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Your Product · Fresh Produce

Fresh from the field,
packed without a bruise.

Fruits and vegetables in clamshells, bags, trays, and cartons — JLS's vision-guided robots load and case-pack delicate produce gently, protecting quality and presentation. Made to get wet. Built to fit FDA-regulated produce operations.
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70+
Years of automation engineering
Multiple
U.S. patents (food)
IP69K-capable
Washdown construction
U.S. Built
Engineered in-house

JLS builds robotic packaging automation purpose-built for fresh produce — vision-guided systems that load fruits and vegetables into clamshells, trays, bags, and cartons, then case-pack finished packs into retail and foodservice cases. IP69K-capable construction and open-frame stainless design stand up to daily washdown in FDA-regulated produce facilities. Every line is engineered, programmed, and supported entirely in-house by JLS.

In action

Watch JLS handle fresh produce — at full production speed

Sanitary robotic thermoformer loading Thermoformer Loading

Sanitary robotic thermoformer loading

Vision-guided robots load product into thermoformer pockets in a full washdown environment.

Pain points we solve

Fresh produce's toughest packaging headaches. Solved.

We've spent decades on food lines. These are the problems produce packers bring us most — and how JLS robotics solve them.

Sanitation & washdown The challenge

Sanitation & food safety under constant washdown

How JLS solves it
JLS produce systems can be built with IP69K-rated robots and components, NEMA 4X controls, and open-frame stainless, and designed to fit FDA-regulated produce operations — built for the daily washdown these environments require.
Gentle produce handling The challenge

Delicate produce that bruises or damages easily

How JLS solves it
Vision-guided robots with custom end-of-arm tooling pick and place delicate produce and packed clamshells gently and accurately, protecting product quality and presentation.
Seasonal labor challenge The challenge

Labor that's hard to staff through seasonal swings

How JLS solves it
Vision-guided robots take over the repetitive packing positions and run consistently across seasonal volume swings, filling labor gaps when produce demand peaks.
Throughput & line speed The challenge

Throughput & consistency capped by hand-packing

How JLS solves it
Talon®, Osprey®, and Hawk run at line speed with repeatable placement every cycle — from the sorting and grading line through clamshell loading and into the case.
Applications

Fresh produce packaging automation, pack to case packing.

From clamshell and tray loading through case packing, JLS automates every step of a produce line — Talon® loads your packages, Osprey® and Hawk case-pack them, all built for the daily washdown.

1

Clamshell & tray loading

Talon TL loads fruits and vegetables into clamshells, trays, and punnets gently; Osprey TL then case-packs finished packs — protecting delicate produce from loading through to the master container.
Talon TLOsprey TL
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2

Bag loading

Osprey BP loads bagged produce into cases — gentle handling for flexible packs, with quick-change tooling across pack sizes and formats for retail and foodservice.
Osprey BPOsprey
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3

Tray case packing

Osprey TL loads finished produce trays and clamshells into cases or master containers at line speed, sized to your SKU mix and seasonal volume requirements.
Osprey TLOsprey
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4

Cases & cartons

Hawk top-loads produce packs into RSC or retail-ready cases, or Peregrine IS forms, loads, and closes cartons at line speed — compact footprint, quick changeover.
HawkPeregrine
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Have a custom produce pack?

If your product, pack format, or line doesn't fit the cases above, our application engineers will design, test, and prove the right solution — before you commit.

Talk to an application engineer

Test before you commit

Send us your produce.
We'll put it to the test.

Before any capital commitment, send us your product — fruits, vegetables, clamshells, or bagged produce. We'll run it on real JLS robotics in our York, PA Flight Lab with tooling configured for it, and prove out the line on your actual product.

Live
Robotic test with your product
U.S. Built
York, PA Flight Lab
No
Commitment required
Schedule a Flight Lab test

Designed to get wet. Built to be cleaned.

In an FDA-regulated fresh produce facility, sanitation isn't a feature — it's the whole game. Every JLS fresh produce system is engineered for the daily, high-pressure, high-temperature washdown so your line stays compliant and your downtime stays low.

IP69K*
High-pressure washdown
NEMA 4X
Sealed controls
FDA
Designed to fit regulated plants
Open-frame
Sloped, minimal harborage

* Specific JLS components are IP69K full-washdown rated; system-level ingress protection varies by configuration. Contact JLS for your application.

FAQ

Fresh produce packaging automation FAQs

Sanitation, gentle handling, throughput, ROI, and integration — answered by JLS application engineers.

System pricing varies by configuration and application, and is confirmed during the proposal process. Most JLS fresh produce packaging projects evaluate payback in the 24–36 month range, depending on labor cost, shift schedule, line speed, uptime improvement, and the specific application. Labor savings scale with the platform, line speed, and labor model, with added value from improved throughput and more consistent produce handling. JLS reviews your product, package format, line speed, staffing model, and current production challenges to determine where automation creates the strongest return.

JLS automates fruits and vegetables in clamshells, bags, trays, and cartons — loaded, grouped, and case-packed into retail and foodservice formats with gentle handling.

Vision-guided robots with custom end-of-arm tooling pick and place delicate produce and packed clamshells gently and accurately, protecting product quality and presentation through loading and case packing.

Yes. Systems can be built with IP69K-rated robots and components, NEMA 4X controls, and open-frame sloped stainless construction — wash-down capable and designed to fit FDA-regulated produce operations and the daily washdown.

