true circular economy, keeping plastic away from landfill by turning today’s discarded bottles, pots, tubs and trays into tomorrow’s baked good trays,” maintains Gomes.

As the raw materials needed to produce plastics increasingly becomes an issue, Novolex’s rPET ranges offer “a viable alternative.”

Eco Blend Pura, Novolex’s rPET trays for baked goods, address demands for circular plastics.“In the past 24 months alone, we’ve managed to process more than 39,000 metric tons of recycled plastic – meaning avoiding 39,000 tons of virgin material in our production pipeline as well as opening up more possibilities for infinitely recyclable, more efficient, affordable and sustainable products,” Gomes highlights.

According to Gomes, the carbon footprint of producing 100 percent PCR PET is 60 percent lower than manufacturing virgin PET, including the energy required to collect, recycle, and remanufacture the plastics. 

Popular paper?
In contrast, Schubert regards the trend away from plastics as “no longer reversible.” The company’s packaging technologies are adaptable to cardboard packaging, recyclable mono- and paper-based films.

“More cardboard instead of plastic, more paper barrier film instead of multi-layer barrier film – this is what the future looks like,” predicts Sauter.

Syntegon also recognizes that paper is “very popular” with consumers and brand owners. Also, mono-material can offer the same product protection as conventional plastic while also being recyclable.

“Reducing the overall amount of packaging material is equally important. Some individually wrapped products are packed too loosely and come in oversized packs with a lot of enclosed air, creating other sustainability issues along the whole supply chain,” notes Schildknecht.

“The overriding goal is to realize a packaging solution that packs bakery products in a break-proof manner, enables optimal shelf life and avoids food loss or waste.”

Future-trending
Ensuring and innovating flexible packaging processes are at the heart of the bakery packaging sector’s future.

“Products are becoming more heterogeneous in terms of shape and consistency. The right response to these trends is machine flexibility,” says Schildknecht.

Sustainability will certainly remain a strong trend in the industry, says Schildknecht at Syntegon.Banking on the flexible production trend, Syntegon sees modular production lines on the rise, which facilitate fast and frequent product changeovers. 

“In this context, innovative gripper technology that goes beyond the classic vacuum pump is leading the way, since it enables gentle product handling. Pick-and-place robotic feeding solutions, for example, are a possible field of application for this technology,” explains Schildknecht. 

In the realms of increasing automation and efficiency, digitalization “proves its worth,” says Sauter at Schubert, which also opens up new avenues on an “unprecedented scale.”

“One new rapidly growing digital possibility is additive manufacturing. We use the process for 3D printing of format parts for robot tools.”

“A second option, which allows more flexibility, is via machine control: Schubert uses the international OPC-UA standard as the machine language for its VMS packaging machine control system, so that our TLM systems can be easily integrated into turnkey solutions.”

Overall, the bakery packaging sector will have to be mindful of the spotlight shining on the plastic debate, concludes Gomes at Novolex. 

“As a company and personally as an individual, it’s impossible to trivialize the impact of waste plastic that finds its way into our natural environment, and subsequently, consumers want more environmentally sustainable packaging options.”

By Anni Schleicher