The core idea of this page: case packing and palletizing are two different automation decisions — a case packer forms and fills a corrugated case, a palletizer stacks filled cases onto a pallet. Automate the one that is your actual bottleneck: if labour and damage happen at the case line, case packing first; if the dock and pallet handling are the pain, palletizing first.
Case packing
A case packer takes finished primary packs (bottles, pouches, cartons) and collates them into a corrugated case or tray. It is measured in cases per minute — a Brenton M4000 runs up to 85 cases/min, a Douglas Axiom ARC up to 80 cases/min. Case packing automation pays off where case-forming, loading and sealing are manual, slow or damaging product.
Palletizing
A palletizer stacks filled cases onto a pallet in a stable, shippable pattern. It is measured in layers or cases per hour — a Krones Modulpal Pro reaches 650 layers/hour. Palletizing automation pays off where pallet building is manual, inconsistent, or a dock bottleneck.
Which to automate first
- Where is the labour? Count the manual stations. If case forming/loading is the highest-labour step, automate case packing first.
- Where is the damage? If product is damaged inside the case, it is a case-packing problem. If cases arrive crushed at the dock, it is a palletizing or load-stability problem.
- What is the sustained output? Automate the stage that limits your line speed — a palletizer that cannot pace the case packer is the next bottleneck.
Source: M4000 Side Load Case Packer — Brenton
"up to 85 cases/trays per minute" — case-packing throughput reference.
Frequently asked questions
Are case packing and palletizing sold separately?
Usually yes — they are different machines from different builders. Price and specify them as separate line items.
Can one vendor do both?
Some (Krones, KHS, Sidel, Brenton) offer both case packers and palletizers. Buying both from one vendor simplifies integration but is not mandatory.
Last verified: September 10, 2026.