Yes. JLS integrates with clamshell denesters and sealers, baggers, tray lines, conveyors, checkweighers, metal detectors, and labeling systems into one coordinated produce line.

Talon loads clamshells, bags, and trays with gentle vision-guided handling, and Osprey case-packs finished packs into cases or master containers.

Throughput depends on the product, package format, robot configuration, and tooling. JLS sizes the system around your actual product, SKU mix, and line speed so it is built for the production requirement rather than a generic rate claim.

Many JLS systems use recipe-driven changeover through the HMI, with tooling and format changes designed to be simple and repeatable. JLS reviews your SKU mix, pack formats, and changeover goals so the system fits how the plant runs.

Yes. Flexible tooling and recipe-driven changeover help produce packers handle seasonal volume and SKU changes while keeping consistent throughput when labor is tight.

Yes. Before any capital commitment, JLS runs your actual product in our York, PA Flight Lab with tooling configured for it and validates the application on your real product before final design.

Often, yes. The final design depends on available floor space, line speed, product presentation, controls, sanitation access, and your existing equipment. JLS reviews the full line so the system fits how the plant runs.

JLS typically reviews the product type and dimensions, photos or video of the current line, package format, target speeds, SKU mix, labor model, sanitation requirements, available floor space, upstream and downstream equipment, and the main problem to solve.

Designed, built, programmed, and tested at JLS Automation in York, Pennsylvania, with support from JLS's in-house team, working directly with the engineers who built your system — remote diagnostics, on-site service, training, parts, and preventive maintenance.

What do you want to know?

Ask us anything — an automation expert will follow up.

What can we help with? Optional — select any that apply.

By submitting, you agree that JLS Automation and Robert Reiser & Co. may contact you about your inquiry.

Ready to automate your produce line?

Bring us your product. We'll test it in our York, PA lab, engineer the automation, and prove it on your real produce — before we say yes.

Schedule a facility tour Call (717) 505-3800
JLS + Reiser: Expertise across the line

Planning a complete fresh produce line?

JLS builds complete fresh produce lines — from clamshell loading and tray handling through case packing and cartoning — integrated as a single solution from one team in York, PA.

Full food production line — JLS + Reiser: expertise across the line Ten production-line stages across four zones. JLS-built robotic automation stages are shown in purple; stages available through Reiser's OEM portfolio in blue; customer-selected or partner equipment in gray. Dashed lines mark coordinated integration points. Prepare. Portion. Form. Load. Seal. Case. Carton. Collate. Stack. Secure. 01Mixing &blendingGrindingEmulsifyingMarinatingTumblingAvailable throughReiser portfolio 02Forming &portioningStuffingExtrudingPatty formingDepositingAvailable throughReiser portfolio 03FurtherprocessingSlicingDicingShreddingTenderizingAvailable throughReiser portfolio 04PrimaryloadingPick & placeVision-guidedLane loadingProduct collationJLS TALON®JLS KESTREL™JLS Automation 05PrimarypackagingThermoformingTray sealingVacuum / MAPSkin packAvailable throughReiser portfolio 06CasepackingRobotic case loadingRobotic loadingWashdown configurationsHygienic optionsJLS OSPREY®HAWK™ · PATTY HAWK™Case erecting & sealing via partner equip.JLS Automation 07CartoningForm, load,close cartonsCompact footprintWashdown-capable designJLS PEREGRINE® ISPEREGRINE ISJLS Automation 08Collation /bundlingCount & stackBundle packMultipackPartner equipmentscope-dependent 09PalletizingLayer buildingRobotic palletizingSlip-sheet placeLayer padPartner equipmentscope-dependent 10LoadsecurementStretch wrapBandingCorner boardTop sheetPartner equipmentscope-dependent Tier 1 Primary Packaging The package that touches the product Tier 2 Secondary Packaging Cases, cartons, and multipacks for retail or distribution Tier 3 Tertiary Packaging Stretch wrap, ship-ready unit

Together, JLS and Reiser help food manufacturers develop coordinated processing and packaging lines—from product preparation and primary package loading and sealing through cartoning, case packing and load securement.

Illustrative line architecture. Stages, equipment suppliers and sequence vary by product and project scope. Not every food line uses every stage, and slicing, cooking, freezing, inspection and other processes may occur in different positions.

Scroll left and right to scan the full line. Open the printable line map →

JLS-built robotic automation Available through Reiser’s OEM portfolio Customer-selected / third-party equipment Coordinated integration point

Reiser role across the line

Food-processing expertise, application development, equipment selection, product testing, and sales & lifecycle support.

JLS role at robotic packaging stages

Robotic engineering, product & package handling, controls interfaces, and integration & FAT when included in project scope.

Let’s talk more about planning your full line.

Tell us who you are and a bit about your line. An automation expert will reach out — and we’ll bring the right people from JLS and Reiser to the conversation.

Your details
Facility location
Your line today
What you're planning
What solution(s) are you interested in?* Select all that apply.
Project timeline

By submitting, you agree that JLS Automation and Robert Reiser & Co. may contact you about your inquiry.

Over 1,000 custom installs. Predictable performance. Premier, dedicated service.

  • Factory-tested reliability
  • In-house programming — York, PA
  • Same in-house team, day one to decades later
  • Fast dispatch from York, PA — within a day's drive of most East Coast and Midwest plants
  • Remote diagnostics + on-site support
Already running a JLS line?
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Spare parts, preventive maintenance, retooling, training, and on-site support — from JLS's in-house support team, backed by the engineers who built your machine.
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