Use Case – SMARTWRAP S3 In-line Pallet Wrapping Machine

The Challenge

A fast-moving consumer goods facility near Brno handles the shipment of more than 450 pallets of bottled drinks every day, operating over three shifts. Forklifts transported pallets from the end-of-line conveyor to two separate semi-automatic pallet wrappers positioned 40 meters away.

Each pallet required a worker to attach the film, monitor the process, and cut the film by hand, with the entire process—including driving and waiting in line—taking 3 to 4 minutes per pallet. During busy periods, forklifts would line up at the wrappers, resulting in up to 45 minutes per shift of lost forklift productivity and capping throughput at about 18 pallets per hour. Heavy, mixed-load pallets, sometimes weighing nearly 3,000 kg, occasionally shifted during transport, leading to 2 to 3 damaged pallets each week and expensive rework.

The packaging manager was looking for an in-line system that could keep pace with a high-speed production line, eliminate manual handling at the wrapping station, secure heavy loads, and deliver a clear return on investment compared to hiring more forklift drivers or operators.

The Solution

The facility chose the SMARTWRAP S3 In-line Fully Automatic Pallet Wrapping Machine, integrating it directly into the existing roller conveyor between the palletizer and the dispatch buffer. The equipment was set to operate at about 60% of its maximum throughput of 30–40 pallets per hour to maintain reliability and allow for maintenance.

The installation featured the standard 2,000 mm slewing bearing turntable, a Siemens PLC with a 7-inch touchscreen, and the Power Roller Stretch Plus film system with 300% pre-stretch. Automatic film cutting and clamping eliminated all manual film handling, while photoelectric height sensors and programmable wrapping recipes (including the Pallet Grip System) secured mixed-height pallets up to 2,400 mm tall.

Pallets now move automatically on stainless steel conveyors through the wrapper, with no forklift involvement until after wrapping is complete, removing the previous bottleneck at the wrapping station.

ROI Calculation

Before – Standalone wrappers:

• Daily output: 450 pallets per day over 3 shifts
• Average handling and wrapping time: 3.5 minutes per pallet (includes driving, waiting, manual wrapping, and cutting)
• Total forklift/operator hours: 450 × 3.5 = 1,575 minutes ≈ 26 hours per day
• Staffing: 2.5 full-time equivalents (forklift and wrapper operators) at about €23 per hour fully loaded cost
• Daily labor expense: 26 hours × €23 ≈ €598 per day
• Film consumption with low pre-stretch: about 0.30 kg per pallet at €2.2 per kg → €0.66 per pallet → €297 per day
• Weekly damage/rework: 2 pallets per week at about €150 each → €300 per week ≈ €60 per day
• Total relevant cost before ≈ €955 per day

After – SMARTWRAP S3 in-line:

• Machine running at 60% of capacity: about 32 pallets per hour, easily matching line speed
• Operator time: line operator manages recipes; forklift only needed for outbound pickup → about 1.0 full-time equivalent at €23 per hour
• Daily labor expense: about 11.5 hours per day × €23 ≈ €265 per day
• 300% pre-stretch and optimized wrapping: about 0.19 kg per pallet at €2.2 per kg → €0.42 per pallet → €189 per day
• Damage/rework reduction: more than 70% fewer incidents, now about €18 per day
• Total relevant cost after ≈ €472 per day
• Daily savings ≈ €955 − €472 = €483 per day

Investment:
SMARTWRAP S3 in-line pallet wrapper and conveyor integration: €24,999
Net daily savings: ≈ €480 per day
Payback period: €24,999 ÷ €480 ≈ 52 days → payback in less than 3 months even allowing for ramp-up and maintenance.

Results

By implementing the SMARTWRAP S3, the end-of-line bottleneck was eliminated, sustainable throughput was boosted to approximately 32 pallets per hour, and more than one full-time position was made available for other tasks. Forklift movement and waiting times near the wrapping area were greatly reduced, while the Pallet Grip System helped minimize load shifting on pallets weighing up to 3,000 kg.

With measurable reductions in labor, stretch film use, and product damage, the investment paid for itself in less than a quarter and strengthened a key point in the FMCG plant’s logistics process.

“Switching to in-line wrapping with the SMARTWRAP S3 completely transformed our shipping area. Forklift operations are now smoother, our film consumption decreased, and the wrapping station no longer determines the pace for the entire line.” — Petr Novak, Packaging Manager, Brno Beverages s.r.o., Czech Republic