How a Compact Case Packer Saved 40% Floor Space on a Fresh Produce Line

When a fresh produce operation needed to automate case packing on an existing blueberry clamshell line, the first challenge wasn't throughput, and it wasn't product handling. It was floor space.

The line was running. The building wasn't getting bigger. And the space between the clamshell sealer and the palletizer was exactly what it was — a fixed gap that every piece of new equipment had to fit into.

This is a common scenario in produce packing facilities. Plants are built around existing workflow. Adding automation means working within the footprint you have, not the footprint you wish you had.

The Space Problem

Most conventional case packers for rigid containers require a significant footprint. The infeed section, collation area, case erecting zone, loading mechanism, and discharge conveyor add up to a machine that's 15 to 20 feet long and 6 to 8 feet wide — before you account for access clearance on both sides for maintenance and sanitation.

In a greenfield facility, that footprint is designed into the layout from the start. In an existing plant — where the sealer, inspection equipment, labeler, and palletizer are already in place — fitting a conventional case packer often requires moving upstream or downstream equipment, rerouting conveyors, or in some cases, modifying the facility itself. Those are capital projects on top of the automation investment.

For the blueberry operation, none of those options were on the table. The automation had to fit the available space or the project didn't happen.

How the Hawk Fits

The [Hawk](https://www.jlsautomation.com/hawk) case packer uses a cantilevered frame design that fundamentally reduces the machine's footprint compared to conventional case packers. The cantilevered architecture supports the loading mechanism from one side, eliminating the need for a full frame structure around the entire case loading area.

In the blueberry clamshell application, this design reduced the case packer's footprint by approximately 40% compared to the competitive alternatives that were evaluated. The Hawk fit into the existing line without moving the sealer, without rerouting conveyors, and without facility modifications.

The machine was installed in the gap between the existing clamshell sealer and the palletizer infeed — the exact space that was available. No construction. No equipment relocation. No production downtime beyond the installation window.

The Application

Blueberry clamshells are a representative rigid container format: lightweight, uniform, and produced at high volume during peak season. The Hawk collates clamshells into the case-pack pattern on the infeed conveyor and loads the complete group into the case in a single motion.

The system handles the standard 6-oz, 11-oz, and 18-oz clamshell formats used in retail distribution. Changeover between sizes is managed through the HMI recipe system — select the new format, adjust the guide rails, and the Hawk runs the new clamshell. Total changeover time is measured in minutes.

During peak harvest season, the line runs extended shifts. The Hawk runs at the same throughput rate regardless of shift length — no fatigue degradation, no staffing gaps, no productivity drop-off in hour ten that you see with manual packing crews.

Beyond Produce

The same footprint advantage that made the Hawk work for a blueberry operation applies equally to other applications where floor space is constrained:

• Bakery: Carton and clamshell packing for fresh baked goods, where the case packer needs to fit between the packaging line and the shipping area
• Dairy: Yogurt cups and tub packing in facilities where refrigerated floor space is at a premium
• Snack foods: Rigid container packing in plants running multiple lines in shared floor space

The common thread isn't the product category — it's the facility constraint. When the available space is fixed and non-negotiable, the machine's footprint becomes a qualifying criterion, not just a spec line.

The Retrofit Reality

Most automation projects in the food industry aren't greenfield. They're retrofits into existing operations. The equipment needs to fit the plant, not the other way around.

The Hawk was designed with this reality in mind. Compact footprint. Cantilevered access for maintenance and sanitation from one side. Quick-changeover recipe system for operations running multiple SKUs. And the same hygienic construction — stainless steel, open frame, washdown-capable — that JLS builds into every machine.

If floor space is the constraint standing between your operation and automated case packing, it's worth measuring the gap and having a conversation about what fits.

[CTA: Discuss Your Floor Space and Application with JLS]

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The Hawk case packing system is designed and built by JLS Automation in York, Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit [jlsautomation.com/hawk](https://www.jlsautomation.com/hawk) or call (717) 505-3800.