Case Study | Food & Beverage

The Pagès Group Innovates to Meet Customer Demand

To help customers reach sustainability goals, The Pagès Group designs a new, innovative packaging system called Molded Fiber Labeling.

food packaging machine from the pages group

Yann Palanchon is vice president, North America and Global Services, for the Pagès Group. The global OEM is a gold-level member of Rockwell Automation’s PartnerNetwork™ and provides automaton solutions for the packaging industry, including the food, medical, and industrial markets.

Packaging Innovator

The Pagès Group offers automation solutions for the packaging industry including labeling, high-speed sorting, assembly, boxing and palletizing. The industry innovator is known for pioneering In-Mold Labeling technology, an injection-mold process used for plastic packaging.

But with an increase in sustainability requirements and consumer demand, a growing number of Pagès customers are shifting to molded fiber packaging. The material is made with a mix of wood and water and is 100% compostable and recyclable.

“We listened to our customers to see how we could help them transition from plastic to something more sustainable,” Yann says. “It would make no sense for our customers to work on the quality of their product without working on the packaging itself.”

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The Pagès Group Innovates to Meet Customer Demand

To help customers reach sustainability goals, The Pagès Group designs a new, innovative packaging system called Molded Fiber Labeling.

yann palanchon vp north america and global services the pages group

Yann PalanchonVP North America & Global Services, The Pagès Group

Accelerating the Shift to Sustainable Materials

Like most advances, new packaging materials mean new engineering challenges. These include quick transitions from old to new systems, high-volume line speeds, flexibility to accommodate varying package sizes, modularity to expand production, and label adhesion regardless of fiber type and surface.

“We had to change our processes, how our machines are working, and adapt to the new packaging that our customers now want,” Yann explains.

The result is Molded Fiber Labeling™ (MFL) technology, Pagès latest innovation. The new system places high-quality, pre-printed labels directly on molded fiber packaging. The 100% paper labels are glue-free and can be affixed to complex shapes or rough surfaces on various package sizes.

Rockwell Automation technologies and products are embedded throughout the MFL system including drives, integrated robotic control, and Independent Cart Technology."

“We are using pretty much the entire Rockwell Automation catalog. It’s a long-term partnership,” Yann says.

One that goes back decades, while moving the packaging industry forward. Together, Rockwell Automation and Pagès are accelerating the shift from plastic packaging to more sustainable materials.

Published March 13, 2023

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